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Sunwolves' season officially jumps the shark as flanker moves to midfield

Sunwolves flanker Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco was first named in the midfield for his side's clash with the Hurricanes. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)

TEAM NAMING: In a bizarre turn of events, the Sunwolves have today named Australian-born loose-forward Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco at second five for their match with the Hurricanes.

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The Sunwolves, infamous for using more players in their three years in Super Rugby than any other team, have evidently been dealing with a midfield crisis. Warren-Vosayaco, alongside fellow ‘midfielder’ Josh Timu, are the eighth and ninth players to be named to start in the midfield for the Sunwolves this year.

Timu, although he has only featured in two matches this season, is at least a centre by trade. Warren-Vosayaco, on the other hand, has started seven matches for the Japan-based team in the loose-forwards.

The selection is made all the more strange due to the fact that Jason Emery, who has been a regular fixture in the midfield this season, is sitting on the bench.

Warren-Vosayaco has been a standout performer for the team and given the Sunwolves’ impending expulsion from Super Rugby, could be on the radar for a new employer in the coming years. Certainly a number of Australian teams should be keeping tabs on the athletic flanker – perhaps the move to the midfield is simply an opportunity for Warren-Vosayaco to show off his wide-ranging skillset.

Midfield aside, the Sunwolves are fielding a fairly consistent team this week.

Halfback Jamie Booth comes into the starting side at the expense of Kaita Shigeno – who drops out of the squad altogether. Fumiaki Tanaka takes Booth’s place on the bench.

The only other changes to the starting side come in the front row with Nathan Vella taking over at hooker from Georgian Jaba Bregvadze and former Chief Hiroshi Yamashita moving from the bench to tighthead prop.

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When the Hurricanes named their side earlier today it was without Beauden and Jordie Barrett and Ardie Savea. Sunwolves supporters may have thought they could catch the Hurricanes unawares – surely nothing will be more surprising for the Hurricanes than seeing the 108kg Warren-Vosayaco at second five.

Sunwolves: Ryohei Yamanaka, Gerhard van den Heever, Josh Timu, Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco, Semisi Masirewa, Hayden Parker, Jamie Booth, Hendrik Tui, Dan Pryor (c), Ben Gunter, Luke Thompson, Mark Abbott, Hiroshi Yamashita, Nathan Vella, Pauliasi Manu. Reserves: Atsushi Sakata, Masataka Mikami, Takuma Asahara, Tom Rowe, Shuhei Matsuhashi, Jamie Booth, Jason Emery, Jamie Henry.

 

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Bull Shark 5 hours ago
Rassie Erasmus' Boks selection policy is becoming bizarre

To be fair, the only thing that drives engagement on this site is over the top critiques of Southern Hemisphere teams.


Or articles about people on podcasts criticizing southern hemisphere teams.


Articles regarding the Northern Hemisphere tend to be more positive than critical. I guess to also rile up kiwis and Saffers who seem to be the majority of followers in the comments section. There seems to be a whole department dedicated to Ireland’s world ranking news.


Despite being dialled into the Northern edition - I know sweet fokall about what’s going on in France.


And even less than fokall about what’s cutting in Japan - which has a fast growing, increasingly premium League competition emerging.


And let’s not talk about the pacific. Do they even play rugby Down there.


Oh and the Americas. I’ve read more articles about a young, stargazing Welshman’s foray into NFL than I have anything related to either the north and south continents of the Americas.


I will give credit that the women’s game is getting decent airtime. But for the rest and the above; it’s just pathetic coming from a World Rugby website.


Just consider the innovation emerging in Japan with the pedigree of coaches over there.


There’s so much good we could be reading.


Instead it’s unimaginative “critical for the sake of feigning controversial”. Which is lazy, because in order to pull that off all you need to be really good at is:


1. Being a doos;

2. Having an opinion.


No prior experience needed.


Which is not journalism. That’s like all or most of us in the comments section. People like Finn (who I believe is a RP contributor).


Anyway. Hopefully it will get better. The game is growing and the interest in the game is growing. Maybe it will attract more qualified journalists over time.

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