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Nehe Milner-Skudder turned down a chance to represent his former Super team

Nehe Milner-Skudder. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Nehe Milner-Skudder has turned down an offer to return to the Hurricanes in favour of a contract with the Highlanders.

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The Manawatu wing burst onto the Super Rugby scene in 2015, helping the Hurricanes to the grand final and earning a place in the All Blacks 2015 World Cup squad.

Milner-Skudder scored six tries at the tournament – including one in the final against Australia – and was named World Rugby’s Breakthrough Player of the Year.

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The Sky Sports NZ panel led by former All Black Jeff Wilson talk all things rugby as New Zealand looks ahead to pro rugby post lockdown.

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The Sky Sports NZ panel led by former All Black Jeff Wilson talk all things rugby as New Zealand looks ahead to pro rugby post lockdown.

Unfortunately the versatile speedster has been hampered by a frustrating run of injuries in the time since and played just five more test matches for New Zealand.

He signed with Toulon in December 2018 with a view to joining the French club following the 2019 Super Rugby season.

But a recurring shoulder injury and the onset of Covid-19 has prevented that from happening.

“We had a contract offer in front of him, but he decided he wanted to go to the Highlanders,” said Hurricanes coach Jason Holland.

“He had a look at all the plusses and minuses of both sides and he decided it was best for Nehe Milner-Skudder to be at the Highlanders.

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“That was Skudz’s call and he had to do what was best for him,” said Holland.

New Zealand’s five Super Rugby sides will reassemble next week to begin preparations for Super Rugby Aotearoa.

The Highlanders will host the Chiefs to open the competition on Saturday June 13. Milner-Skudder’s first chance to face his former side will come on July 12 in Wellington.

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J
JW 1 hour 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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