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Super Rugby PacificChiefs

Chiefs retain propping pair

The Chiefs have announced the retention of props Aidan Ross and Angus Ta’avao who have both re-signed.

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The front row receives a long-term boost with Ross and Ta’avao signing on until 2021 and 2020 respectively.

Aidan Ross is very familiar with the Chiefs environment, having progressed through the Chiefs Development programme before entering the 2018 Super Rugby season with a full contract. The Bay of Plenty prop impressed, playing seven games, before his season was abruptly ended with an ankle injury. The young prop made his debut for the Chiefs in 2017 as a squad replacement player against the Western Force, and has gone from strength to strength since.

The front rower was ecstatic to re-sign with the club.

“I’m absolutely stoked to recommit to the Gallagher Chiefs – I couldn’t imagine playing my footy anywhere else and I’m pumped to crack into next season,” Ross said.

Ross represents Bay of Plenty in the Mitre 10 Cup and has played for the New Zealand U20 team and was also in the squad for the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians game against the British & Irish Lions in 2017.

Angus Ta’avao came into the team as a squad replacement player and was hugely significant throughout the season, playing 17 games and clocking up over 1100 minutes. Ta’avao’s contribution both on and off the field didn’t go unnoticed, picking up the Chiefs Personality Award at the 2018 Chiefs Season Celebration.

The 28-year old is vastly experienced, having played for the Blues and Waratahs throughout his career, as well as being a prominent figure for Taranaki in the Mitre 10 Cup.

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Ta’avao thoroughly enjoyed his first season with the team and is excited for the seasons to come.

“It’s an exciting time for my family and I as we thoroughly enjoyed our first season with the Chiefs family and it is great to sign on.”

Now in the off-season, the Chiefs players will return to their provincial unions for Mitre 10 Cup duties, as well as our All Blacks players who will enter camp ahead of the Rugby Championship. The Mitre 10 Cup kicks off on the 16 August and the All Blacks will play their opening game of the Rugby Championship against the Wallabies on Saturday 18 August in Sydney.

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Comments on RugbyPass

Y
YeowNotEven 15 minutes ago
Wallabies-All Blacks is not the only option for an ANZAC day fixture

It should be Aussie Vs NZ day.

All SR games, and Black Ferns Vs Wallaroos.

Epic. May as well throw a Kiwis Vs Kangaroos game in as well.

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PM 24 minutes ago
Ulster boss Richie Murphy levels accusation at Leinster after heavy loss

I yield to your obviously superior knowledge of Irish rugby.

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Jordon 25 minutes ago
Wallabies-All Blacks is not the only option for an ANZAC day fixture

Honestly do people actually watch women’s rugby?

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Ed the Duck 27 minutes ago
Ulster boss Richie Murphy levels accusation at Leinster after heavy loss

Point stands, he was moved on when he was no longer valued as a priority by Leinster, just like Beirne, Jordi Murphy, Jack McGrath, Marty Moore and almost all the others you mentioned. Trying to say that Leinster have shipped real talent to Ulster, or anywhere else that has proven to deliver is frankly laughable. Even the one example that could have been quoted as rated talent when they left, Carberry to Munster, ended in abject failure.


Bottom line is this: the playing field across the provinces is far from level and arguing otherwise is both futile and laughable.

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Cantab 33 minutes ago
Wallaroos coach explains why Maddison Levi was left out of squad

Madison Levi was certainly a super star for the Aussie 7s and was consistently their go to player. No doubt could be valuable in 15s as well but depends on her injury situation and whether she even wants to transfer to a 15s role. Different skills are needed between both forms of the game.

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RW 36 minutes ago
Wallabies-All Blacks is not the only option for an ANZAC day fixture

Our Ladies need more tough meaningful fixtures like they do in the NH. This would be a good starting point.

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Cantab 45 minutes ago
Mark Tele'a's departure sends unsettling message to NZRU over wantaway All Blacks

Telea has been a fine player in the past but I feel he has made a good decision to now seek big $$$$ overseas whilst he retains some form. There is a plethora of excellent wingers around and he is comfortably replaced by these. He was not a major factor for the Blues against the Crusaders as conditions were against wingers shining anyway and both backlines were confined largely to defensive roles.

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PM 46 minutes ago
Ulster boss Richie Murphy levels accusation at Leinster after heavy loss

As I said in my previous post please try to keep up. Cooney left Leinster and went to Connacht for 3 years before he went to Ulster. He left Leinster 2 years before JGP joined them. Luke McGrath was the player who he lost his place to, not that he was ever a fixture in the team. How could you possibly lose 3 years? Very hard to take you seriously after that comment. Where is your source that the IRFU give more money to Leinster than the other Irish clubs? As to the non iq players Munster brought Snyman to Ireland and previously had players of the calibre of Doug Howlett and Christian Cullen on their books. I never complained about their spending power then as I was happy that an Irish team could recruit players of their stature.

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Ed the Duck 1 hour ago
Ulster boss Richie Murphy levels accusation at Leinster after heavy loss

Yeah we’ll see how often Leinster are back at the RDS, possibly for games vs Dragons and the Italian teams but not too much more than that I suspect. As I asked you previously, what’s your source to assert that “the irfu at the moment fund each of the four clubs equally”, or is it just another unsubstantiated assertion? And if Cooney is your shining example of the Leinster academy supporting Ulster then you need to think again. He was only moved to Ulster when he was no longer first choice as JGP took the slot (same with Ireland) and he was unhappy as a result. As a result it very much suited Leinster to ship him up to Ulster and it was this same discontent that triggered Cooney’s failed attempts to switch allegiances to Scotland just before the World Cup last year. And as for signing 3 non IQ players (there’s a few ‘non iq’ players on here too…), which 3 do you think cost more; Leinster’s, Munster’s, Ulster’s or Connacht’s…?

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Ardy 1 hour ago
Can Rugby Australia afford to go ‘all in’ on the Queensland Reds?

OMG, to think that all these sins of his trump free speech. I guess the millions who fought for it will agree with you.

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Chiefs Mana 1 hour ago
Mark Tele'a's departure sends unsettling message to NZRU over wantaway All Blacks

Seems a strange take; very rare for a young player/debutant to be thrust into a fulltime, starting role for any international team if that’s what you refer to as the opposite of “babying”. The exception is obviously when there is a superstar coming through or depth issues in a certain position but history suggests it takes time to adjust to the difference in style and intensity. And whilst Talea had some great games early, he also had some indifferent ones.


NZR and the public would much rather have him than not but he’s made a sensible decision for himself at this stage of his career - if he was 25, it’d be a much different situation.


Emoni deserves a decent crack after multiple strong super seasons, Sevu whilst a brilliant super rugby player has been found wanting against some of the better teams in internationals but is obviously a very experienced operator. Razor obviously likes Fihaki who’s been blooded in camp so there’s 3 players ready to roll. Then Reiko can play wing, Will Jordan is already one of the best 14s in the world (i’m looking forward to his growth as an international fullback of course). That’s 5 players ready to go for June.


Then there’s 8 very good uncapped players who could put their hand up (be baby’d) in Talea’s absence: Tavatavanawai, Tangitau, Springer, Taumoefalau, AJ Lam, Carter, Naholo, Nanai-Seturo.


I imagine that’s why the public isn’t overly panicked about the situation. This is of course an opinion.

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Scott Carlos 1 hour ago
Top 14-chasing Beziers sign Uruguayan Olympian

After four years, I thought my USDT, worth $59,000, was lost forever, but Ultimate Hacker Jerry helped me recover it. For this, I am immensely grateful. I contacted Jerry after making innumerable tries to get back in, and his knowledge was invaluable. He was committed to my case, professional, and quick to respond. I was able to get my money back because of his diligence, and I highly recommend his services. Jerry is the person you should trust if you find yourself in a similar circumstance.

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Gus UK 2 hours ago
'Youngs has chosen to turn down Racing 92 and offers from Japan meaning Leicester will be both his beginning and his end.'

I taught Ben when he was in his primary school years. He was an ambitious and fun-loving boy with a massive talent and passion for all things rugby! Always with a smile on his face, his understanding and vision when playing rugby was exceptional. I was very lucky to have taught and coached this amazing man. Well done, Lenny - you are a legend!

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Lawanna Nelson 2 hours ago
England rout Scotland to set up Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam decider

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PM 2 hours ago
Ulster boss Richie Murphy levels accusation at Leinster after heavy loss

Leinster will play the majority of their games at the RDS. Cooney is Ulsters scrum half and top points scorer for the last few seasons. Leinster signed 3 non Irish qualified players as all the Irish clubs can. The IRFU at the moment fund each of the 4 clubs equally but from next year will favour Munster, Connacht and Ulster. Do try to keep up.

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JW 2 hours ago
Tele'a should now be surplus to requirements for the All Blacks

It’s an interesting example, a play of that sort of.. caliber, to only coming through and into pro rugby at the age of 23 (his “wait” to become an AB pretty normal for a star, at 2 years, 1 of which was COVID), the question became whether he would also be able to play till an older age.


It doesn’t look good. First it appears that Razor has that new age cooperate mentality and has chosen to prioritize the contracts of his favourites at the Crusaders, Reece, rather than any potential long term prospects of Tele’a playing at the next RWC. There is zero chance of Reece lasting that long, as a one dimensional winger already near the age of 30 (with recent news he ousted MacDonald because he wanted Reece selected over Tele’a). Now we’re hearing that a utility at the Crusaders, one ranked bottom of the pile in stats this year, is going to be included in his squad in Mark’s place.


I think it really is just another instance of recent examples how NZR are mismanaging players, on recent player movement/contracts I can only assume he wasn’t offered the normal rate, and that’s why he’s had to take this contract overseas. The unknown at the moment is how money in hand is being valued inside NZR with the current world financial environment.

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Willardi 2 hours ago
Bryan Habana: 'I don't think Louis is faster than me'

Few wings are special. Kolbe is one of them Habana is not. Being quick doesn’t exemplify a player. Kolbe does so much BH cannot do.

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Willardi 2 hours ago
Eben Etzebeth and Sam Skinner clash off-field as they're sent off

Sam who?

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Michael Marnewick 2 hours ago
Mark Tele'a's departure sends unsettling message to NZRU over wantaway All Blacks

You have to make hay while the sun shines. Telea feels like a player that was hampered by the changes Covid brough to international competitions as well. He’s good enough to play aginst the likes of Kolbe and Arendse week in, week out, but unforunately the changes that stemmed from all the panic was a guy who (then would’ve been in his prime years for wing) to wait and hope that he’d get a chance to be selected.


I think they’ll look to Reece/Narawa and Clark to go with some consistency rather than aiming to find a new breakout star. Just one man’s opinion.

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Andrew Nichols 2 hours ago
Super Rugby Pacific performers of the week round 10

Narawa..Carter.. Tangitau…Nope. None of them. Razor will pick Fihaki…guaranteed.

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TRENDING Ulster boss Richie Murphy levels accusation at Leinster after heavy loss Ulster boss Richie Murphy levels accusation at Leinster after loss
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