leicester_rhino wrote:
It adds to our depth, but doesn't make our best 17 any better
Each to their own and all that....but I think he definitely strengthens our back row options and for me would be in our 1st choice 17 for next season.
Effectively (although I know not like for like position wise) we've replaced Diskin and Eastwood with Cross and Hauraki which IMO makes our pack 'look' stronger/better balanced for next season.
The two hooker thing never worked and although it wasn't his fault, Diskin was wasted as a sub whereas now we can go back to having another prop/impact forward on he bench which IMO will serve us much better than having Disko on the bench.
Whilst Eastwood when fit looked the business, especially as an impact prop with an offload game to boot the fact is he didn't settle here.
In Hauraki we have someone of a similar age who will be hungry to impress as he wants to get into the full Kiwi squad as opposed to Eastwood whose main motivation in some of his early interviews seemed to be about ££££ and given he's already had a season in the UK then hopefully he/his family are settled so we'll get full use out of him.
Hauraki is clearly not a 'big name' signing but who says your overseas players have to be. We've had plenty of 'lesser known' imports pre and post SL era who have given great service and proved to be effective signings.
'bigger names' might put bums on seats but they no doubt cost more and some have egos or off field problems to match.
Lets give this guy a chance I say
