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The Blues confirm departures of two All Black props among nine leavers

Nepo Laulala of the Blues runs out for his 100th Super Rugby Game during the round one Super Rugby Pacific match between Highlanders and Blues at Forsyth Barr Stadium, on February 25, 2023, in Dunedin, New Zealand. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

The Blues have confirmed a post-World Cup move to France for All Black prop Nepo Laulala who has signed with a Top 14 club, while another All Black Alex Hodgman also has been farewelled by the club.

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The Blues confirmed the news in a tribute video but did not fully disclose where 32-year-old Laulala is headed, only to say he would be reunited with the ‘Big Uce’.

That would suggest Laulala is headed to big spenders Montpellier where former teammate Karl Tu’inukuafe has signed.

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Laulala had re-signed with NZR on a one-year deal for 2023 and will leave New Zealand as a Super Rugby centurion after stints with three clubs, the Crusaders, Chiefs and Blues.

He has represented the All Blacks 45 times since his debut in 2015 and was a key member of the 2019 World Cup squad.

Laulala and Hodgman join Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Beauden Barrett as All Blacks moving on from the franchise.

A surprise among the departures was emerging star Caleb Tangitau, currently with the New Zealand U20s and capped by the All Blacks Sevens in 2022, who was listed as ‘headed to Paris in 2024’.

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The 20-year-old has yet to debut in Super Rugby and his departure would almost be unprecedented for a top age-grade New Zealand talent.

Other departures include experienced lock James Tucker, son of former All Blacks assistant Taine Plumtree, flanker Tom Robinson, and fullback Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens.

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1 Comment
L
Lesley 664 days ago

"capped by the All Blacks Sevens in 2022, who was listed as ‘headed to Paris in 2024’."... anyone would think he might be going to the Olympics... hardly an unprecedented departure.

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JW 45 minutes ago
Ex-All Black Richie Mo’unga teases return to ‘Test match setting’ in 2025

They didn’t really let him go though did they. He was gone, already signed to leave some 18 months earlier. Not much they could do.


Definitely a shame though, hence why I criticize the coaching for not unlocking that composure earlier. We would have seen he was definitely the player we need to take us through that WC, and the next, before the contract talks started. After, was too late. Conversely, if he had of continued to play the way he had been when he signed to go to Japan, I have no doubt Damien McKenzie would have been the player to lead us in 23’, and then we very likely would have won that Final. I’m not so sure Dmac would hve been good enough to get us past Ireland, Richie definitely deserves a lot of credit for simply getting us to the Final.


But that was all my message to HHT was. That class, or talent in this case, is permeant, and games like Ireland showed he did definitely had that. Obviously Richie’s got a large responsibility in realizing it sooner too, but in terms of not displaying it when it counts in 2019 or 2023, I reckon that’s on the coachs more than a lack of talent on his part, and it’s the same shame when it comes to your sentiment. If he was at the point were he could have saved out bacon against Ireland in 2022, it might not have been too late for NZR to have come in with a big contract offer. The bigger problem now is that Razor is only exasperating that problem with this new group. We now clearly know he was a big factor in Richie taking so long, because he’s replicating the same problems with the current batch. Thankfully NZR had no other option but to offer a big contract to secure Dmac this time though, regardless of how he must have felt after being treated like that.

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L
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H
Head high tackle 1 hour ago
Super Rugby draw heavily favours NZ sides but they can't win in Australia

Very targeted article that writes to deliberately put across a fake point. Please John tell us who each side has played?

Why has NZ and AUs sides not really clashed? Because of all the “local” derbies John. How many times will the Reds, Brumbies, Tahs and Force , play the Blues, Canes, Saders, Highlanders, Moana and Chiefs John? ONCE per season. If you want to write an article about the failings of the draw then please write about the actual failings of the draw, Not a fabrication about the draw being unfair to the actual sides it heavily favours. Not 1 Aus side will play an NZ team twice to get to the finals. ALL NZ sides will.

To give you ONE example lets look at the Blues draw.

In 9 rounds so far they have played every NZ based side. ( 5 games ) then the Canes twice, Chiefs twice, And this weekend they play the 2nd game v the Saders this season. ( 3 more games ) so the only side they have played thats not an NZ based team is the Brumbies. 1 GAME! Still to play the Reds, Tahs, Force and Drua and will only get 1 game V those sides.


There are 4 Australian sides John. Pure maths tells me that means 2 home games against Aus sides and 2 away games v Aus sides. So basically NO NZ side should ever play more than 2 games in a season in Aus. Aus cut their teams down to 4. This is the direct result.


Yes the draw is not fair, but that heavily favors Aus sides. Either have 1 round or have 2, but this 1.5 rounds isnt fair to ALL NZ based sides.

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