Here for the Beer.

From time to time we are lucky in the NH to have an International player from the SH come to our Clubs and give us a few quality seasons imparting their vast knowledge and experience to our teams. For Tigers I can think of Pat Howard, Joel Stransky and Aaron Mauger.

Sadly a few see us as a pension fund and a quiet retirement. Rod Kafer and Josh Kronfeld anyone?

Which players have been disappointing for your Club?

James Haskell

Interesting topic tiger. Its a very one way traffic, supply and demand dynamic that looks to be on the increase. It probably depends a lot on the players personality and primary reason for going. A lot of our players go because they cant make the test side here so they carry baggage.

Its those that can drop the baggage and see it as an opportunity that really makes the diff. Its a shame and the employer wont really know what theyve got till they get there...anyone can 'interview' well and say the right things.

Those that tend to dismiss NH club rugby as a true challenge need weeding out. No one wins with that thinking.

Danny Cipriani

Owen Finnegan for Leinster,his body was shot and he thought he could get away with it up here but he was found out big time unfortunately and was a complete waste of whatever we paid him.

Bobby Skinstad. Played a couple of games for Gwent Dragons and then asked to be released from his contract early to 'pursue business interests'.

Tom Willis - we've bought an All Black! Whoop whoop! But actually, he wasn't too great. Injured more than he was fit too, but that wasn't his fault. But as a hooker and player he wasn't any better than the hookers we had in the region.

Hoani MacDonald - terrible to hear what happened with him and his heart condition. Wouldn't wish that on anyone. But as a player with us he just didn't live up to his billing as a seasoned Super 14 operator. He should have shone in the Magners league (as it was then) but he didn't stand out at all.

I think Ricki Flutey dissappointed for England.

There's no 'c' in Riki.

A bit rich coming from NZ (poaching capital of the world).

Bobby Skinstad played for Dragons?  

Jerry Collins was quite a lazy player by the time he went to the Ospreys, so was probably just slightly disapointing for them.

Tonderai Chavanga for the Dragons?

He wasn't so much disapointing, he just played in a terrible team during his stay. I think he'd be disapointed by that as well his injury record.

* In further response to this OP, RE Jerry Collins, who was definitely here for the beer. He went to a presentation evening at one of the local clubs in Ospreylia and drank all of their beer, because it was free for him . I don't remember which club it was.

The Saint wrote:He wasn't so much disapointing, he just played in a terrible time during his stay. I think he'd be disapointed by that as well his injury record.

* In further response to this OP, RE Jerry Collins, who was definitely here for the beer. He went to a presentation evening at one of the local clubs in Ospreylia and drank all of their beer, because it was free for him . I don't remember which club it was.

Didn't he also turn out for Bideford or Barnstaple in Devon whilst travelling in the area Saint?

Christian Cullen at Munster?

tigerleghorn wrote:

The Saint wrote:He wasn't so much disapointing, he just played in a terrible time during his stay. I think he'd be disapointed by that as well his injury record.

* In further response to this OP, RE Jerry Collins, who was definitely here for the beer. He went to a presentation evening at one of the local clubs in Ospreylia and drank all of their beer, because it was free for him . I don't remember which club it was.

Didn't he also turn out for Bideford or Barnstaple in Devon whilst travelling in the area Saint?

Yes, and wore their socks while playing for the Barbarians. Think he might have been unattatched at the time, and maybe after his dispute with Toulon (whom he walked out on).

Jonah Lomu at the Blues

Skinstad asked to pursue business interests? Didnt he join the (Natal) Sharks immediately after? Became a weekend radio jock in the Cape after retiring...

That was his reason for leaving at the time Kingraf. It was around the time there was talk of a South African franchise in the English league, and I think he was somehow involved. Probably just an excuse to leave though.

Griff wrote:That was his reason for leaving at the time Kingraf. It was around the time there was talk of a South African franchise in the English league, and I think he was somehow involved. Probably just an excuse to leave though.

Saracens?

I can't even remember Skinstad playing for the Dregs. He would be just the type of Lock we need right now though.

The Saint wrote:

Griff wrote:That was his reason for leaving at the time Kingraf. It was around the time there was talk of a South African franchise in the English league, and I think he was somehow involved. Probably just an excuse to leave though.

Saracens?

I can't even remember Skinstad playing for the Dregs. He would be just the type of Lock we need right now though.

I thought he was a back row forward.

Alan Solomons was all kinds of horrible as Director of Rugby for Saints.

Jonathon Poff at Wasps. Would work like hell for 30 seconds*, then rest for 5 minutes.

* and give away a penalty. Just because he was McCaw's understudy at the Crusaders, he didn't have the same 'cloak of invisibility'.

The Saint wrote:

Griff wrote:That was his reason for leaving at the time Kingraf. It was around the time there was talk of a South African franchise in the English league, and I think he was somehow involved. Probably just an excuse to leave though.

Saracens?

I can't even remember Skinstad playing for the Dregs. He would be just the type of Lock we need right now though.

He was a number 8 predominantly Saint. Not sure he ever played lock.

GloriousEmpire wrote:James Haskell

Haskell played some good rugby for Otago last year.

IronMike wrote:Tonderai Chavanga for the Dragons?

Bit harsh, he only disapointed due to him being injury prone. If he had a better platform whilst he was with us he would've been deadly.

To add to Kafer and Kronfeld in tigers contingent, I would add Franck Tournaire - how many tigers fans even remember he was with us for a season 10 years ago? Love him as I did, Waisale Serevi is another who may fit the criteria.

One who seemed to come for the beer, but actually was stunningly good in a too short stay was Lote Tuqiri

Despite his cult status and a few good games, jerry Collins was definitely here for the beer. He used to visit Tia Tia's house and have a pub crawl on his way home...

GloriousEmpire wrote:James Haskell

Is this for his stint at the highlanders?

I was myself very impressed by his performances with the highlanders.. he worked his way into a starting position and happily played openside, he was a good player and a good purchase. The highlanders missed him this year. He was never amazing, but he was always of a very high standard.

HIs double KO punch on 2 cheetahs was especially memorable. I mean they're saffa's so its understandable!

IronMike wrote:Tonderai Chavanga for the Dragons?

That was just bad homework on the dragons. Who was the medical specialist assessing him that day... Dr Nick Riveria??? The guy left SA because his knees were in such bad shape no one would give him a contract.

Cullen at Munster is the obvious Officially Big Disappointment, but it was clear that not only was he carrying injuries, he wasn't in any event the shadow of the legend that he once was.
 
Glasgow has done quite well with its SH signings - Bernardo Stortoni added quality even though his body was in the winter of his career and Glenn Metcalfe was Auckland's finest export to Glasgow. Disappointments have included Lome Fa'atau (great for Samoa and the Hurricanes, p!ss poor for us) and I still think that the air in Glasgow bears the fetid hum of Brendan Laney even being on the other side of the country.
 
Current signings from the SH have transformed the entire team- Matawalu, Maitland, Strauss, Ascarate and possibly also Holmes looking like being players the younger Scottish guys can all learn from.

From a Scarlets veiw point the good were Regan King, Deacon Manu, and our current South African lads.

The bad would be Kees Meeuws, Craig Dunlea, (another capped all black prop so dire I have forgot his name), Simon Marling, Tomas Vallejos, Ruki Tipuna and probably more that I have blotted out.

GloriousEmpire wrote:Danny Cipriani

Have we lent you Gavin Henson yet?


There's a lot more crud come up from the SH than has gone to it.

Griff wrote:That was his reason for leaving at the time Kingraf. It was around the time there was talk of a South African franchise in the English league, and I think he was somehow involved. Probably just an excuse to leave though.

Cue the Saracens jokes.

Metal Tiger wrote:

Griff wrote:That was his reason for leaving at the time Kingraf. It was around the time there was talk of a South African franchise in the English league, and I think he was somehow involved. Probably just an excuse to leave though.

Cue the Saracens jokes.

Dammit... Saint beat me to it.