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Ex-All Black stars in Japan as Rennie's Steelers continue rise

By AAP
(Source/J Sports)

The Kobelco Kobe Steelers have continued their rise up the Japan Rugby League One standings after a comfortable 27-17 win over Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo.

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The team of ex-Wallabies coach Dave Rennie, who dropped three games in a row earlier in the season, are now sixth, just two points outside of the top four on a congested table in which the gap between fourth and seventh is just two points.

Former All Blacks midfielder Ngani Laumape scored Kobe’s opening try in the capital, while former England back-rower Nathan Hughes was a try scorer for the Black Rams.

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Defeat left the Black Rams, who are coached by the Inverell-born Peter Hewat, hovering dangerously above the bottom of the table, having won just once to occupy one of the three spots for teams who would be condemned to the post-season relegation series.

Saturday action saw ex-Wallaby centre Curtis Rona score his fifth try of the season as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars beat Shizuoka Blue Revs 53-45, with former Northampton and Dynaboars five-eighth James Grayson posting 28 points for the victors, including two tries.

All Blacks No.10 Richie Mo’unga was also a tryscorer as Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo beat Yokohama Canon Eagles 27-7 to remain unbeaten after seven rounds, one point behind competition leaders Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights.

The two meet on March 9.

Defending champions Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay ran in nine tries to beat Wallaby Quade Cooper’s Hanazono Kintetsu Liners 54-19, with Wales fullback Liam Williams and All Blacks hooker Dane Coles among the tryscorers.

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Kintetsu remain winless, one point above bottom side Mie Honda Heat.

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G
GS 16 minutes ago
Bundee Aki sends new reminder to All Blacks he's the one that got away

Interestingly, your dishonesty in not being truthful reflects on you. As explained to you and probably by many other people in the past, NZ is a multi-cultural country with a large percentage of the population being of Polynesian heritage.


Let me share a personal story that illustrates this. My cousin, a good Kiwi girl, fell in love and married a Samoan over 40 years ago. They started a family, and now their daughter is about to start her own.


Now, when the child is older, he/she can choose to play for ABs or Samoa—ABs via birth and Samoa via Grandparents. It is probably very likely, as the husband is a former AB, so a professional rugby career is a distinct possibility.


If he plays for ABs - given your state of mind, NZ has stolen him from Samoa...


There is natural immigration between NZ and the Islands. They are part of our community, and kids do come down on rugby scholarships to learn rugby and get an education.


On the other hand, Ireland specifically targeted adult professional rugby players, who they termed "project players," to cap them for Ireland. Among those numbers are people like Jarrod Payne, Aki, Lowe, CJ Stander, etc.


This "project "was run and funded by the IRFU to directly assist the Irish rugby team in addressing depth issues.


20% of the Irish run on team vs NZ at the WC, were in effect "project players" - maybe Jamieson GP is little different as don't think he was deliberately targeted unlike Aki/Lowe.


That you can honestly compare natural immigration between Islands and the Pacific, where the cultural makeup is similar vs. a targeted project set up by the IRFU, shows just how inherently dishonest you are.


The foolish thing about it is it embarrasses the Irish team when it's not necessary. As shown by the last test against the Boks, Ireland didn't need these project players to win, as they are a quality side without those players.


Instead, all they have done is give people the ability to detract from any achievements by pointing out the Irish brought their way to success.

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