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Waratahs announce triple signings

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The NSW Waratahs have bolstered their second-row stocks with a mixture of youth and experience with the signing of Taleni Seu, Zac Von Appen, and Zane Marolt ahead of the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season.

Seu, born and raised in Auckland and schooled at Onehunga High School, was part of the Blues academy before moving to the Chiefs where he made his Super Rugby debut in 2016 under current Wallabies coach Dave Rennie.

The New Zealand-born lock spent four seasons and amassed 44 caps with the Chiefs before moving abroad to join his current side Toyota Industries Shuttles in Japan Rugby League One.
Seu, who cuts an imposing figure at 201cm and 119kgs and adds significant size to Darren Coleman’s forward pack, is excited to play Super Rugby again.

“I am excited to join the Waratahs for the 2023 season. After having a chat with Darren Coleman, I can see what his vision is for the group and how he wants to build on a good 2022 season. The team sounds like a tight group, and I can’t wait to get to work,” Seu said.

“After being in Japan, I’m looking forward to getting back into the competitiveness of Super Rugby, while developing my game under some quality coaches.

“My wife and I have family in Sydney, so it’s going to be a good fit and we are really looking forward to our move later in the year.”

Zac Von Appen who joins the side on a wider training squad contract graduated through St Augustine’s College and has made a big contribution to Sydney University’s run to the Shute Shield Grand Final.

Von Appen comes from a high-performance background after representing Australia in rowing at the U23 World Championships, while his father Mario von Appen won an Olympic gold medal as a kayaker with Germany at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games and his mother represented Australia at the World Championships, also as a kayaker.

“It’s a real privilege for me to join the Waratahs program, and something that I don’t take for granted,” Von Appen said.

“During my time rowing, I would train twice a day, six times a week, and worked at a bottle shop to support myself.

“To be able to join the program on a full-time basis and dedicate myself to the team I’ve supported since I was a kid is incredibly special to myself and my family. I cannot wait to get stuck in.”

Zane Marolt, born and raised in Queanbeyan, is a product of St Edmonds College and currently plays his club rugby for Queanbeyan Whites.

The 22-year-old lock also joins the team on a wider training contract after spending the past four years in the Brumbies Academy.

The 202cm lock is no stranger to the Waratahs coaching staff, as he was selected in Jason Gilmore’s Australian U20 side in 2020 and featured for the Brumbies Runners against the Waratahs A side earlier this season.

“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to join the Waratahs,” Marolt said.

“The team is trending in the right direction, and I feel this is the best place for my development as a player.

“I can’t wait to get started, work hard, and push my case to hopefully make my Super Rugby debut in 2023.”

Waratahs Head Coach Darren Coleman was pleased with the mixture of youth and experience the trio brings to the squad.

“We needed to bolster our second-row stocks in the squad, and I’m really excited with the balance we have achieved with the arrival of these three recruits”, Coleman said.

“Taleni will help us with our short-term needs with his experience, size, and physicality while with Zane and Zac, we are keeping one eye on the future as they are a couple of good long-term prospects.

“We feel all three will make a great contribution to our squad ahead of our 2023 Super Rugby campaign.”

Content & Images from – Waratahs Rugby


Super Rugby

Brad Shields named 2024 Hurricanes Captain

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Brad Shields named 2024 Hurricanes Captain

Experienced loose-forward and Hurricanes centurion Brad Shields has today been confirmed as captain of the Hurricanes ahead of their 2024 DHL Super Rugby Pacific campaign.

He will be supported by Asafo Aumua and Jordie Barrett, who have been named as vice-captains for 2024.

Shields, who played 103 games for the Hurricanes between 2012 and 2018, before heading offshore to pursue a test career with England, signed with the Hurricanes last year, eyeing a return for this season.

He takes over the reins from 2023 captain Ardie Savea who departed for Japan this season.

The captain’s tag is a title the 32-year-old is not unfamiliar with, having led the Hurricanes in their 31-all draw against the British and Irish Lions in 2017, and then taking on the role for the entire 2018 season.

Shields said he is honoured to be given the captain’s armband for 2024, but it is a role he will lean on many of his experienced teammates for support.

“I’m hugely excited and honoured to be leading the Hurricanes this season,” said Shields.

“I admit, after Clarky (Clark Laidlaw) told me I was really stoked, but I did feel a little apprehensive given I had been away for a few years and the quality of leadership we have at the Hurricanes. But at the end of the day, it’s a massive challenge and opportunity I’m excited for, and what makes it more exciting is there is a handful of guys here with so much experience who I know I will turn to for support. We’ll all work together with this one.”

Hurricane #184 said he intends to lead by his actions this season which he hopes will bring out the best out of a young Hurricanes team, and Hurricanes fans.

“Actions. Always by actions is how I like to lead,” said Shields.

“I really want to challenge our environment because challenge always brings better performances. We’ve got a really young team this season so anywhere I can help and encourage and bring the best out of some of the young guys, and the players who have been here for a while, is what I aim for.

“The one thing that’s massive for us at the Hurricanes is connection within our community. Ultimately, we’ve got to play good rugby and perform really well if we want bums on seats, but it certainly means a lot to know we’ve got our community behind us, and we’ll do everything we can to give them a good service and make 2024 an exciting and enjoyable season to watch.”

Having an abundance of experienced leaders in this Hurricanes side didn’t make the captaincy decision an easy one for Hurricanes Head Coach Clark Laidlaw.

However, Laidlaw said he and the other coaches were impressed with Shields’ attitude the moment he stepped back into camp and became an obvious choice as the right man to lead the side.

“The coaches and I do a lot of observing around leadership of the team, and it became reasonably apparent that we have several players that want to lead which is really exciting,” said Laidlaw.  

“But with Brad, he leads really well every day. He’s a great role model around how we want to train; he’s competitive as hell; he’s won Super Rugby; he’s a test match player; he’s bigger and stronger than he’s been before; and he knows what it takes to win and to lead. So, at the end of the day, he became an obvious choice.

“One of the best things about Brad is that he wants to be better. That’s an important trait to have as a leader as it rubs off on everyone else. We as coaches want our captain to represent what we want the team to look like. And we felt with Brad’s experience and his maturity, he’s the right man to lead us forward for this season.”

Laidlaw also echoed Shields’ comments on looking to his teammates for support this season.

“Brad will lead the side, but we do have a number of other players with Asafo and Jordie, who are going to be vice-captains of the team, and our leadership group will support Brad and help the coaches this season.”

 

Content & Images from – Hurricanes Rugby


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Super Rugby

Waratahs Squad announced for 2024 Super Rugby Season

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The NSW Waratahs confirmed its initial 34-player squad for the 2024 Harvey Norman Super Rugby Pacific season with a couple more spots to be decided in pre-season.

Props: Angus Bell, Archer Holtz, Daniel Botha, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Hayden Thompson-Stringer, Tom Lambert, Tom Ross

Hookers: Dave Porecki, Mahe Vaianu, Theo Fourie

Locks: Hugh Sinclair, Jed Holloway, Miles Amatosero, Ned Hanigan

Loose forwards: Charlie Gamble, Fergus Lee-Warner, Lachlan Swinton, Langi Gleeson, Ned Slack-Smith

Halfbacks: Jack Grant, Jake Gordon, Teddy Wilson

Flyhalves: Jack Bowen, Tane Edmed, Will Harrison

Centres: Izaia Perese, Joey Walton, Lalakai Foketi, Mosese Tuipulotu

Outside backs: Dylan Pietsch, Harry Wilson, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Max Jorgensen, Vuate Karawalevu

New signings and re-signings

For all new signings and re-signing, you can follow our 2024 Waratahs Contract tracker.

Content & Images from – Waratahs Rugby


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Highlanders 2024 Squad Announcement

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The Highlanders will usher into the fold a swag of new players for the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific competition.

Some have already made brief appearances last season such as halfback Nathan Hastie, loose forward Oliver Haig, hooker Jack Taylor and midfielders Jake Te Hiwi and Matt Whaanga. Several players have come through the John Jones Steel Highlander’s High Performance Programme such as first-five, Ajay Faleafaga, and loose forward Hayden Michaels.

Also new to the team, and adding depth to the outside back stocks, are the arrival of blockbusting winger and former Moana Pasifika star, Timoci Tavatavanawai, and Blues’ speedster Jacob Ratumaituvuki-Kneepkens. Argentinian winger, Martín Bogado, fresh from the 2023 World Cup, will return to further his Super Rugby experience in New Zealand.

Another former Blues player will add strength to the midfield in the form of Tanielu Tele’a who will be looking to get his career back on track after being hampered by injury in recent seasons.

Former Welsh international, Rhys Patchell, will bring his vital experience to the first-five role which will be good news for young pivots Cameron Millar and Ajay Faleafaga.

All Black, Ethan De Groot, will be joined in the forward pack by veteran loose forward and former Crusader Tom Sanders.

Highlanders’ Head Coach, Clarke Dermody, is looking forward to the preseason and the opportunity to work with his players.

“We have had a few changes in our squad and our coaching group so it will be great to get everyone together and start building some cohesion through the preseason. We will just about have our whole squad together from day one, which is a nice opportunity for us.”

“I am also pleased to see some of the younger players that we have invested in over the last few years start to come through to Super Rugby level. I am sure their individual enthusiasm will be infectious for the squad. 

The team assembles on Thursday 23 November 2023.

 

2024 HIGHLANDERS SQUAD

Backs:  James Arscott (Otago), Connor Garden-Bachop (Wellington), Martín Bogado (Argentina), Folau Fakatava (Hawkes Bay), Ajay Faleafaga (Otago), Sam Gilbert (Otago), Nathan Hastie (Otago), Jacob Ratumaituvuki-Kneepkens (Taranaki), Jonah Lowe (Hawkes Bay), Cameron Millar (Otago), Jona Nareki (Otago), Rhys Patchell (Wales), Jake Te Hiwi (Otago), Timoci Tavatavanawai (Tasman), Tanielu Tele’a (Auckland), Josh Timu (Otago), Matt Whaanga (Southland)

Forwards: Jermaine Ainsley (Otago), Henry Bell (Otago), Nikora Broughton (Bay of Plenty), Daniel Lienert-Brown (Canterbury), Mitchell Dunshea (Canterbury), Ethan De Groot (Southland), Oliver Haig (Otago), Billy Harmon (Canterbury) , Max Hicks (Tasman), Fabian Holland (Otago), Luca Inch (Tasman), Ricky Jackson (Otago), Ayden Johnstone (Waikato), Saula Ma’u (Otago), Hayden Michaels (Southland), Pari Pari Parkinson (Tasman), Hugh Renton (Tasman), Tom Sanders (Otago) , Jack Taylor (Southland), Will Tucker (Otago), Sean Withy (Otago)

 

ENDS

 

Content & Images from – Highlanders Rugby


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