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Chiefs' star Shaun Stevenson heads to Japan for brief sabbatical

Shaun Stevenson of the All Blacks XV. Photo By Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images

Chiefs fullback and one Test All Black Shaun Stevenson has been granted a short-term sabbatical to Japan, to link up with the Kubota Spears for part of the Japan League One season.

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Stevenson will still wear the Chiefs jersey this season, only missing the first three Super Rugby Pacific games. He could play up to six games for the Kubota Spears who are sitting fifth on the Japan League One ladder.

The move comes after months of speculation about the 28-year-old’s future in New Zealand, when it was reported that Stevenson was offered a lucrative deal by the Japanese club in the last year of his NZR contract.

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The Waikato Times has revealed that New Zealand Rugby opted to grant Stevenson a special short-term sabbatical. Stevenson could line up this weekend for the Kubota Spears in their matchup against TJ Perenara’s Ricoh Black Rams.

Stevenson will still be eligible for All Blacks selection this year if Scott Robertson selects him at any point.

Stevenson will then link up with the Kubota Spears from next year, leaving New Zealand and the Chiefs permanently.

Stevenson will have some familiar faces around in Japan, as North Harbour teammate Bryn Hall also plays for the Spears. Former All Blacks defence coach Scott Mcleod is also on the coaching staff of Stevenson’s new club, forming a small Kiwi contingent.

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The move was questioned by the public, especially as the deal would let an All Black walk away from a NZR contract in order to earn more money overseas, rather than play Super Rugby in New Zealand.

The Waikato Times understands Stevenson will head to Japan today, but had recently travelled to Japan to link up with the Spears to train and get used to the environment, before a quick stop back in New Zealand to finalise the deal with New Zealand Rugby.

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JW 15 minutes ago
How key Waratahs playmakers could reshape Joe Schmidt's Wallabies backline

Yeah like a classic comedy show, not too different to how he went at the same venue last year? Perhaps there’s something about that latitude that puts his equilibrium off?


The rush on Jo was fine though, you’d catch most players out with Dmacs execution of it. There were actually quite a few instances like that, not too dissimilar to that Bledisloe game actually, were things just didn’t work out for no luck of trying to skill. I laughed when Dmac took himself out of that try and basically gifted it to them by trying to bowl over Kellaway was perhaps the most comical.


Actually now you say that, yes, very reminiscent of Aus v England wasn’t it. The two changes at halves have been instrumental for me. Not that the first two weren’t playing well, but these two seem to pair up better, with everyone. Like you say with those sorts of counter attack plays, they are on instinct and that stuff needs to be shared with everyone. That’s another thing too I was thinking, in that respect guys returning can be a hinderance to a team playing well, but I might have just thought that because I wasn’t sure (hadn’t seen much) which of NSWs midfields were best suited where.


I’m very similar in my TMO preference as well. I had actually said to myself several times already this season (SR here) that they are pretty bullish basically telling the ref what theyve seen as fact. If I remember rightly it even happened a few times in November and some of the refs then said “no, I’m actually happy with that.” etc. But very tough on Maybe (I think) who probably has piss poor vision on the big screen to say anything otherwise, so yes, definitely just make it an offer to look and also communicate ‘why’ precisely to the ref, and (just like he does to the players) he can even say to the TMO “no I was happy how I saw it live, I don’t need a replay thanks” etc. He started like that I think, “I’d like to review a simultaneous grounding” but then yes, he took over after. Of course in the refs minds, it’s the right call, thoughts how it’s always been ref’d, even when theres a good few frames in the slowmo that actually show ball obviously hitting grass first (which they didn’t in this game), they’ve always ruled that (like in cricket) if the ball continues to then be ground on the line after (or in the same frame in this example) they always gone ‘dead ball’. The new SR committee apparently what to making the line the attacking teams so they award the try’s instead of taking them away, but just like I said with them not wanting to look closely at the first forward pass (like they did for the Chiefs try), I don’t want random JRLO level decisions, and giving the line to the attacking team is just going to make clear no trys, a try instead. It’s exactly the same result.

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tonirobinson362 1 hour ago
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