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| Crockett inks new three-year deal with New Zealand Rugby | |||||
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All Blacks and Crusaders prop Wyatt Crockett will continue to play his rugby in New Zealand and for the Crusaders for another three years, having re-signed through to the end of the 2018 season. 32-year-old Crockett has been a vital member of the Crusaders front row since 2006 and made his All Blacks debut in 2009. He was named the New Zealand Investec Super Rugby Player of the Year in 2011 and has established himself as an All Blacks regular since 2013. Crockett recently became the most capped-Crusader, surpassing Corey Flynn's record of 151 games, and third on the all-time list and his re-signing will give him the chance to become the most capped Super Rugby player ever (currently Keven Mealamu who is on 174 caps). His work rate around the field sets him apart from many other props, and he is also recognised as one of the most skilled scrummagers in the game. He brings with him a wealth of international experience, starting with involvement in the NZ Under 19 team at the 2002 Junior World Cup, the Under 21 World Cup in Scotland in 2004, the Junior All Blacks teams of 2006 and 2007, and, of course, the 36 All Blacks Tests that he has played since 2009. Crockett said he didn't hesitate in re-signing to stay in New Zealand. "Canterbury, the Crusaders and the All Blacks have been my teams since day one. I can't imagine ever pulling on the jersey for any other teams, so I always knew that I would be playing out my rugby career here. I have been living my dream playing footy here and I feel so privileged to be able to continue living that dream for the next few years at least," Crockett said. "I am really excited to be able to help the Crusaders re-establish themselves as a leading force in Super Rugby over the coming years and there are some incredibly exciting opportunities ahead with the All Blacks such as the upcoming Rugby World Cup and the Lions tour that I would love to have the chance to be a part of," he added. "Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all of those who have helped to make this possible, including my incredibly supportive family, my manager Warren Alcock, my teammates in the Crusaders and the All Blacks, and all of the management and staff and the Crusaders and NZ Rugby for having faith in me." All Blacks Head Coach Steve Hansen has welcomed the news - the latest in a number of re-signings for New Zealand - and congratulated Crockett on his decision. "It's great to have a senior pro like him committing himself to New Zealand rugby. Crocky's been a loyal servant to New Zealand Rugby for many years now and been a great asset and team man not only in the All Blacks but also his Super team." "Wyatt is an outstanding player who brings such a useful skillset to the team. He does the basics of a loosehead prop very well and has taken scrummaging to the next level, but he also has talents beyond the traditional skill set of a prop which allows us to use him almost as an additional loose forward. What I admire most about him though, is his passion for the team. He puts the team first every time and he brings out the best in his teammates by setting his own high standards and leading by example both on and off the field," Blackadder said. "We are thrilled to have Crocky around for a few more years yet and to continue to have the positive influence on this team that he naturally does." |
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| New Zealand Rugby congratulates Investec Super Rugby players - class of 2015 | |||||
| A total of 160 players have been confirmed as fully contracted members of one of the five New Zealand Investec Super Rugby teams for the 2015 season. This includes 38 players receiving full time contracts for the first time. The Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders have today announced their finalised fully contracted and wider training group squads with the last of their draft selections secured yesterday. New Zealand Rugby General Manager Rugby Rugby Neil Sorensen congratulated all players and coaches on their 2015 squads. “This is one of the most exciting phases in our season. With Super Rugby now the main launching pad for All Blacks selections, many players aspire to secure a contract that allows them to turn their passion into a profession. “Today is an exciting day for all those named for the first time in one of the five teams. We only need look at players like Malakai Fekitoa, who was selected for the All Blacks after a sensational start to his Super Rugby career with the Highlanders this season. The pathway to the All Blacks is very real for this group. “For coaches and team management, it’s a chance to demonstrate they can pick talent, combinations, build depth and create great high performance environments that produce winning teams and great players. “Next year’s Super Rugby squads include a total of 38 players new to full contracts, although 12 have already played their first Super Rugby game in 2014. “A further 22 players are new to wider training groups but as we’ve seen in recent years, there is every likelihood those players will also take the field in 2015. “Of all the debutants, six players were in this year’s New Zealand Under 20 side including skipper Simon Hickey, and a large number have picked up their first contracts after stunning ITM Cup seasons for their province.” Three All Blacks Sevens players are also named in the squads. The 2015 squads see the return of Rugby World Cup 2011 All Blacks Jimmy Cowan (Blues), Hosea Gear and Sonny Bill Williams (both Chiefs). The season gets under way on Friday, 13 February 2015, with the Crusaders hosting the Rebels in Christchurch, and the Blues hosting the Chiefs. As they have done for the past two seasons, the Hurricanes start their campaign in South Africa, against the Lions. The Highlanders drew the bye meaning they get an extra week to prepare for their first match – an exciting South Island derby at home in Dunedin against the Crusaders. With the exception of All Blacks now on MyRepublic Northern Tour duty, and the Maori All Blacks in Japan, the majority of Super Rugby players are now officially on leave. Most will return for training in late November. Super Rugby debutants will attend a one-day induction with New Zealand Rugby in late November. Details on all Super Rugby squads: Blues: click here Chiefs: click here Crusaders: click here Highlanders: click here Hurricanes: click here |
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29 May 2014 |
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| Statement regarding Zac Guildford | |||||
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New Zealand Rugby General Manager Rugby Neil Sorensen said that following discussions with the Crusaders and with Guildford, the national union has agreed to terminate his contract effective immediately. Guildford was contracted to the end of the 2014 Investec Super Rugby season but is now free to take up a new contract he has signed with Clermont Auvergne in France. “We’re really disappointed that Zac has not be able to achieve his full potential in New Zealand. He is a good man, talented but troubled. “Zac has struggled to continue to meet the commitments he made to himself to keep on top of his personal issues. Ultimately those issues are private to Zac but all parties agree that cutting ties now is the sensible decision. “We hope that a change of environment, culture, new mates and challenges for this next stage of his young career will be the catalyst to springboard him back into the top form we know he can achieve both on and off the field. “We hope he keeps the dream to pursue the black jersey alive, and returns one day to fulfil that,” Sorensen said. Crusaders Coach Todd Blackadder said it had not been easy for Zac or the Crusaders to come to this point, but in the end they had mutually agreed that the best way forward for Zac is for him to make a fresh start in France. “There is no doubt that Zac has had some tough times in the last few years and there have been disappointments for all of us, but he is a bright young man with plenty of rugby left in him and we will be sending our best wishes and support with him for the next step in his career and life,” Blackadder said. The Crusaders will not replace Guildford for the remainder of this season.
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Crusaders Prove Too Strong For The Rebel Machine.
By Mark Humphrey
The Melbourne Rabo Direct Rebels were looking to bounce back after the thrashing they received at the hands of the Western Force last week while the Crusaders were looking to back up their first win of the season last week against the Stormers.
Teams were at it from the whistle and never relented for the night.
Rebels head coach Tony McGahan mentioned in his first press conference after the sides win against the Cheetahs that he was looking to string some wins together like the good sides do. The Rebels after a promising start to the season are back at the starting line and need to find the form they displayed against the Cheetahs. The Crusaders on the other hand had a couple of tough matches to kick off the season and were happy to get a win on the board last week against the Stormers.
On a perfect autumn evening in Melbourne the stage was set for an epic battle between two teams desperate to stamp their mark on the 2014 season.
The Crusaders were on the park for a long time warming up and looked to start the game attacking. With only 3 minutes gone in the game Crusaders captain Kieran Read was penalised for diving on the ball. Rebels captain Scott Higginbotham elected to kick giving Woodward to first opportunity to score. Woodward 45 out got the kick away to give first blood to the Rabo Direct Rebels.
Rebels Jason Woodward got the 1st points of the match
After being awarded a penalty the Crusaders had the feed 25 out. A penalty against the Rebels for entering from the side gave Taylor an opportunity to kick for goal. Taylor made no mistake to give the Crusaders their first points. 3-3 with 8 minutes gone in the first half.
Good bullocking work by the Rebels and in particular Fuglistaller had the ball 25 out from the Rebels goal. A penalty against the Crusaders for diving over the ball gave Woodward another opportunity to kick for goal. Woodward made it putting the Rabo Direct Rebels up 6-3 with 10 minutes gone in the first half.
A penalty to the Crusaders for entering from the side gave Taylor a shot 25 out and in front. Taylor got the shot to once again tie up the contest 6-6 with 13 gone in the first half.
Minutes later the Rebels were awarded a penalty with Higginbotham electing to kick. Woodward missed the kick with 15 gone in the game.
Rebel’s Sean McMahon was once again lively for the home team continuing on from his excellent start to the season. The Crusaders looked to pick up the tempo and forged forward towards their 22. A penalty by the Rebels gave the Crusaders the feed. Another penalty by the Rebels this time for boring in gave Taylor a chance 22 out and to the right. Taylor got the shot away to give the Crusaders a 9-6 lead with 22 minutes gone in the game.
Mitch Inman found himself in clear territory hard on the right hand line and broke through the first line of the Crusader defence to chip kick the ball clear down the line 22 out. Unfortunately for Inman the ball skidded to the right and out of play. This was the first real opportunity the Rabo Direct Rebels had to score a try but unfortunately Inman had no support on the line.
The Crusaders started to look dangerous and were having the better of the scrums. Johnny McNicholl and Matt Todd were giving plenty of run for the visitors keeping the Rebels defence under plenty of pressure. The Crusaders had worked the ball to within 15 of their line when Rebels captain Scott Higginbotham gave away a penalty for entering from the side. Read elected to take the kick giving Taylor a shot from 15 out. Taylor converted the kick to extend the Crusaders lead 12-6 with 28 gone in the first half.
Mc Mahon still working hard forced a Crusader turnover. The Crusaders kicking to clear the ball had the ball smothered by Scott Fuglistaller who then chased the ball and his opponent into the try zone. Rebels had the feed metres out from their try line hoping to go over. Strong bullocking work by the Crusaders cleared the ball temporarily. Hugh Pyle under enormous pressure knocked on the ball giving possession to the Crusaders in their back half.
Laurie Weeks took a heavy knock halting play momentarily and was replaced by Paul Alo-Emile. The Rebels were awarded a penalty with Higginbotham electing to kick. Woodward 30 out got the shot right on the siren to reduce the gap at half time to just 3. The Crusaders went into the break leading 12-9.
The Crusaders started off the second half with a quick penalty kick conversion to stretch out the lead to 6. A fumbling error by the Rebels Luke Jones gave the Crusaders the feed. The Crusaders were given a penalty for the Rebels collapsing the scrum. The Crusaders had started the second half in complete control of the scrums following on from their first half domination. Rebel’s scrumhalf Luke Burgess had looked to open up the right side and passed off to Woodward who made good ground before getting crunched big time. Woodward suffered from the tackle and was replaced on the ground by Angus Roberts. Once again McMahon and Burgess were combining well for the home team giving plenty of drive through the middle. A Rebels penalty for off-side gave the Rebels Bryce Hegarty an opportunity to reduce the gap. Hegarty 22 out and directly in front got the kick away to have the Rebels down by 3 with 51 minutes gone in the game. With the Crusaders leading 15-12 something had to give. Both teams had converted penalty kicks only with neither team having any real opportunity to score a try.
The Crusaders dominated the scrum all match
The Rebels had a mini burst driving forward with attacking rugby. It wasn’t that often in the match that the Rebels had found open space and out muscled their opponents. The Crusaders hung on to hold back the Rebels and win possession of the ball. The Rebels were now under pressure as the crusaders had the overlap. The Crusaders threw the ball right with Captain Kieran Read giving off the ball to Hooker Ben Funnell for a try in the right hand corner. Kicker Tom Taylor had a 100% record tonight and kicked truly from the right hand line to give the Crusaders a 22-12 lead with 57 minutes gone in the match.
The Crusaders were not done with yet and were relentless with their pressure on the Rebel ball carriers and forced a turnover but in the process gave up a penalty. An errant pass to the Rebels Tamati Ellison was picked off by the Crusader defence with the whole field open ahead. Fortunately for the Rebels the ball was called back for a Rebel ball. With 63 gone in the match the Crusaders knocked on giving the ball to the Rebels. The Crusaders instantly work over the Rebel forwards to gain possession of the ball and move it to their own 22 line.
With play going back and forth the Crusaders were given a penalty for the Rebels diving over the ball. Taylor 25 out and directly in front kept his 100% strike rate up and extended the Crusaders lead 25-12 with 70 minutes gone in the match.
The Rebels won the ball on a line out and took possession of the scrum. Good side stepping by Bryce Hegarty opened up the left side of the park for the Rebels. A penalty to the Rebels had them pushing forward with openside flanker Scott Fuglistaller putting the ball over the try line for a Rebels try.
Hegarty shooting left of the posts slotted the ball through the uprights to reduce the Crusaders lead to 25-19 with just a minute to play. The Rebels had the last play but gave the ball up with the Crusaders playing the ball dead for a 25-19 win against a Rebels outfit that never gave up. The difference at the end of the night was the scrum dominance by the Crusaders and just their overall strength which at times seemed over whelming for the Rebels.
No doubt the Rebels would be disappointed with the loss but they were certainly competitive for the entire night. No lapses in the game which is a big turnaround from last year. The Crusaders although the better team had to work all night for their win.
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| KickOff brings you all you need to keep up with this year's Investec Super Rugby. Follow the teams, study the leader board, look up our player stats and compete with us on virtual, before you check out the hot stuff in Hot Links. |
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| Welcome to KickOff for 2014. We've continued to evolve and we'll continue to bring you all you need to follow this year's Investec Super Rugby. Follow the teams, compete with us onvirtual, and keep an eye out for more interesting Super Rugby stuff in Hot Links. |
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| New Zealand Rugby Media Release 30 October 2013 |
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| 2014 Investec Super Rugby squads reveal mix of seasoned and new talent Unique 2014 jerseys revealed for first time |
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Among the 185 players captured by franchises, are 25 players who have been named in the Wider Training Groups for the Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders today. New Zealand Rugby General Manager Professional Rugby Neil Sorensen congratulated all those named in Super Rugby squads today. “We know that Investec Super Rugby is the world’s premier inter-provincial rugby competition which boasts the best rugby players in the world and the standard of rugby is really is outstanding. “It is always an exciting time when players are named in Super Rugby squads. This competition is obviously the shop floor for showcasing potential All Blacks talent so it’s a great achievement for those named for the first time today in a squad. We are incredibly proud that New Zealand continues to produce such great talent," Sorensen said. The wider squads include six from this year’s New Zealand Under 20 squad, and nine from the 2012 NZ Under 20 side. They also feature five players who have played in Gordon Tietjens All Blacks Sevens’ squads over the last two years. Tasman has produced much of the new talent for next year’s Super Rugby squads. After winning their ITM Cup Championship Final and promotion into next year’s Premiership, the Tasman Makos today boast six new players who have trampolined into Super Rugby next year. Among the Tasman selections are first five-eighth Marty Banks and halfback Billy Guyton (WTG) who have both been named with the Hurricanes. Their Super Rugby picks follow a remarkable two years for the former Heartland Championship players. Banks ran out for Buller and Guyton for North Otago in the 2012 Heartland Championship. Their Makos teammates loose forward Liam Squire and winger James Lowe have both been picked into the Chiefs secured 32, while another Tasman loose forward Tevita Kolomatangi has been named in their Wider Training Group. Tasman midfielder Kieron Fonotia returns to the Crusaders’ Wider Training Group. Other new names to feature include Sam Prattley, Joe Edwards, Patrick Tuipulotu, Benji Marshall, Pita Ahki, Lolagi Visinia, Matt Symons, Ash Dixon, Mark Abbott, Hadleight Parkes, Cardiff Vaega, Mitchell Drummond, Kane Hames, Tom Franklin, TJ Ioane, Gareth Evans and Frae Wilson. Among the talent borrowed from overseas are Argentinian prop Matias Diaz, and Fijian monster winger Nemani Nadolo. For full squad player details click on the links below: The Blues 2014 squad and WTG Unique jerseys designed for 2014 strips As the 2014 squads were revealed, the Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders together with apparel sponsor adidas, unveiled their new strips for 2014. Developed in consultation with franchises, adidas today revealed new strips that reflect the unique culture and character of each team. Quentin Bleakely, Country Manager for adidas New Zealand said: “adidas is delighted to be behind every New Zealand team for 2013 and we’re looking forward to a New Zealand team retaining a strong grip on the Investec Super Rugby title in 2014. We understand the depth of pride that players have in their jerseys and we’ve worked hard with the teams, their management and the wider community, to deliver five powerful statements for the coming season.”
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| Carter confirms extended break from rugby | |||||
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All Blacks and Crusaders first five-eighth Daniel Carter has today confirmed details of his extended break from the game. The 31-year-old, 95-Test veteran, who is in his 11th season of professional rugby, will take a six-month break from the game following the All Blacks Air New Zealand European Tour in November. He will miss the majority of the 2014 Investec Super Rugby season with the Crusaders as well as the All Blacks Steinlager Series in June. Carter said the extended break would allow him the chance to refresh and recover after more than a decade of top-level rugby. "I love playing rugby and I'm fully committed to the Crusaders and the All Blacks. But when you play the game fulltime at this level it does take a toll on your body. I've had a few injury niggles over recent years, so I'm keen to ensure I do everything I can to recover fully from those and prolong my career. "Ultimately, I want to play in the next Rugby World Cup in 2015. To do that, it's important that I put myself in the best possible position, both physically and mentally," said Carter. Crusaders Head Coach Todd Blackadder said: "Obviously Dan will be missed by the Crusaders while he's on his extended break, but we fully support him taking this break from rugby for the long-term benefit of his career. It is a great opportunity for him to re-energise and also provides a great opportunity for some of our very talented, younger first-fives to step up to the plate next season. We wish Dan all the best and know he will enjoy the extra time with his young family." All Blacks Head Coach Steve Hansen added: "From an All Blacks point of view, we fully support Dan and agree with Todd's sentiments. The extended break will allow Dan to do all the things he needs to do to give himself a chance to appear at the Rugby World Cup, and that's a huge positive for both us and him." Carter is signed with the Crusaders and the All Blacks through to the end of 2015. The IRB Player of the Year in 2005 and 2012, Carter is regarded as one of the world's best first five-eighths. He is the highest points-scorer in both Test rugby and Super Rugby, was part of the victorious All Blacks 2011 Rugby World Cup squad and has won three Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders, having played more than 120 games for the franchise.
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| The All Blacks With a history extending back more than a century, New Zealand's national rugby team, the All Blacks, is not only the most successful international rugby team of all time but also one of the most successful teams in world sport, with a winning Test record of more than 75 percent. The All Blacks play European opponents every year in the Steinlager Series and again at the end of the year, and play Argentina, Australia and South Africa annually in the Investec Rugby Championship. The All Blacks were crowned Rugby World Cup Champions in 2011 to add to their Webb Ellis Cup win in the inaugural Tournament in 1987. The team has been named the IRB Team of the Year a record six times. | |||||
For the latest All Blacks statistics and profiles, go to the Online All Blacks Media Guide at www.allblacks.com/onlinemediaguide. All information is updated within 24 hours of every All Blacks Test match. |
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| Andrew Ellis re-signs for two years on eve of 100th milestone | ||||||
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Ellis, 29, will run out for the 100th time with the Crusaders, for their massive Round 14 derby dust-up against the Blues in front of what is expected to be a sold out AMI Stadium (Addington) tomorrow night. He marks the milestone as he confirmed his desire to continue playing his rugby in New Zealand. “I love playing rugby in New Zealand and I love playing for the Crusaders. It is important to me to be in New Zealand while I am still playing my best rugby and I consider it a real privilege to go to work every day with my best mates, and to wear the Crusaders jersey,” Ellis said. New Zealand Rugby Chief Executive Steve Tew congratulated Ellis on his recommitment to New Zealand. “This is fantastic news for the Crusaders and for New Zealand Rugby – Andy is a special player who has already given outstanding service to the game. We congratulate him on reaching a significant milestone in Investec Super Rugby,” Tew said. Crusaders Chief Executive Hamish Riach said: “We are thrilled that Andy has re-signed and wants to be a Crusader for another two years. “He is an exceptional player, whose professionalism and commitment to the Crusaders and the jersey have pegged him as a special leader inside the team environment. “Andy is part of an illustrious group being the 11th Crusader to about to reach 100 caps. He joins some other great Crusaders in this special club - Justin Marshall, Caleb Ralph, Reuben Thorne, Greg Somerville, Leon MacDonald, Richie McCaw, Chris Jack, Corey Flynn, Dan Carter and Wyatt Crockett. This is an outstanding achievement and we congratulate Andy,” Riach said. Andy Ellis debuted for the Crusaders in 2006 against the Reds. Now in his eighth season with the Crusaders, the 26-Test All Black, Ellis has a Rugby World Cup 2011 title, two Super Rugby championships and three ITM Cup titles.
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