So it was with some joy that we read this morning that moves are afoot to bring Carl Hayman back to New Zealand rugby, perhaps as early as the end-of-season tour to the Northern Hemisphere. The Sunday Star-Times reports:
Carl Hayman is poised to be rushed back into the All Blacks as early as their end-of-year grand slam tour.
The Sunday Star-Times has learnt the giant prop is now sold on the idea of coming home from England to finish his career, if his terms can be met. And that has sparked a flurry of activity in the Wellington business community, with Hurricanes boss Greg Peters trying to solicit third-party funding to help Hayman realise his dream of buying a farm in Taranaki.
The New Zealand Rugby Union has moved heaven and earth to get Hayman home in time for the 2011 world cup, digging deep to fund the majority of his considerable salary. But it is about $150,000 short, so the Hurricanes have been brought in on the deal and have been asked if they can cover the shortfall by exploring avenues such as third-party funding.
Peters said a "number of parties were interested" in helping secure Hayman's signature, and it was vital the Wellington and New Zealand rugby unions worked together with the private business sector to get the deal done.
"Taranaki would be first port of call [for the Air New Zealand Cup]," he said. "But we would love to see him playing for the Hurricanes."
Carl Hayman in the Hurricanes? Yes please! We're sure that regular commenter pdm will concur too, given his thoughts on the current Hurricanes front row!!
6 comments:
The props we watched a while ago in the England/Wales game haven't learned anything from him. I just hope he hasn't slipped into their bad habits.
I saw this piece and wondered what the problem is with our tighthead props at the moment. The ones use in the tour to the northern hemisphere all coped well.
There are any number of capable guys in and outside the AB's. Take whopper McKintosh for example. I'm picking an huge year for him.
Alex - you are stretching it to say Tialata coped well. He is hopeless. Franks was very solid though but remember Italy and okay Italy stretched the rules but our scrum did not cope.
For me the best tight head in NZ since Hayman left has been Clint Newlands who obviously does not have the right pedigree to be picked by Henry & Co.
I expect the Highlanders to field the best front row in the Super 14 again this season - as they did two seasons ago before both McIntosh and Newlands were out with injury.
BTW I did mean the best ot the NZ teams. I think the yarpies might have a couple of good ones.
You make some good points pdm and alex. I still have reservations over Newlands' discipline; he has a history, and receives extra scrutiny from referees. Mackintosh though looks to be an excellent long-term pospect.
But if Hayman wants to play for the All Blacks again, I'd have him in a heartbeat. He was the rock of the scrum up until the 2007 RWC, and he and Woodcock form a formidable team.
Newlands is an a-hole.
If Hayman comes back that will be good, but lets not forget he was the guy that they told to tell us to go for a droppie in Cardff 2 1/2 years ago
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