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Former Crusaders and Blues first five joins MLR side Glendale Raptors

Former Crusader, Stephen Brett. (Photo by Duif du Toit / Gallo Images / Getty Images)

Stephen Brett, a man once touted as Dan Carter’s replacement for both the Crusaders and the All Blacks, has relocated to America ahead of next year’s third season of Major League Rugby.

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Brett, who has represented the Crusaders and Blues in New Zealand, Toyota Verblitz in Japan and Bayonne, Lyon, Clermont and Narbonne in France, will join the Glendale Raptors as their attack coach.

The Raptors finished sixth in this year’s MLR competition and have completely revitalised their coaching team ahead of next year. Brett’s former Crusaders teammate, Peter Borlase, will take over as head coach after working with the forwards in 2019. Borlase’s predecessor, Dave Williams, has been released from his contract.

Brett, who finished his professional playing career barely a year ago, has talked up the need for Glendale to play fast, explosive rugby.

“I have a plan that will hopefully suit the coaches and the team’s needs and help the areas that they want to improve, but it will definitely be a fast playing attack with, of course, lots and lots of tries,” Brett said.

The 2020 season is unlikely to kick off until the end of January, giving Brett plenty of time to help shape the team. The current home-and-away round-robin set-up will be replaced next year with a conference system, due to the addition of three new teams: New England Free Jacks, Old Glory DC and Rugby ATL.

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J
JW 9 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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