Upcoming stars

First topic message reminder :

With it being the beginning of a new year, complete with an entire calender full of Internationals, if you could choose one player of your club, region, province, or nation, who you will be watching eagerly in the hopes they finally break through and begin to live up to potential?

For Wales I truly think the likes of Jordan Williams has the potential to become a Shane Williams-esque figure in the squad, breaking deadlocks and finding gaps for others, though simultaneously am unsure as to whether or not he may be slightly too green to find himself challenging for starting spots before the Autumn internationals.

Looking forward to seeing Harrison Brewer and Peter Robb in the u20s tournament. Possibly a new breed of Irish centres. Some Kiwi's may recognise the surname of the former.

Engine, Just dont make him captain.

Jhamer25 wrote:

Taylorman wrote:Ardie Savea didn't tour with ABs for nothing and the next year or two will confirm his early promise or not.
Benji Marshall as a world cup winning league captain and NRL star will be closely watched. Played rugby at age group so isn't new to the game. Just whether his age of 28? will see him at his best in rugby.
There's also a collussus out of Wellington school rugby I can't recall the name of but next two years should see him at itm or sxv level.

So New Zealand need anymore world class wingers, they have already have a list now

Nelson Solomona, unfortunaletly he's gone to league (Melbourne Storm). Phenomenal prospect in union. Hasn't played much league so he may be back. He's huge for a league player (or union for that matter) I wonder if there us an upper size that will limit his effectiveness in league.

Engine#4 wrote:Looking forward to seeing Harrison Brewer and Peter Robb in the u20s tournament. Possibly a new breed of Irish centres.  Some Kiwi's may recognise the surname of the former.

What size is Robb? He looks more like Arnold Schwarzenegger than a normal center. I hope they're not picking big centres for the sake of it. Brewer is going to be good alright.

Henry Speight (Australia). He's a Fijian age group player, who finished his schooling in NZ, played for Waikato and moved to Australia. he qualifies in September. He's one of the most damaging wingers in super rugby.

Look out for Matt McGahn in the longer term. He was a potential superstar at 10 in union. He went to league (His father was captain of the kiwis). Played under 20's. They wanted him to stay as hooker (Melbourne has Australian stars in the other positions he might have filled). He's chosen to come back to NZ and play club rugby for Silverdale (in the Waikato). I'd say he's an very outside chance.

aucklandlaurie wrote:
An hour ago I posted a clip of ten year old Pakuranga kid Chicago Doyle showing his amazing skills in a game of sevens, heres a clip of the same kid playing 15 aside,there are many International players that would have the "show and go" that this kid does.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjV-7OB0ozY

Saw this clip recently too. It is impossible to tell if he will make it in the professional game because at the level he is at now there is no way to tell if his body will develop sufficiently to adapt to the physical demands of pro rugby. Nice clip though.

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:I am going to move away from Saints players, they have been well supported before. I was massively impressed by Sarries young loose head against Natal Sharks, is it Barrington, came from Jersey (presumably therefore open to any of the home unions). Stood up to and later seemed to get the better of Du Plessis. I have not seen that happen many times, especially with Bismark D P hooking.

If he chooses England, it looks like we have another potential quality LH.

Where are all the young THs though?

Pretty sure Barrington is English despite playing for Jersey as he is an ex Gloucester academy player. 23 year old, good scrummager and he's moved up the pecking order quickly - would say he's 2nd choice behind Mako at Sarries now.

beshocked wrote:

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:I am going to move away from Saints players, they have been well supported before. I was massively impressed by Sarries young loose head against Natal Sharks, is it Barrington, came from Jersey (presumably therefore open to any of the home unions). Stood up to and later seemed to get the better of Du Plessis. I have not seen that happen many times, especially with Bismark D P hooking.

If he chooses England, it looks like we have another potential quality LH.

Where are all the young THs though?

Pretty sure Barrington is English despite playing for Jersey as he is an ex Gloucester academy player. 23 year old, good scrummager and he's moved up the pecking order quickly - would say he's 2nd choice behind Mako at Sarries now.

Well past it....

Well we've given the England Saxons two this week...Scott Wilson and Keiron Brookes. Id Have Brookes well ahead of Henry Thomas and Scotty played great when he came on last Saturday
.
So that would be three former Falcons Academy TH's in the England set up if Davy Wilson wasnt injured...not bad going if you ask me!

Not sure how the other clubs TH's are going but theres bound to be some.

Collier and Sinckler down at Quins look decent prospects on the tighthead side .. can't really think of many others

.

At tHe Waratahs we have a lock named Skelton, and Foley the 5/8th.
And Folau. We're excited about him.

Foley looks good alright.

Skelton looks like he's going to be a top lock.

Marty Banks and Ihia West look like they might be able to step up at Super level in a year or 2. Good cause we need some decent 1st fives - the ABs look a bit weak in that area.

Matt McGahan looked ok in his short cameo. 1st game of union in over2 years for the former high school union star.

Lorde. According to rainbow warrior, this visionary artist is recognised by millions more than all of the All Blacks put together.

Could be right, she just won 2 grammy's. I love rugby, but it's not exactly a huge sport. Having said that i think the ab's are the no 1 rugby brand at the moment.

Last year the Grammy Awards had twerking. This year they had twitching. It's bubblegum entertainment but the fact that she has a US version for her song and the surprised comments by her performances on Letterman and at the Grammy Awards makes me inclined to think there is a gap in reality as to not only who she is but where she is from. Having said that, I applaud her willingness to reveal her real self, however awkward that turned out to be.

I've got my eyes on that young lock Victor Matfield said to be making a bid for super rugby. Looks like he might have some promise.

GloriousEmpire wrote:I've got my eyes on that young lock Victor Matfield said to be making a bid for super rugby. Looks like he might have some promise.

I've heard he's got potential as well. Could make the boks. Can you imagine him and someone like bakkies Botha together. I recon they could be quite good.

I am sooooo sick of seeing Lorde's image plastered all over the place.
I mean congrats and all for her success but since I don't like her music I don't care. But also she is this years media darling lets wait to see how much they love her in 5 years time. I don't blame her I blame the music industry and media.

Anyone heard of Akira Ioane?

Debuting at the Wellington sevens....

Akira Ioane has a rugby body with a pedigree to match. Standing at 1.95m and weighing 103kg, the 18-year-old is an impressive and imposing sight with ball in hand. A year ago he was the star of the Auckland Grammar first XV and New Zealand Secondary Schools off the back of the scrum. Now he's flying in open spaces and showing off some of the genes passed on to him by his father Eddie, a lock in the famous Manu Samoa squad that took the Rugby World Cup by storm.

http://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/sevens/9685585/Akira-Ioane-brings-size-pedigree-to-NZ-sevens

For England guys like Wade and Yarde we have already seen a little bit of but hopefully injury allows us to see a lot more! Guys such as Ford and Elliot Daly are also known but creeping closer and massively talented.

In the forwards from the real youngsters:

Scott Wilson - Extremely highly regarded TH prop from Newcastle with huge potential. Already a very good player and developing very quickly

Elliot Stooke and Dom Barrow are two second rows I've also got big expectations for. Added to the list of Lawes, Launchbury, Slater, Attwood, Kitchener and Kruis who already look very good and have age on their side our lock resources are looking great.

ebop wrote:Anyone heard of Akira Ioane?

Debuting at the Wellington sevens....

Akira Ioane has a rugby body with a pedigree to match.  Standing at 1.95m and weighing 103kg, the 18-year-old is an impressive and imposing sight with ball in hand.  A year ago he was the star of the Auckland Grammar first XV and New Zealand Secondary Schools off the back of the scrum. Now he's flying in open spaces and showing off some of the genes passed on to him by his father Eddie, a lock in the famous Manu Samoa squad that took the Rugby World Cup by storm.

http://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/sevens/9685585/Akira-Ioane-brings-size-pedigree-to-NZ-sevens

Yeah we knew Eddies genes were valuable so we tricked him into having Akira born in NZ. Some might consider him a traitor for not playing for Samoa where his father's and grandfather was born.