Pacific Cup 2024

[Blair]

He lived in Palmerston north for 5 years.

My hometown, so he's as Kiwi as! I want him in the side!

 

[Blair]

Wouldn't that selectorial policy rule out a bunch of our players?

I can't think of too many. Frank Pritchard springs to mind. We'd never have it as a policy, per se. We get done over in so many other ways, but, for me, it's preferential to have a Kiwis' representative who has lived there.

Like Ponga, it only has to be a few years. DWZ and Krisnan Inu also. Foran had about nine or ten.

 

[Matua]

I can't think of too many. Frank Pritchard springs to mind. We'd never have it as a policy, per se. We get done over in so many other ways, but, for me, it's preferential to have a Kiwis' representative who has lived there.

Like Ponga, it only has to be a few years. DWZ and Krisnan Inu also. Foran had about nine or ten.

I'm not strict on having to live in NZ. I have cousins with kids born and bred in Queensland who only ever consider themselves Kiwis. If they were good at league, sadly they're not, I wouldn't want to deny them the chance to play for us.

Also, sorry to hear your hometown is Palmy. I actually lived there when Ponga did, a four year sentence for some sins of my past I think.

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

Po

I don’t even think he(ponga) was thinking that far ahead and just didn’t want to be involved in a tug of war between the junior kangaroos and kiwis selection.

Personally I’m not too bothered about players switching countries from junior selection to senior selection with Benji Marshall being a case in point.

Benji should had never been able to play for the junior kangaroos. He moved over there when he was 15-16?
Australia trying to poach him for Origin or the Kangaroos?
Glad he chose to switch back and play for the mighty Kiwis.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

I don’t think Benji played at all for the Junior Kangaroos, he represented the Australian Schoolboys, eligible to anyone attending school in Aussie

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

I don’t think Benji played at all for the Junior Kangaroos, he represented the Australian Schoolboys, eligible to anyone attending school in Aussie

I stand corrected You never know with Australia they will find something to claim anything good from NZ.

 

[Big Marn]

I don’t think Benji played at all for the Junior Kangaroos, he represented the Australian Schoolboys, eligible to anyone attending school in Aussie

thanks for that. i was struggling to recall him playing for the junior kangaroos. glad my memory isnt completely shot.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Ponga has reversed his decision lol

 

[Matua]

Ponga has reversed his decision lol

You'd assume they're not going to select him now after this kerfuffle so he could have played it pretty well.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

You'd assume they're not going to select him now after this kerfuffle so he could have played it pretty well.

With Mel in charge he might make the squad but not play?

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Nelson looks to be rubbed out of the tournament with a 4 week charge on his plate.

 

[Blair]

Nelson looks to be rubbed out of the tournament with a 4 week charge on his plate.

If so I have mixed feelings. I don't like him but (as a GF neutral) you want the best playing the best.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

If so I have mixed feelings. I don't like him but (as a GF neutral) you want the best playing the best.

Yea goneski now.

Luckily for us, its the one position we have enormous depth in. Dunno how many props Stacey will pick, but assuming no injuries/suspensions this week he'll still have Fish, Leota, Tapine, Thompson and Neame available.

 

[Matua]

Even now we're still copping suspensions before internationals.

I didn't see the replay of the match until quite late so was genuinely surprised at how much of a nothing shot it was - in the context of league - similar shots don't get suspensions like that.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Even now we're still copping suspensions before internationals.

I didn't see the replay of the match until quite late so was genuinely surprised at how much of a nothing shot it was - in the context of league - similar shots don't get suspensions like that.

I caught the game live and as funny as it always is to see someone play the ball backwards, soon as I saw that I knew NAS was in the shit.

But yea, wasnt expecting a Grade 3. Thought G2 at worst given the other players around the tackle area and Collins' drop in height.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Bit weird seeing a Tongan get up for the token Haka. Does Katoa want to play for the Kiwis now ?

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Bit weird seeing a Tongan get up for the token Haka. Does Katoa want to play for the Kiwis now ?

The ironic thing is that the Tongan doing the haka is pretty much the only Tongan who is actually Tongan. He's the Tonganest Tongan they've got.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

The ironic thing is that the Tongan doing the haka is pretty much the only Tongan who is actually Tongan. He's the Tonganest Tongan they've got.

Cant forget old Konnie! Came here on a 1st XV scholarship like Eli but yea, everyone else would be NZ or Aussie born.

Samoa pretty similar too... RTS, Crichton and Faalogo probably the only Samoan born players in their likely squad.

 

[Matua]

Bit weird seeing a Tongan get up for the token Haka. Does Katoa want to play for the Kiwis now ?

Is it really that weird? He did high school in NZ playing rugby so highly likely he would have been doing haka.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Mulitalo, Nikora and Iro all ruled out