Conrad Smith end-of-year sabbatical confirmed

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/8725596/All-Black-Smith-unavailable-for-tour

Conrad Smith will miss the All Blacks' 3-test tour to Europe in November as he will be taking a break in an attempt to extend his international career through to 2015.

Good for him, just a shame for us fans that we'll miss one last chance to see Smith vs BOD

I hope he doesn't have concussion issues before. Think it's good to unearth some cover there. Like McCaw (his winning percentage is even higher than captain incredible) he's worth taking a punt on for 2015.

Who will step in Ellison?

I think he's back to Japan so he's out. Ranger hopefully won't go to France so he's a candidate. Ben Smith can fill that position as well. But another name getting some games under his belt there would be most welcome.

Yep, Ellison is off to Japan at the end of SXV. Ranger is trying to get out of his Montpellier contract (rumour has it it might cost him $NZ300k - or about £160k to do so).


We could always try and talk Jared Payne into coming back

Can he miss the June '14 tests as well please

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:Yep, Ellison is off to Japan at the end of SXV. Ranger is trying to get out of his Montpellier contract (rumour has it it might cost him $NZ300k - or about £160k to do so).


We could always try and talk Jared Payne into coming back

Would you want him back?

GunsGerms wrote:

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:Yep, Ellison is off to Japan at the end of SXV. Ranger is trying to get out of his Montpellier contract (rumour has it it might cost him $NZ300k - or about £160k to do so).


We could always try and talk Jared Payne into coming back

Would you want him back?

He was on the fringes of international selection when he left and was arguably ahead of Ranger then. Talented player.

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:
He was on the fringes of international selection when he left and was arguably ahead of Ranger then. Talented player.

We have a great centre to replace too. Qualifies for Ireland next September I think. Tick tock.

Ugh I hope that doesn't happen,it's bad enough that we have Strauss but if we end up with 1st choice players that we've signed from abroad it'll devalue Test rugby even more.

Smith is following in the footsteps of Ashton who took an international sabbatical last year

asoreleftshoulder wrote:Ugh I hope that doesn't happen,it's bad enough that we have Strauss but if we end up with 1st choice players that we've signed from abroad it'll devalue Test rugby even more.

Yeah I agree to be honest.

RubyGuby wrote:Smith is following in the footsteps of Ashton who took an international sabbatical last year

Is taking a 'sabbatical' just another way of saying that you are in the shop window for French teams to pay you a fortune for a very short playing window?

George Carlin wrote:Is taking a 'sabbatical' just another way of saying that you are in the shop window for French teams to pay you a fortune for a very short playing window?

It hasn't been for McCaw, and it looks like it isn't for Smith. Conrad has a fairly promising law career to retire to, so I can understand him not wanting to be completely broken when he ultimately retires

He's going traveling with his missus again. Last year he was in Kenya. He's got a legal career ahead of him so no need to make the most of his opportunities in rugby. More doing the things he won't have time for like seeing the world.

He could play in the centres for Edinburgh. With our forward pack and pish half backs, he won't have to worry about getting too much ball/over working
Ben Atiga can take him on a tour of all the pie shops and we can send him home obese and with Type 2 diabetes thereby increasing our chances of beating the All Blacks.
Actually, that sounds like as good a strategy as we have available to us. Where is the SRU's phone number