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Bashed and bruised or not, Super Rugby players are lining up for clubs in their off-week

Ardie Savea. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

In the lead-up to Super Rugby Aotearo’s kick-off, the discourse seemed to be that the tournament was going to be intensely physical. NZ derbies always leave sore bodies in their wake, and players didn’t hold back when quizzed on how tough the new competition was going to be.

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“We certainly get some tough battles out of those New Zealand derbies,” returning Chief Aaron Cruden said in the lead-up to the competition.

“The intensity takes it up another level and the bodies are always sore afterwards – but you can deal with the sore body if you’re able to get the win, I think. That’s always the goal.”

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Warren Gatland joins Jim Hamilton to discuss his new book, Pride and Passion.

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Warren Gatland joins Jim Hamilton to discuss his new book, Pride and Passion.

Bryn Gatland, who came on against the Chiefs in round one of Super Rugby Aotearoa to kick a match-winning drop-goal, had similar sentiments.

“Eight New Zealand teams in a row is going to take a toll, especially, I think, on the forwards. It’s going to be pretty physical, pretty brutal, and pretty fast. There’s probably going to need to be some plan around rotations and minutes and giving some guys some opportunities.”

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Despite the physicality of the contests, however, players that haven’t been required to turn out for their Super Rugby sides this weekend are turning out in droves for their clubs.

With the Hurricanes having the bye this week, the likes of Ardie Savea, Alex Fidow, Billy Proctor and Devan Flanders – who all clocked up minutes in the first two weeks of Super Rugby Aotearoa – will play club rugby instead, despite potentially having heavy loads in the coming

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Across the country, men who’ve had limited minutes over the first two weekends of fixtures will don their club colours as the grassroots game gets underway.

The Blues’ Jonathan Ruru and Ezekiel Lindenmuth will feature for University and Ardmore Marist, respectively, while Etene Nanai-Seturo, Shaun Stevenson, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi and Alex Nankivell are some of the Chiefs to put their hands up for club duty.

Further south, Highlander Vilimoni Korori will play for Alhambra Union in the Dunedin club competition. Koroi started in his franchise’s opening win over the Chiefs but had the bye last weekend and hasn’t been called upon to play against the Blues in Auckland this weekend.

While there’s no doubt that playing back-to-back-to-back derbies is taking its toll, the fact that there’s been so little rugby for so long due to COVID-19 means players are champing at the bit to play any football – even if there’s a chance they’ll have plenty on their plates in the coming weeks.

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Of course, most of the men who are getting involved in club rugby this weekend are the players who’ve spent more time on the training pitches with their Super Rugby teams and less time on the pitch. Savea, in particular, wasn’t able to take the field for the Hurricanes during the original Super season due to injury so has clocked up just one and a bit games this year. You imagine that any opportunity the All Blacks loose forward gets to play will welcomed with open arms.

Former All Black Ben Smith is also expected to turn out for the Green Island club in Dunedin after returning home from France before he heads to Japan.

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T
TT 1 hour ago
'No, it’s not, that’s the truth' - Andy Farrell rubbishes Ireland subplot

ABs by 4……


IF

The Razor gang has given the AB’s a game plan A, B, C & etc (unlike so many AB games since 2016). &


IF

AB’s play 80+ minutes. &


IF

ABs do their individual & team jobs error free (‘ish)  (unlike so many AB team since 2016). &


IF

All the ‘critical V Ireland’ AB form mobile forwards stay on field for the 80min S.Barrett, Sititi, Savea, and Vaa’i swap with Cane when he tires & Tuipulotu comes on. Finau back up. &


IF

The 10's get a better ‘cunning game plan’ than BB, ie his kicky, kicky, kicky, kicky, kicky, kicky, kicky, ETC! (& MacK does have a better game plan). &


IF

Aumua can throw to lineouts . &


IF

The AB’s can remember their lineout calls (unlike too many V England games 1, 2 & 3). &


IF

Williams can be coached to stop being sucked into experienced tactics to drop him to the ground. &


IF

The AB coaches, teach all ABs some ‘soccer like’ drama queen fouling acting skills to make clear to the ref 1 of the most common Irish tactics ie obstruction by ‘stray’ decoy attackers around contact zone (tackle, ruck, maul). &


IF

The ABs have their arm out away if not tackling any, again, decoy attackers  (or defenders) that run into them to try milk penalties as England did (eg penalty  against  Cane the worst). &


IF

S.Barrett can change & captain with assertiveness & presence to even be noticed by the ref (way to passive). &


IF

There's no food poisoning.

7 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
How can Scott Robertson revive the All Blacks’ playmaking ‘triple threat’?

HAHA don't ask me that! You tell me, if McMillian was the AB coach would he be selecting Dmac over Mo'unga!?!


Look, Dmac is clearly first choice. Razor said BB was a selection "just for this game", Dmac was always leading the two big ones. They rotated BB and Mounga the same way in 22.


Firstly, I'm a fan of BB when he's not gun shy. Do I think he's a first five? Of course not, he can hardly pass the ball 5 meters. Do I think he's likely to play again after being concussed? No, end of discussion.


Do I hate Mo'unga? No, of course not. He was the only reason we got within cooee of SA, him finding his footing at International level was their main reason for success. Do I think that resulted in him being a game orchestra or having played well in black the years prior to that? Of course not. Maybe you were just on the end of the better AB performances fran, outside of those games I'd suggest he wasn't as influential as you think. He has a good kicking game for sure, but it's certainly not up there with Carter or even some current 10s, and it's certainly not much better than DMac's (understand you own opinion still won't say that) despite him having a lot more development and experience.


He would obviously get a great opportunity from Razor if he came back, and DMac would possibly find he can be a good fullback or bench player under Razors guidance, but if you're wrong and Dmac actually performed better than Richie running the show, then he'll having Damien as his 10 come RWC time.


TLDR, JWH is a Cantab, Richie is one of my favourite players, we just think you've got the wrong context in this article and I think you're way off the mark on Richies strengths.

44 Go to comments
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