Sean Maitland de-listed by Crusaders, perfect time for SRU to pounce?!

First topic message reminder :

According to the NZ herald Sean Maitland is going to be de-listed by the Crusaders for next seasons super rugby meaning that he is available to switch to any other NZ team or move abroad.
Is this not the perfect opportunity for the SRU to pounce and get him across here? Both Edinburgh and Glasgow would be able to accomodate him and being an uncapped player he wouldn't have been on huge wages in NZ!

George Carlin wrote:This all depends on the extent to which Sean wants to prioritise his international career. If memory serves, he's 25 now and so the time for messing about is surely over, especially if he wants a wing slot - the only area of the world relying more on fresh, young blood being the black pudding industry.

He cannot have ignored Strauss coming over and making clear his intentions to get residency and play for Scotland.

Joining the Canes makes sense from a club perspective but won't bring him any closer to the international squad. The writing was on the wall for him when he didn't make the last World Cup Squad.

We've made winsome jokes about this in the past on the Scottish boards, but we have to allow for the possibility that this might actually happen without Satan having to skate to work first.

No mate, he's 23 I think, same age grade as Guildford and Dagg. Saying the writing was on the wall for him is a bit nasty, after not making that particular squad. It's not some country club you can walk in and out of you know, it's the All Blacks. Hansen might give him a cap when NZ put out some B side. Not sure against who, depends on their fixture list.

Morgannwg wrote:

George Carlin wrote:This all depends on the extent to which Sean wants to prioritise his international career. If memory serves, he's 25 now and so the time for messing about is surely over, especially if he wants a wing slot - the only area of the world relying more on fresh, young blood being the black pudding industry.

He cannot have ignored Strauss coming over and making clear his intentions to get residency and play for Scotland.

Joining the Canes makes sense from a club perspective but won't bring him any closer to the international squad. The writing was on the wall for him when he didn't make the last World Cup Squad.

We've made winsome jokes about this in the past on the Scottish boards, but we have to allow for the possibility that this might actually happen without Satan having to skate to work first.

No mate, he's 23 I think, same age grade as Guildford and Dagg. Saying the writing was on the wall for him is a bit nasty, after not making that particular squad. It's not some country club you can walk in and out of you know, it's the All Blacks. Hansen might give him a cap when NZ put out some B side. Not sure against who, depends on their fixture list.

Agreed Morgannwg - I think that I may not have been clear in the post above: as the NZ Herald article says, Guildford has more to think about that whether he will ever play for the Blackness.

There have been plenty of players who have been given one or two caps and then put out to grass, having tied themselves to NZ internationally. The question isn't whether he'll ever play for them, it's whether he will be given a chance to have a satisfying international career with them. Every player is different, of course. Perhaps playing twice for the All Blacks against some South Sea Islanders genuinely will mean more than playing 30-40 tests for Scotland. Not being facetious - it might.

What is for sure is that if you look at a list that has Andre Taylor, Julian Savea, Hosea Gear, Asaeli Tokoirotuma, Zac Guildford, Corey Jane and Isaia Toeava writ large on it - that's quite a few quality players he's going to have to leapfrog to get to where he wants to be.

Yeah see what you mean GC. I guess we'll just have to wait for Sean to comment on the matter.

also add to that list Masaga, Kade poki, ben smith and rene ranger who all appear to be ahead of him as well.

Made the mistake of mentioning this to the Mrs last night and of course she asked what he looked like - think it's fair to say she'd be more than happy if he moved to Scotland!