Comments on: Super Rugby’s super signing

By: KingsArmy

KingsArmy — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 13:53:18 +0000

Seeing is believing. Don’t put ur money on him yet. . Bet

By: mshiniwami

mshiniwami — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 11:35:04 +0000

@bryce_in_oz-36: Cooper Vuna may be a "fantastic" athlete but he's a piss poor player,to have him anywhere near a test jumper last year just illustrates how desperate oz are when it comes to making good on the league-ies. Peter Ryan,Schifcofske played for Oz A thus were in Wallabies system or there about.They were never test quality of even close...Tahu was horrible The league obsession in Oz as if they will step in and set world on fire etc is played out.Been hearing it for years,ain't nobody got time for that

By: Anvil

Anvil — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 03:10:03 +0000

This guy sure can leap high.No wonder they wanted him in the AFL.

Dont see him having the same passion for Rugby Union as well. League is his code.

By: bryce_in_oz

bryce_in_oz — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 02:30:31 +0000

@mshiniwami-35:

Who touted Willie Mason, Peter Ryan, Nathan Blacklock, Schifcofske, Ryan, Blacklock et al (as you put it) as being the next Sonny Bill Williams… most of them never even made the Wallabies?

Many of the above and more (that weren’t mentally piss-poor) that made the switch went on to be fantastic servants of the game at the top of the game (Super Rugby, UK and France)… to rubbish their union careers shows a distinct level of arrogance/ignorance…

As for pooh-poohing a guy like Cooper Vuna who is an exceptional athlete, had only two seasons of rugby and 2 tests before dislocating his shoulder… well my point stands…

Not every switch is going to unearth the next Brad Thorn, SBW, Lote at test level… but there are going to be plenty of exceptional plenty players at the top level…

By: mshiniwami

mshiniwami — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 23:17:03 +0000

Rogers was supremely talented but he was a bit part player in Wallabies.wasnt world class or the best in any position in oz

Wendell Sailor had a few decent games but largely was a bust,selected for Wallabies at times purely due to hype and contract with ARU and fact that Ben Tune struggled with injuries and fact that Graeme Bond left early to go overseas.Sailor was a bust

Tuqiri was class up until his failed move to midfield under Knuckles and loss of speed after that.But from 2003-2005 he was all class,world class.

Timana Tahu,Peter Ryan,Nathan Blacklock,Willie Mason,Cooper Vuna,Clinton Schifcofske…..etc Rubbish

By: cane

cane — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 10:19:28 +0000

Isn’t it nice to see Keo conversing with The Muppits again.

By: NagouGrote

NagouGrote — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 09:27:03 +0000

Imagine this guy running at Geo or Joe Petersen Oh my goodness – lets stick to Van Den Heever and Habana or De Allende on the wing for that game.

By: goodstuff

goodstuff — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 08:20:45 +0000

@HongKongSlong-27: Have to agree, than you have players like Rogers who was a such a great player but the Aussies had no clue how to use him.

By: Predawn

Predawn — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 07:52:10 +0000

Why is no one called Palestine in Naw Zaailand?

I think there is a conspiracy.

By: SAussie

SAussie — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 03:14:39 +0000

Interesting debate, Here in oz we have no doubt that he can be a star, he’s not there yet but he’s got the skills and drive to be good. It was pretty embarrassing to the NRL when he signed with Union. How much of a success Falou will will be will depend if he stays more than 1 year. The Tahs are also a notorious team for not getting their back line into the action and they have a pretty good back row anyway. I think that if he had played for the Reds then you would have seen him shine but for me there is a ? mark with the Tahs, Maybe this Checka (spelling) can make a difference, it will be interesting

By: lepel

lepel — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 20:08:56 +0000

He really doesn’t do much in that highlights reel to indicate he’d be very good at test level. His main skill seems to be collecting the cross kick. A tactic that isn’t really used all that often in union…

100 kgs at that length certainly doesn’t make him much of a monster either. He’d be a pretty averaged sized centre the way things are going these days.

By: DumpsterDiver

DumpsterDiver — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 19:45:59 +0000

Naas Botha was our best union convert to American Football FULL STOP – oh **** I left Caps Lock on….

By: HongKongSlong

HongKongSlong — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 17:44:06 +0000

Jason Robinson was the best League convert to Union FULL STOP. He just wasn’t on an ego trip like either one of these idiots. In his prime completely unstoppable in either code, incredibly humble and a true gentleman. (Very few of those in Rugby League).

By: gonzo

gonzo — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 17:11:47 +0000

@Stoetbul9-25: He signed with the Tahs. There was good money on offer elsewhere but he wants to stay in Sydney near his family. He'll probably start on the wing, could play FB once he gets used to the sport. He's also played outside centre in league but defence in that position is very different in union so i doubt he'll be tried there this year. Also, his biggest asset is being able to take a high ball above his head so that'll be less important in the centres.

By: Stoetbul9

Stoetbul9 — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:56:51 +0000

Who signed him and what position does he play?

By: keo

keo — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:49:50 +0000

@gonzo-22: You spot on there. Image if rugby union was the only 'winter' code in Australia outside of soccer. There is so much natural ability in their league, AFL and Union players. But somehow they can't find a decent loose head and tight head who can scrum lol

By: keo

keo — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:47:53 +0000

@Cannon-19: Tuqiri and Sailor were hardly failed converts. Those two with Mat Rogers were very good for Wallabies. Cross was never much more than a Sup Rug player and the big let down was Tahu simply cos he was played too early in the midfield at Test level and didn't have a clue about union defence. The Test at Ellis Park ended his Test future. Unfair to have picked him when they did.

By: gonzo

gonzo — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:10:51 +0000

@Cannon-19: You seem skeptical before he's even had a game. Give him a chance. Tuqiri was fine if you ask me, as were SBW, Barnes, Rogers, Thorn. Not all of these converts can be super stars but some have done very well. The Aussies have a crazy amount of talent, RSA and NZ are lucky they have it split across three codes

By: gecko

gecko — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:29:33 +0000

@bryce_in_oz-20: Yip, I thought later I should have added 'and he can tackle'.

By: bryce_in_oz

bryce_in_oz — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:15:19 +0000

@gecko-18: And Israel can put in huge hits too...