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Friday Rugby news
Rugby News on Friday sees players coming the hard way, The Hurricane feeling the pressure, Get Cooper and Tough decisions for Tuilagi.
McCaffrey comes the hard way!
Locky McCaffrey is making a big impact on the Brumbies backrow. but it was not easy for the number 8 to get to where he is. The photo above is the one we have of him playing Super Rugby in our substantial library. The following year he was undesired by the five Australian franchises and was faced with the choice to return to Sydney's rugby club or try his hand abroad. Fortunately, an offer arrived with Leicester and paved the way.
Instead of being postponed, Locky took advantage of the huge 45-game season as an opportunity to learn and spent the next three years doing it with some of the brightest rugby minds on the planet.
"It was not really a decision, I really did not get any offer at Australian Super Rugby," McCaffrey recalled his move to the English club Leicester in 2015. "People probably think a lot of people are going to the UK or Europe" . for money, but my decision was because it was the only option I had to continue playing rugby; or was to go back to the rugby club in Sydney or go there and get a chance in the Premiership … I've been to three Super Rugby clubs at Waratahs, Force and Brumbies, and I got to the point where there was no coach in Super Rugby , who wanted me in his team.
"I have a lifeline there in the Premiership, I loved the rugby pattern there and I have a good chance in terms of being able to join the games. [I’d] played a lot off the bench and [it was] It's hard to get your foot in the door.
"But I think going there and playing 75 or 80 Premiership and European games in three years was the best thing for me, and I had great training on Aaron Mauger, Richard Cockerill and Scott Hansen, who is in the Sunwolves now."
McCaffrey returned to Australia and the Brumbies in 2018 and did not look back, becoming one of the mainstays of the Brumbies backrise. At 6 "and 8", it's probably a little shorter and lighter than the classic No: 8, but it makes up for it with speed and aggressiveness. We veterans would say he plays hard and that would be true.
Hurricanes looking for more pressure

Ngani Laumape scores with some help
The Brumbies play hurricanes this week, but it's not very rosy in the ditch. They lost to the Crusaders who deprived them of the ball and moved on. The Brumbies did not have such problems expelling the Heads of the park and accumulating 50 points.
That leaves the hurricanes with much to correct and very little time to do so. In an article on stuff.co.nz about the talented extreme Hurricanes Ben Lam, trainer John Plumtree lamented the lack of involvement of his backline attack guns.
Plumtree said he wanted to put the ball in the hands of his finalists more often against the Brumbies on Friday night in Palmerston North, but that could not happen without the pressure being built.
"It's about being patient and making sure that when we give Ben the ball, he really does have a little space or individual opportunities.
"We're probably just a little guilty of not putting enough pressure in. That's been our big focus. We know that if we're not, we have to build and build through our advanced.
"This is something we've talked about and worked hard for, but it has to get into our game. That's where I put the players under pressure a bit [this week]. That our good time around our work in the middle of the park is good and that we chose the times to go to Wes and Ben and Vinnie [Vince Aso].
Hurricanes: Chase Tiatia, Vince Aso, Matt Proctor, Ngani Laumape, Ben Lam, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, Ardie Savea, Dueth Plessis Kirifi, Vaea Fifita, Liam Mitchell, James Blackwell, Ben May, Dane Coles Eves. Reservations: Ricky Riccitelli, Xavier Numia, Jeff To-omaga-Allen, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Reed Prinsep, Richard Judd, Jackson Garden-Bachop, Wes Goosen
Brumbies: Tom Banks, Andy Muirhead, Tevita Kuridrani, Irae Simone, Chance Peni, Christian Lealiifano, Joe Powell, Lachlan McCaffrey, David Pocock, Pete Samu, Blake Enever, Rory Arnold, Allan Alaalatoa, Folau Fainga, Scott Sio. Reservations: Josh Mann-Rea, James Slipper, Leslie Leauluaialii-Makin, Darcy Swain, Tom Cusack, Matt Lucas, Wharenui Hawera, Tom Wright.
Get Cooper

Public Enemy # 1
How good is this 2011 Quade photo!
The Highlanders, after a bit of Reds scare last week, faced Red South … I mean, ah … Rebels this week. And they created a plan that no one had ever imagined before. GET THE COOPER. I'll admit that this worked in the past, but it does not take into account the other guy playing in the halves for the Rebels this week. In my opinion, the most important part of the partnership. A guy named Will Genia.
To make his plan a little harder, the hurricanes rested their own super-quarterback Aaron Smith along with Ben Smith and Luke Whitelock.
Here's Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger on stuff.com.
"Quade is one of those guys who, if you give a lot of time and space, he can really hurt the teams," said Mauger.
"So there's been a bit of focus on making sure we do not give him time or space to move, and if there's a little time to make sure we're working together in our three and five years defensively.
"If we do that, we hope we can put those guys under some pressure and get a good ball to attack."
It sets the stage for a spirited showdown in Melbourne where the Highlanders will be determined to bring Cooper back to Earth after Rebels No 10 marked his return to Super Rugby with a promising performance in the first round.
Highlanders: Josh Ioane, Waisake Naholo, Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Walden Teihorangi, Josh McKay, Bryn Gatland, Kayne Hammington, Elliot Dixon, James Lentjes, Shannon Frizell, Pari Parkinson, Jackson Hemopo, Siate Tokolahi, Ash Dixon Brown.
Substitutions: Ricky Jackson, Ayden Johnstone, Josh Iosefa-Scott, Tom Franklin, Marino Mikaele Tu & # 39; u Folau Fakatava, Patelesio Tomkinson, Marty Banks
Rebels: Dane Haylett-Petty (c), Jack Maddocks, English Tom, Billy Meakes, Marika Koroibete, Quade Cooper, Will Genia, Isi Naisarani, Brad Wilkin, Angus Cottrell, Matt Philip, Lucas Jones, Sam Talakai, Rangi Anaru, Faulkner Teapot
Substitutions: Robbie Abel, Matt Gibbon, Jermain Ainsley, Adam Coleman, Richard Hardwick, Rob Leota, Michael Ruru, Reece Hodge
Race 92 Wants Manu
Manu Tuilagi is facing the issues that most professional rugby players encounter at least once in their careers. Family or country? Okay, maybe I overdid it a little.
In the case of Manu, he has to decide whether to pick up the available Mega Dollars by playing for Leicester and England or give up playing for his country to receive the mega-dollars in competition playing for Racing 92 in the French Top 14. What to do? Stay in England and listen to Brexit's daily news or change and answer the French?
It is a lot to consider. I'm back in England and I loved playing in Cardiff, even losing. I love playing Tigers too. I need to take some time after this campaign, put everything on the table and make the right decision. "
So far, England coach Eddie Jones has made no concerted attempt to influence Tuilagi's decision, as well as making jokes about the player eating baguettes and croissants.
"We did not really talk about it … there's nothing to be talked about because I did not make a decision," Tuilagi said, insisting that the reports he had already signed were premature.
"When I saw this [piece saying he had signed] I did not know what to say. I have not made a decision yet, so everyone [in the squad] It's cool about that.
A potential commitment could be to go to France for two seasons and then, in a perfect world, return to a last slope in a World Cup before the next tournament in France in 2023.
Chris Ashton and James Haskell have proven that it is possible that English players have gatteau and eat it, and Racing's offer exceeds anything Leicester can afford.
As it stands, Tuilagi seems genuinely in two minds. "I did not think much ahead. At the moment I'm still committed to Tigers and England and all my focus is here and trying to finish [the Six Nations] on the rise.
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