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Thursday
14:00
TOP 14BluesToulouseJerome Kaino

'I watched YouTube videos, with the Shield rising in the stands... I want to experience this incredible atmosphere'

Jerome Kaino has revelled in the success of his move to France (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
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Jerome Kaino has admitted he has been busy on the internet researching the significance of Toulouse and the French Top 14 championship. 

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The New Zealand World Cup winner will end his first season in France by captaining the club in the league decider on Saturday in Paris versus Clermont.

Toulouse have won the most Top 14 titles of any club – 19 – but they have been starved of victory since 2012, a gap the nervous Kaino is now determined to bridge at the Stade de France. 

“There is always nervousness before playing a final,” he said to Midi Olympique, the bi-weekly French rugby newspaper. “A lot of excitement, too. Each competition is specific and we can’t compare the Top 14 and the World Cup because it’s different. 

“It’s new to me and I’m necessarily a little nervous but it’s a good feeling. I spoke with William Servat and Maxime Médard, who have already been champion with Toulouse. 

“I also watched videos on YouTube, with the Shield rising in the stands. I was able to measure how important this title was to people and those who win it. I want to be so and experience this incredible atmosphere.

“It is special indeed. It is already to arrive in the finals of the Top 14 but even more as captain of this club apart in French rugby, with its rich history and all its titles won.

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“This is a great achievement and a great responsibility for me,” continued Kaino, the 36-year-old whose long career at home in New Zealand ended without club success.  

“It has been very frustrating for me to have played all these years in New Zealand and never to have played in a final with my club, the Auckland Blues. Coming to France and already having the opportunity to win my first club title, it’s really incredible and very exciting.”

WATCH: Part one of the two-part RugbyPass documentary on what fans can expect in Japan at this year’s World Cup

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Comments on RugbyPass

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Bazzallina 9 minutes ago
Sir Graham Henry is the All Blacks' new kingmaker - and lords of the scrum high on his agenda

I did enjoy in the Rennie presser that after Ted agreeing to take on the role Henry immediately wanted to talk through a list of 60 players he had

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JB 15 minutes ago
What to do with Beauden Barrett as Blues hit post-championship free fall

I’m not sure where you get the “obviously still has what it takes to leader a champ team”? For me he is the number one reason that the Blues and the AB’s have been failing. Every team he plays for, plays the same way. I put that on him and not the coaches gameplan. He seems to be allowed to play however he feels as he is the mighty BB. The sooner he is gone the better for the AB’s. The contrast in how Love played and BB played on the weekend could not have been bigger.

15 Go to comments
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CM 15 minutes ago
Force and Waratahs join late Australian finals charge with two rounds to go

I’m not so sure it was the Tahs that played well, I’m thinking more it was the Drua who didn’t show up. Some real gifts to the Tahs in that game, they won’t be getting those on Friday night against the Brumbies. I’m tipping McKellar to see through the BS and pick a sturdy side with his tried and tested players. Was resting them in preparation for this game against the Brumbies not the point of leaving them at home in the first place?

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Bazzallina 16 minutes ago
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J
JB 19 minutes ago
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And lost also

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B
Bazzallina 23 minutes ago
Sir Graham Henry is the All Blacks' new kingmaker - and lords of the scrum high on his agenda

He handled Ntlabakanye pretty well one could even say he had upper hand in NZ xv last year and he gets plenty of practice with Super having heaps of big boi Tightheads around including his teammates at training

58 Go to comments
B
Bazzallina 28 minutes ago
Sir Graham Henry is the All Blacks' new kingmaker - and lords of the scrum high on his agenda

Numia Aumua Newell to start first test I reckon all are shortish which might not help lineout but can help at scrum all can carry especially Numia and Asafa then finish with DeGroot Codie Lomax/ Tosi depending on Lomax form back from injury

58 Go to comments
G
GRB13 45 minutes ago
Sir Graham Henry is the All Blacks' new kingmaker - and lords of the scrum high on his agenda

He is going to be a selector not a coach!

58 Go to comments
B
BH 1 hour ago
Sir Graham Henry is the All Blacks' new kingmaker - and lords of the scrum high on his agenda

Yet another fantastic article from Mr Bishop. Respect!

58 Go to comments
A
Ardy 1 hour ago
Force and Waratahs join late Australian finals charge with two rounds to go

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R
Rugby3 1 hour ago
Sir Graham Henry is the All Blacks' new kingmaker - and lords of the scrum high on his agenda

They seem quite different coaches. Rennie doesn’t seem anywhere near as smart as Henry.

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T
The Late News 2 hours ago
Force and Waratahs join late Australian finals charge with two rounds to go

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P
PMcD 2 hours ago
Sir Graham Henry is the All Blacks' new kingmaker - and lords of the scrum high on his agenda

He was third choice THP but they put a lot of work to get him fit enough and then this happened.

I did wonder if they thought about playing OX/Du Toit as the two LHP’s, which would have created Louw and the other one at THP (possibly with Malherbe coming back) but I think that all changes when they found their groove during TRC and carried it through the European tour.



...

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P
PMcD 2 hours ago
Sir Graham Henry is the All Blacks' new kingmaker - and lords of the scrum high on his agenda

I struggled to see the tactics and game plan coming through and then selection started to change without a change in tactics, so the forwards got bigger and the backs did very little with the ball - by the end they just looked lost.

I think the lack of International coaching experience was a massive issue for that era.



...

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P
PMcD 2 hours ago
Sir Graham Henry is the All Blacks' new kingmaker - and lords of the scrum high on his agenda

I think they would have worked that out before they got there. I’m more hopeful than worried.

58 Go to comments
K
KwAussie 2 hours ago
Aussie Super Rugby takes: Tahs’ flyhalf options grow, Force rise built on defence

I agree but for some reason they seem to keep wanting to go to the past rather than look to the future

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GrahamVF 2 hours ago
Sir Graham Henry is the All Blacks' new kingmaker - and lords of the scrum high on his agenda

Acknowledge the logic of the arguments and really I suppose it is how the coach sees it. I always saw the later parts of the game as an opportunity for the runners and in Thomas’ case pilferers and turnover specialists and runners (and he has really good hands unlike Wilco bless the man mountain), to come in to their own. Know it’s the trend but my logic says all else being equal and in this case not much to choose between Thomas and Wilco - I would go with the most mobile when the game opens up.

58 Go to comments
R
Rugby3 2 hours ago
Sir Graham Henry is the All Blacks' new kingmaker - and lords of the scrum high on his agenda

Can Rennie coach against power teams like the Boks and France and England. Like Joe Schmidt he seems to prefer mobility and workrate which was the All Blacks forte when they were so dominant under Henry.

Has the power game superseded or ‘overpowered’ that ?



...

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C
Carlos 2 hours ago
Sir Graham Henry is the All Blacks' new kingmaker - and lords of the scrum high on his agenda

Unlike the 79 year old buffoon we have to tolerate around here. Sadly.

58 Go to comments
C
Carlos 3 hours ago
Sir Graham Henry is the All Blacks' new kingmaker - and lords of the scrum high on his agenda

Was the one just busted for “enhancements” part of the picture or was he a second tier front rower?

58 Go to comments
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