All Blacks loose forward recommits to NZR
All Blacks loose forward Luke Whitelock has recommitted to the Highlanders, Canterbury and New Zealand Rugby to the end of 2019.
Whitelock has played a total of 84 Super Rugby matches and has played three times for the All Blacks since making his test debut in 2013.
“I feel I am playing some of my best rugby at the moment and I am really enjoying my time in Dunedin and with the Highlanders,” Whitelock said.
“I am glad the decision to stay has been made and now I can focus on playing as best I can for the Highlanders and the All Blacks.”
Whitelock has been a leader on the field, captaining the Highlanders to victory against the British and Irish Lions in 2017 and captaining Canterbury to three consecutive titles in the Mitre 10 Cup. He also captained the All Blacks in an uncapped match against the French XV at the end of last year.
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Highlanders Head Coach Aaron Mauger said the club is delighted to have Whitelock recommit.
“Luke is a quality guy, outstanding player and is a key part of our leadership group in the Highlanders. As a club we are delighted that he has recommitted to us until the end of 2019.”
All Blacks Coach Steve Hansen echoed Mauger’s sentiment.
“It’s great that an All Black and senior player in his Super club and province has recommitted to New Zealand. His leadership potential was evident when he captained the All Blacks against the French XV last year, so we congratulate him on his decision.”
Canterbury Coach Joe Maddock said Whitelock’s leadership skills are invaluable.
“Luke has been an important member of Canterbury Rugby for the past seven seasons, and an inspirational captain, leading the side to consecutive titles in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
“His strength lies in his ability to lead by example; he’s a tough, uncompromising player, has a work ethic that is second to none and gets the best out of those around him. We are fortunate to have a player of his character re-commit to the red and black jersey,” said Maddock.
Whitelock has represented New Zealand at different levels throughout his career. He played for New Zealand Schools in 2008 and was a member of the World Champion New Zealand Under 20 squad in 2010, captaining the side in 2011. He made his All Black debut in Japan in 2013 and regained selection in 2017, captaining the All Blacks against a French XV. His brothers Sam and George have also represented the All Blacks.
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Comments on RugbyPass
We’re building a bridge but can't agree where the river is.
2 Go to commentsfirst no arms shoulder or helmet tackle into his rib cage is going to be so very painful even to watch. go back to RU mate.
1 Go to commentsBulls by 5. Plus another 50.
3 Go to commentsJohan Goosen avatar. Cute. Surely someone at RP knows how to do a google image search?
3 Go to commentsCan’t these games play a little earlier? Asking for a friend.
3 Go to commentsIt’s impressive that we can see huge stadiums with attendance in the 40 000 to 50 000 region. It shows how popular this competition is becoming. What is even more impressive is the massive growth in broadcast viewership. The URC is one of the two best leagues in the World, the other being the Top14.
7 Go to commentsChristie is not Sottish, like the majority of the Scotland team.
2 Go to commentsHold the phone, decline over-rated. Is it a one game, dead cat bounce or the real thing? Has the Penney dropped? Stay tuned.
45 Go to commentsTotally deserved win for the Crusaders Far smarter than the Chiefs who seem to be avoiding the basics when it matters Hotham showed them what was missing and Hannah seems a real find - a tad light but that can be fixed over time
8 Go to commentsGreat insight into the performance culture with Sarries and I predict Christie will be a fixture in the Scotland team now for some time to come. However, he is slightly missing his own point around Scotland “being soft” when he cites physicality examples in defence of that slight. The issue is much closer to the example he referenced around feeling off before a game but being told “it doesn’t matter, you can still play well” by Farrell. Until Scotland can get their psyche in that square, they will carry on folding under extreme pressure…
2 Go to comments> We are having to adapt, evolve and innovate more than when we were in Super Rugby where there was only really one style that everybody had to play to gain the most success. Have = able to? Interesting what that one style might be? I thought SA sides still had bad tours now, or at least bad schedule, months away? Those extra few hours flights have to be a killer though, no surprise to see their sides doing so badly at the start of the season each year. I wouldn’t enjoy that unfairness as a supporter.
7 Go to commentsThe problem for NZ, and Aus, is they ripped up the SR model and lost a massive chunk of revenue that hasn’t been replaced. Don’t forget SA clubs went North because they were left with no choice, Argy unceremoniously binned and Japan cast adrift. Now SR wasn’t perfect, far from it, but they’ve jumped into something without an effective plan, so far, to replace what they’ve lost. The biggest revenue potential now lies in Japan but it won’t be easy or quick to unlock, they are incredibly insular in culture as a nation. In the meantime, there is a serious time bomb sitting under SH rugby and if it happens then the current financial challenges will look like a picnic. IF the Boks follow their provincial teams and head north then it’s revenue meltdown. Not guaranteed to happen but the status quo is a very odd hybrid, with the Boks pointing one way and the clubs pointing the other way. And for as long as that remains then the threat is real.
45 Go to commentsI think Etene has had some good tuition, likely while at the Warriors to be a professional that helped his rugby jump, but he was certainly thrown in the deep end way too early. Should have arguably 20 less SR caps, and therefor a way better record that he does at his age, but his development would have been fast tracked by the need to satiate his signing away from league. Again, credit to him and others that he has done it so well. Easy to fall over under that pressure in the big leagues like that but he kept at it when I myself wasn’t sure he was good enough.
1 Go to commentsAwesome story. I wonder what a bigger American (SA) scene might have mean for Brex.
1 Go to comments“Johnny McNicholl and the Crusaders” save a Penney. Who has been in camp this week and showed them how to play?
8 Go to commentsSo, reports of the Crusaders’ demise / terminal decline are perhaps just - slightly - premature/exaggerated…? 🤔 Will we see a deep-dive into that by the estimable Rugbypass scribes, and maybe one or two mea culpas? Thought not.
8 Go to comments1. The Chiefs are rudderless without DMac, which enhances his AB chances 2. Chiefs pack are powderpuffs. The hard men arent there anymore 3. They had their golden title chance last yr and wont threaten this yr. Gone in second round of playoffs.
8 Go to commentsHonestly, why did you have to publish such a foolish article the day they play us? 😂
45 Go to comments> They are not standalone entities. They are linked to an amateur association which holds the FFR licence that allows the professional side to compete in the league. That’s a great rule. This looks like the chicken or egg professional scenario. How long is it going to be before the club can break even (if that is even a thing in French rugby)? If the locals aren’t into well it would be good to se them drop to amateur level (is it that far?). Hope they can reset from this level and be more practical, there will be a time when they can rebuild (if France has there setup right).
1 Go to commentsWhat about changing the ball? To something heavier and more pointed that bounces unpredictably. Not this almost round football used these days.
35 Go to comments