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'Another James Lowe or Gibson-Park': Irish glee as New Zealand lose 'next Dan Carter'
By Ben Smith
The loss of Hurricanes’ first five-eighth Aidan Morgan to Ireland club Ulster on a two-year deal was met with excitement and resignation from both countries.
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The reaction from New Zealand fans was one of resignation, acceptance of Morgan’s move after sitting on the sidelines with the Hurricanes behind other first fives.
After moving down from Auckland, for most of his stint with the club he bid his time behind Jackson Garden-Bachop and then the returning Brett Cameron, while at times Ruben Love played at No 10.
In his 25 Super Rugby caps over three seasons he started 20 times, often against the weaker teams as part of a wider squad rotation. He flashed playmaking ability, elusive running and excellent goal kicking as a rounded first five prospect.
Hurricanes’ fans reacted with understanding to the deal given the lack of game time, but were saddened by the ‘big loss’. One fan felt that they had lost ‘our next Dan Carter’ from a player dubbed as a future All Black.
He’s a pretty raw prospect right now but has shown glimpses of what he can be. Has been touted for a while as a future AB 10. Can certainly be a game breaker like Mo’unga or DMac. Still hard to tell tho as the resurgence of Brett Cameron has kept him as a backup.
— BenM (@benmsports) May 27, 2024
The Irish reaction was understandably quite chuffed at having an Irish-qualified prospect at just 22-years-old land with Ulster.
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After the success of Ireland internationals James Lowe, halfback Jamison Gibson-Park and Bundee Aki, all signed out of New Zealand Super teams, expectations are high that Morgan will become the next gem.
The coup was described as “huge”, potentially a “great signing” for a young player with so many games under his belt already.
What a huge signing for Ulster and Ireland, we could be looking at Jack Crowleys competition.
Aidan Morgan joins Ulster Rugby from Hurricanes until at least June 2026.
Auckland-born fly-half, who turns 23 next month and is Irish-Qualified through his Belfast-born grandfather…
— Joe Naughton (@JoeNaConnacht) May 27, 2024
Really look forward to see how this pans out.
The IQ market, however small, has brought in a few gems in recent years.
Aidan Morgan is young, quick, elusive and has played top level rugby. Could be a really great signing for Ulster and Ireland https://t.co/LdHlHX73l4
— CaolanSRugby (@CaolanSRugby) May 27, 2024
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Aidan Morgan is 22 yrs old and has nearly 25 games in super rugby so far. For NZ that's probably about par. But in Irish terms you'd be lucky to have a third of these numbers. 10 of them came when he was 20yrs old.
He's got decent experience.
No Drop goals though Aidan. Tut tut pic.twitter.com/SHwb9ZKdDt— Jack Fogarty (@FogartyJack) May 27, 2024
The loss of Morgan is the second flyhalf under the age 25 in New Zealand to take opportunities abroad, with Crusader Fergus Burke inking a deal with Saracens as Owen Farrell’s successor.
Last year the Hurricanes signed New Zealand U20s fullback Harry Godfrey to a two-year deal until the end of 2025, while one-cap All Black Brett Cameron has been a standout performer this season.
The Hurricanes announced a new deal for Cameron last week until the end of 2026, which painted a crowded picture for Morgan to contend with.
What else is Ireland buying in? Middle distance runners from Kenya, sprinters from Jamaica, wrestlers from Iran …?
Good 19 more better than him , hv him who cares , every school has players just like if not better , to compare this idiot to Carter obviously gives rugby pass scribes a stiffy losers
Why would you call a young man and a very good rugby player an “idiot”? He’s a very talented player who Ireland have lured $$$ in the hope he helps complete their NZ backline.
Agreed. Articulately illustrated.
Not sure I’d compare him to Carter - he’s more in the mold of Damian McKenzie - smaller, agile, very skilled. His size/defense was probably one of the things holding him back from making more starts in Super Rugby, but he’s overcome that with nouse this year so this is a very good signing for Ireland
Lowe is overrated shite.
Carter was a once in a generation player.
This dude is much more likely to be the former - and definitely mot the latter
Overrated? He made several W Cup tournament teams and has been great in 6 nations. What else is he supposed to do?
next dan carter for a start wrong province not from canterbury who produce number10s think brett mertins carter there is only one dan carter
So that’s why you need Reihana, Kemara, Burke and Hohepa in your Crusader squad - all from Chiefs country.
Hilarious. Canterbury do produce quality 10s, but so do the other main provinces.
He’s not the next Dan Carter. Irish fans seem pretty shameless these days, nevertheless.
What pathetic arrogance you kiwis show again! What is wrong with you people??
One of the best schoolboy backs Ive ever seen. Sensational player. Plays well above his small frame, heavily committed in contact, brave AF. Huge loss.
I can see that being the case, but unfortunately if yuo don’t develop you can’t compete at the top. Perhaps he can become a good halfback?
Got to love how Ireland unahsamedly continue to treat international rugby as a club transfer market. They don’t even try to hide the fact they just straight up buy foreigners for their national team. Then they have the audacity to claim they're the best in the world and produce great players. Meanwhile, half their squad will be from NZ and SA in no time. It stands to reason though that when you buy up all of NZ & SA’s rejects, then you’ll always get slapped up by NZ & SA’s top players in tournaments that matter.
Ra Nick come on now! The hypocrisy flowing out of you is absurd. The last NZ world cup squad had 9 players not born in the country. Of the 9, Shannon Frizzell, emoni narawa, samisoni taukei’aho, ola tu’ungafasiall gained residency in their late teens, all under different circumstances. Some playing underage for tonga, Seevu Reece who would have been in the squad is is from Fiji, again moved at 17. Tyrel lomax played all the way up to u20’s for Australia. These were all not homegrown or produced players. They were moulded and produced by various different countries. I mean Frizzel was poached after playing on an underage tour with the tonga junior team and was given a scholarship by NZ. Ye have benefited from the pacific islands for decades while these countries suffered from losing players of such quality. So get off the high horse and quit the denial, ye have pillaged and used the system for yer benefit well before countries up north.
The pathetic ignorance you people show is hilarious! Really embarrassing for your nation.
Same with the shameless Scotland team which is far from Scottish
Ouch. That is some burn. Don’t conflate news with reality though!
I thinks it’s great for everyone. Ahki, JGP, James Lowe, were never going to be integral to the ABs, and it was something about the Irish system got the best out of them. The game is much better for having these players at the international level.
If they’d stayed in NZ they would have been unlikely to have had the same impact.
I do love how Ireland unashamedly continue to treat international rugby as a club transfer market.
It means that more of the world’s top players can be involved in international rugby, and it disincentivises SH nations from allowing NH clubs to subsidise the wages of their players.
I’m also not sure which SA rejects Ireland are currently reliant on, whereas SA did include an Ireland reject in their last RWC squad.
from 2011 to 2018 Ireland never finished better than 3rd in the under 20s six nations, so its not surprising that the current senior side includes a few players from abroad.
from 2019 to 2024 Ireland have won 3 of 5 six nations, and never finished worse than 3rd, so its likely that the 2027 and 2031 senior sides will be close to 100% home-grown.
Not if Park turns out any good.
I really just hope he can help ulster though.
Do you have any idea on what influenced this improvement, is it anything more than speeding up there (not quite good enough) development?
Good luck to the young man. I thought he always did his best in representing his team and himself.
Go the Hurricanes
He’s not even the next Jimmy Gopeth. And the fact is with Cameron and Godfrey the Canes have signed the better players
No one in NZ cared when Gibson-Park went to Ireland, he struggled for game time off the Blues bench so went to the Hurricanes bench and struggled for game time. Now Ireland is telling us that he's one of the best players in the world. I see Morgan as having far more potential than I ever saw JGP ever having and had been hoping he'd shift to the Crusaders or Highlanders to keep him around.
So you’re saying congratulations to him?
Best of luck to him, won’t get any better staying in NZ.
Just look how those little legs need to wind up on that sideline conversion!
Jokes Aiden, they’re also what carry him amongst all the bodies, was a great competitor, and while his mind did seem to have more inspiration that his body could handle, he’s got those uncoachable strengths. The rest can come.