Leeds lose Marshall
19 Apr 2006
Former All Black scrumhalf Justin Marshall could return to the Crusaders set-up after ending his career with Leeds.
Marshall terminated his contract after one season despite having a year remaining on his contract. This follows the Tykes’ relegation from the English Premiership last week. Radio Sport said the club was expected to make an announcement tomorrow.
Marshall publicly stated he did not want to play in the National League One, and said he had played his “heart and guts out this season” and it would be an act of good faith if the club released him.
The report follows Leeds chief executive Gary Hetherington confirming yesterday that Marshall had no escape clause in his deal after he joined them last year.
Robbie Deans, Marshall’s former coach at the Crusaders, said if the combative No 9 wanted to return to New Zealand, he should be warmly welcomed by the New Zealand Rugby Union.
“He’s a class act isn’t he? I would think New Zealand rugby would be delighted to have him back on the roster,” Deans told The Press newspaper.
Deans said the Crusaders “would look at that at the time,” when asked if they would be willing to have Marshall back.
12 Comments
19 Apr 2006, 10:40 am
I understood he wanted to join a French club, Simon. Where did you get the Crusaders rumour from apart from the fact that they said they’d like him back?
19 Apr 2006, 11:03 am
Some of the SA S14 franchises should try and sigh him up, make a good leader in any of the teams. A team like the Cheetahs can get him then they would be a threat come next year.
19 Apr 2006, 11:13 am
CSI
I reckon the sharks will probably try if they get the chance(even if they have pienaar and davidson). They have never been scared of sighning top international talent
19 Apr 2006, 11:20 am
Yoda
Yeah Sharks seem to be the only SA franchise rolling with the changing times in professional rugby, this is the future of rugby and rugby will one day look like soccer and maybe some day NZ will be selecting there best players from foreign clubs.
19 Apr 2006, 11:23 am
Justin “Meg Ryan” Marshall is NOT a big fan of South Africa or South African rugby. He would have to be truly down and desperate to ply his rugby trade out of dull and dangerous boreholes like Joburg, Bloem or Tshwane. He might find Cape Town a tad more attractive though. Durban already has the outstanding Ruan Pienaar all stitched up.
19 Apr 2006, 11:31 am
Almost fell out of my chair there. Tackler making a relatively sensible comment?
19 Apr 2006, 11:36 am
If not the sharks then he can always go to France and get a feel for the place and atmosphere, if he were to make the AB’s RWC squad, as he says he would like to. He can also sign with Harlequins and play inside his former partner of destruction, Andrew Mehrtens, and of course he can always go back to the crusaders and join them, which means either Andrew Ellis or Kevin Senio will be looking for a new team, either one will do for the Blues team coz they have not got a halfback of top class standards.
19 Apr 2006, 12:00 pm
TheTackler ALWAYS makes eminently sensible remarks. The pity is that the usual dumb jaaps who have to read them are too bloody dull to agree with them! Or too dumb to make a halfway intelligent riposte.
We just get some vitriolic completely brainless abuse which basically makes all of South Africa look pretty damned stupid.
That’s their worry, basically, hey?
19 Apr 2006, 12:32 pm
Now Tackler, you and I both know that’s not true. Some of the things you say are pure tripe with the intention of riling folk up. You will never acknowledge a South African rugby achievement and cannot bring yourself to praise their success when it occurs. It’s far too easy to hide behind the worlds best team and pretend to know more than everyone else, because the team you support are the worlds best (which most South Africans on this site would agree- however begrudgingly). A little cowardly even, given that you are quite obviously a bitter and alienated Saffa yourself.
I will concede however that on the VERY odd occasion you say something sensible and show that you do know something about the game. Most of the time though, you are simply entertainment value.
19 Apr 2006, 13:05 pm
Hmmmm… I’m being damned with faint praise here!
19 Apr 2006, 13:53 pm
See the Kiwi’s got thumped by 128 runs at Centurion.
Anyone care to discuss cricket for a while?
Tackler – your views??
19 Apr 2006, 17:03 pm
Marshall realised when he got to the UK that the weather, people and mentality was exactly the same as back home. Now he wants to get back into the Crusaders when he knows he’s all washed up..good luck.
The Sharks would gladly take him for his experience and he could gain some insight into what a rugby franchise should look like. He wouldn’t have too much luck with the Natal girls though as they don’t respond to “Do ya wonna **** mooit!” One or two slaps from the locals would soon erode that one dimensional Kiwi personality.
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