Watch: Second generation stars on the rise in Super Rugby
If some of the names on the NZ Super Rugby team sheets announced yesterday sound familiar, it’s because they are. At the risk of making a few people out there feel a bit old, we can now announce we’ve officially reached the stage of the competition where we can get used to the sons of former players regularly popping up – some even in the teams their dads used to play for.
Here’s some of the second generation of pro rugby players that we can look forward to seeing in 2018:
Jackson Garden-Bachop, Hurricanes
The son of former All Black, Hurricanes, Highlanders and Otago first five Stephen Bachop and Black Fern Sue Garden-Bachop, Jackson was a highly rated prospect in the Wellington school scene while at Scots College. After playing for the NZ Schoolboys and under-20’s, he had one season at the lowly Melbourne Rebels earlier this year. His recent form for the Wellington Mitre 10 Cup side made him hard to leave out of the Hurricanes, but he’ll have a tough time seeing much action at first five considering he’s got Beauden Barrett in front of him – fitting, given that the Barretts were the first ever father/sons Super Rugby combination themselves.
Ethan Blackadder, Crusaders
No pressure at all Ethan – your old man was not only an All Black captain but also the captain, then coach, of the team you’ve just been drafted into. Father Todd Blackadder lifted the Super Rugby trophy in 1998, 1999 and 2000 – then went on to coach the side for eight years. The younger Blackadder has been in impressive form for Tasman in the Mitre 10 Cup, helping them reach a second consecutive final against Canterbury. The big loose forward may well find himself in the starting line for the champions too, lining up alongside the likes of Kieran Read and Matt Todd.
Caleb Clarke, Blues
At 107 kgs, it’s no wonder the son of All Black, Blues and Auckland stalwart Eroni Clarke caused such a splash at the World Under 20’s tournament earlier this year. He is the most youthful component of a (once again) youthful Blues squad, in fact he’s the youngest contracted player at only 18. The Blues are certainly a very different side to when his dad was playing, Clarke Senior was part of two championship sides in the first couple of years in the competition. What they wouldn’t give for that sort of pedigree now, so the potentially desperate situation they may find themselves in could give Caleb Clarke the opportunity he needs.
Bryn Gatland, Blues
While his dad managed to almost pull off an unlikely series win over the All Blacks as coach of the British & Irish Lions earlier this season, Bryn Gatland managed to make a name for himself on the tour as well. Playing for the NZ Barbarians, Gatland grabbed the attention of the media – however this will actually be his second season in Super Rugby after breaking into the Blues squad last year. It’ll be an interesting battle for the number 10 jersey between him, new signing Daniel Kirkpatrick and the highly rated Stephen Perofeta. Warren Gatland will most definitely be watching on with interest from Wales, where he would’ve seen Bryn put in an impressive season for North Harbour in the Mitre 10 Cup recently.
Comments on RugbyPass
I bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments