Racing Métro offer Juan Imhoff a Three Year Contract

[Melhor Time]

http://rugbyworldcup-argentina2023.blogspot.com/2012/02/racing-metro-offer-juan-imhoff-three.html

[h=3]Racing Métro offer Juan Imhoff a Three Year Contract[/h]

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[TD="class: tr-caption"]Imhoff in Heineken Cup action vs the Cardiff Blues[/TD]
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The Top 14´s surprize package of the season, Juan Imhoff is considering his future after the 23 year old called by French site Le Figaro as The Master Card could stay in France and at Racing Métro despite earlier threats from club President, Jackie Lorenzetti that he would no longer be signing Pumas players due to The Rugby Championship. Imhoff was interviewed today by Argentine site scrum and gave all the answers as to the issue that Lorenzetti had brought up and to the possibility of staying in Paris. The possibiltiy of Imhoff staying at Racing Métro now looking large as the club has offered him a contract to stay on for three years. The offer comes just a week after Juan Martín Hernández admitted he had also been offered a new contract to remain at Racing Métro. The club´s willingness to sign both players knowing that they are highly likely to miss the start of the 2012-2013 Top14 Orange , and subsequent seasons, underlines the quality of the players and their value to the club.


Imhoff, himself, admited to being surprized to have been offered a three-year deal by Racing Métro. He told scrum that I was surprised when it was offered (to me). I was told that if I were selected I could play in it (The Rugby Championship) without problems. The offer is in Imhoff´s words, concrete and is for three additional years after he had signed for the current season as a Medical Joker to replace the injured pair of former French winger Benjamin Fall and Italy´s Mirco Bergamasco. Despite the generous offer, Imhoff is yet to determine whether or not he will remain at Racing Métro as he has confirmed that he has also been approached by other clubs who interested in his signature.


His decision will also depend on that of Juan Martín Hernández with Imhoff saying that "Whatever I do in my life there is so much talk with him. I can´t tell you that if Juani (leaves Racing Métro) I will too, but ... It is always important to have an Argentine team. So his decision and that of the boys (Alvaro Galindo, Juan Orlandi and Gonzalo Quesada) will weigh in as I finish deciding"


Since linking up with Racing Métro, Imhoff has played eleven matches, ten in the starting lineup, and has scored four tries. His tries has all been impressive and have seen him speed past the likes of Chris Paterson, Tom James, and a magical solo performance vs Perpignan. He joined Racing Métro after Rugby World Cup 2011 where he scored two tries and was selected after only having previously played four tests - one vs Wales in the leadup to New Zealand 2011, two vs Chile and one vs Uruguay. His future as a Pumas winger and he is certain to add plenty of explosive pace in attack. This characteristic of his play is what offers Argentina so much as he goes against the style of winger that has usually been utilized for international matches. In this way, Imhoff ahs the potential to be Argentina´s version of Shane Williams.


<IFRAME height=335 src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/vcjuxzK8mRY?rel=0" frameBorder=0 width=450 allowfullscreen=""></IFRAME>

 

[Amobokoboko]

Good signing, what are his plans of playing for the blues?

 

[psychic duck]

The Top 14´s surprize package of the season

doesn't surprise me, unfortunately however many others are ignorant to his achievements

Juan Martín Hernández admitted he had also been offered a new contract to remain at Racing Métro.

Despite the generous offer, Imhoff is yet to determine whether or not he will remain at Racing Métro as he has confirmed that he has also been approached by other clubs who interested in his signature.

both should leave, Racing is crap team who play as individuals not for the team, they are full of rubbish greedy forwards who don't give the backs the ball a scrum half in Lorée who always does dreadful box kicks which normally go out on the full, the times he doesn't kick it goes to mini "Boot"xis aka Wisniewski who you'll struggle to find creating a try in any highlights package, shows the lack of depth in French fly halves after Trinh-Duc that "Boot"xis, Skrela and Wisniewski are considered the next best options

Hernández hasn't done too well at Racing and I heard the Racing-Métro fan who runs http://www.sudrugby.com/, delighting at his possible departure

whilst Stade aren't great and look very poor away, are on the way back and probably the best team in Paris right now, Contepomi will probably retire at the end of the season, so Hernández can be their 10 again and have a proper run, instead of having to be rotated and changed position due to Wisniewski

as for Imhoff, he's done well at Racing but it is no thanks to the team, he's had 0 easy tries created for him like wingers at Toulouse or the Crusaders get, he's basically had to do all the work himself and run through opposition single handedly, if he has offers from better teams like Clermont or Toulouse he should take them as he's too good for Racing, and if he got those moves then people would really appreciate how good he is

Imhoff ahs the potential to be Argentina´s version of Shane Williams.

something that amazes me about him is that he brushes off tackles like a much heavier man, yet he isn't too bulky, he's like a less bulky version of Joe Roff in terms of playing style in my opinion

 

[cyRil]

Is Hernandez heading back to Stade a realistic option or just speculation Duck?

 

[Melhor Time]

Amobokoboko

You mean Hernández? - Well, it looks most likely that he´ll be joining Stade Français as he made it clear in an interview that he loves Paris and that either RM or SF would be happy to have him and have no concerns over his guaranteed late arrival due to The Rugby CHampionship.

Psychic Duck

You know it does not surpirze me either. You and I were the only people saying he was any good before the World Cup. There were some really ignorant posters out there like Ranger talking him down. If the guy was an All Black people would be saying he is World Class.

I also agree that both should leave RM. Juani will likely play for Stade Français while Imhoff could play anywhere. I was thinking, earlier today, of where he could be headinto other than RM. It could, indeed, be a number of places but I do think it will be a big team. Toulouse could well be the team given Vincent Clerc is getting on now and the other wingers at the club are average, ala Donguy. Another club who could want him is Toulon as could Stade Français. I think these are the three possibilities for Imhoff unless he goes to Super Rugby. He has made it clear that wherever he goes it´ll be a place with fellow Argentine players.

cyRil

It looks like a 50% change he´ll go to SF, 25% to RM and 25% to the Blues.

 

[Darwin]

Psychic Duck

You know it does not surpirze me either. You and I were the only people saying he was any good before the World Cup. There were some really ignorant posters out there like Ranger talking him down. If the guy was an All Black people would be saying he is World Class.

I also agree that both should leave RM. Juani will likely play for Stade Français while Imhoff could play anywhere. I was thinking, earlier today, of where he could be headinto other than RM. It could, indeed, be a number of places but I do think it will be a big team. Toulouse could well be the team given Vincent Clerc is getting on now and the other wingers at the club are average, ala Donguy. Another club who could want him is Toulon as could Stade Français. I think these are the three possibilities for Imhoff unless he goes to Super Rugby. He has made it clear that wherever he goes it´ll be a place with fellow Argentine players.

I don't think that is actually quite true. I can't recall a single person having a bad word to say about Imhoff - the only thing mentioned was that he wasn't proven (yet) at a high level (and that NZ rugby franchises didn't need to import wings, as they have an over-abundance of home-grown wings to choose from). It is good to see that he has taken his chances well at Racing Metro, and I look forward to seeing a lot more of him at test level in The Rugby Championship this season.

 

[welshglory]

I wouldn't get too ahead of yourself Melhor.

NZ have an abundance of quality backs. Im sure there are players much better than Imhoff or anything Europe can offer that can't break into the Super 15.

 

[psychic duck]

I don't think that is actually quite true. I can't recall a single person having a bad word to say about Imhoff - the only thing mentioned was that he wasn't proven (yet) at a high level (and that NZ rugby franchises didn't need to import wings, as they have an over-abundance of home-grown wings to choose from). It is good to see that he has taken his chances well at Racing Metro, and I look forward to seeing a lot more of him at test level in The Rugby Championship this season.

yes they were I'm afraid

people didn't just say he was "unproven at a high level", some people basically said he had achieved nothing because it was the Vodacom Cup and a few internationals

they also inferred that basically any kid who was in the New Zealand under 20's or Sevens team was better and was more proven

if Imhoff was from NZ and got all the easy run in tries at the end of moves that Carter/Dagg/SBW create for the wingers at the and combine that with his ability to finish individual tries, he would be in my opinion already an All Black and be considered world class

@welshglory: there are several examples of All Blacks wingers who don't look much better than others, sure Howlett is very good, but he's not much better than Malzieu or Bowe, whilst Rokocoko and Gear both came to play with crap sides and have both just been as good as their side

unfortunately though, Imhoff plays in a poor side that creates nothing for him, every try he has to do the hard work and are individual efforts, he gets no easy tries

only special wingers can look good at poor sides that create little for them, like Shane (during some of Wales' and Ospreys' dark years), Caucau (Agen), Matanavou (whilst in ProD2), Visser (Edinburgh) and Imhoff fits into this category in my opinion

I'm not saying New Zealand wingers aren't good, I rate Howlett, Lomu, Wilson, the early Rokocoko and Sivivatu etc very highly but you need to consider they have a big advantage over worse nations before saying they are much better

wing depends a lot on how good the team you play for is





look at these tries and runs, he does all the hard work, imagine that individual skill combined with a team that creates him tries that he just needs to run in at the end of a move

 

[TRF_Cymro]

These videos only slightly back up the points being made, you can find videos to back up anything you really want. The comment about going past Tom James above made me laugh because anyone who watches the Blues / Tom James regularly will know that he is a defensive liability. Imhoff is a good player but the way he is talked about he is the greatest thing since sliced bread, hence why people have said that others are as good as him.

From some of the games I have caught glimpses of for Racing Metro he's been decent but not outstanding.

 

[psychic duck]

These videos only slightly back up the points being made, you can find videos to back up anything you really want. The comment about going past Tom James above made me laugh because anyone who watches the Blues / Tom James regularly will know that he is a defensive liability. Imhoff is a good player but the way he is talked about he is the greatest thing since sliced bread, hence why people have said that others are as good as him.

From some of the games I have caught glimpses of for Racing Metro he's been decent but not outstanding.

firstly, the point I meant to make is that everything he does for Racing he has done by himself, there has only been one try he has scored this season for Racing (in the 48-47 match v Edinburgh), and although you're right that videos can be manipulated you can't deny that he has produced some very good individual moments for Racing this season

secondly, I made no comment about Tom James, he goes past more than James in that try anyway, and I agree 100% that he is a defensive liability and other players would have made that tackle

thirdly, you refer to "the way he is talked about", I think you should rephrase that as the wayI talk about him, as unless you've read the Argentine/French press I don't think you've hardly heard any mention of him in the British press or from other posters (apart from one other)

the reason I go on about him, is because I want people to know about him and for him to have recognition that he deserves

there is of course room for improvement, his tackling isn't bad but could improve, and he is still only just learning to play full back, and on occasions his positioning hasn't been of an experienced full back and his tactical kicking also has a lot of room for improvement, but his running and support play is top class

fourthly, he in my opinion has definitely been Racing's best player this season, and one of the stars of the Top 14, as mentioned above whilst playing in a side which is underachieving and rarely uses it's backs, he has been more than decent he has been outstanding

@welsh Glory

I bet if Imhoff was a New Zealander playing Super Rugby then he would be allowed to be the best thing since sliced bread, but because he's Argentine it seems some people automatically think he's worse and can't be any more than decent because Argentina don't have a reputation for wingers



I'm not saying he's not good, but look at these Sean Maitland tries from 2011, not all but most of them are ones he's just needed speed and good support needed to finish and opportunity created for him by Dagg/SBW/Carter, pretty much every try I think Imhoff would have finished, yet because he's from New Zealand people just automatically think Maitland is not just better but MUCH better

In my opinion if you played some of these players who people think are MUCH better with Racing-Métro you'd find they would struggle to match the success of Imhoff, only a special winger as mentioned above can flourish with a poor side

a winger's success often relies on the side they play in

Rokocoko has scored 0 tries for Bayonne (who are crap) in the Top 14,
in his last two seasons at Worcester Rico Gear scored 1 try in the Premiership

both of them were try machines in New Zealand

Scott Hamilton is being kept out of the Leicester side by an Argentine, and one who is not nearly as good as Imhoff
Imhoff has already scored as many tries as Wulf scored for Toulon last season, in less than half the amount of matches and more than Sivivatu has for Clermont in roughly the same amount of matches

both those players were starters in Super Rugby, so to suggest that Imhoff is not up to the standard of Super Rugby wingers is in my opinion wide of the mark

 

[Seaton]

It's nice to see him having moved on well from the Pampas.

The Potche crowd really liked him a client from the area told me.

 

[welshglory]

@welsh Glory

I bet if Imhoff was a New Zealander playing Super Rugby then he would be allowed to be the best thing since sliced bread, but because he's Argentine it seems some people automatically think he's worse and can't be any more than decent because Argentina don't have a reputation for wingers



I'm not saying he's not good, but look at these Sean Maitland tries from 2011, not all but most of them are ones he's just needed speed and good support needed to finish and opportunity created for him by Dagg/SBW/Carter, pretty much every try I think Imhoff would have finished, yet because he's from New Zealand people just automatically think Maitland is not just better but MUCH better

In my opinion if you played some of these players who people think are MUCH better with Racing-Métro you'd find they would struggle to match the success of Imhoff, only a special winger as mentioned above can flourish with a poor side

a winger's success often relies on the side they play in

Rokocoko has scored 0 tries for Bayonne (who are crap) in the Top 14,
in his last two seasons at Worcester Rico Gear scored 1 try in the Premiership

both of them were try machines in New Zealand

Scott Hamilton is being kept out of the Leicester side by an Argentine, and one who is not nearly as good as Imhoff
Imhoff has already scored as many tries as Wulf scored for Toulon last season, in less than half the amount of matches and more than Sivivatu has for Clermont in roughly the same amount of matches

both those players were starters in Super Rugby, so to suggest that Imhoff is not up to the standard of Super Rugby wingers is in my opinion wide of the mark

Whats the point in comparing players that way.
Yes Rokocoko was a try machine but for the past 3/4 years he hasn't been. Also the Blues play a much more open game which suits him than Bayonne does. He's only there for the pay check along with a lot of the other NZ players and you know it. He is hardly playing for a contract. He can go anywhere with his name.

Rico Gear was pathetic, he was only there for the money and you wont find many Worcester supporters who said he was a good signing. You can't deny that he ripped it up at international level though.
Scott Hamilton was and always has been a solid club player no one has said he is world class and don't forget he is getting on with age and has had injury problems. And if you remember when he first went over he was playing very well.
You also mention Howlett. When he first went to Munster around 4 years ago, yes he was one of the top wingers in the world. He isn't now.
Wulf i don't know really.

Imhoff on the other hand is an up and coming international player who has been playing for a contract.

Im sure if you sent someone like Ranger, Gear, Masaga, Tim Nanai-Williams, Savea, Maitland and put them in the same situation as Imhoff then they would play their hearts out and put in some big performances.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

thirdly, you refer to "the way he is talked about", I think you should rephrase that as the wayI talk about him, as unless you've read the Argentine/French press I don't think you've hardly heard any mention of him in the British press or from other posters (apart from one other)

Maybe because he does not play his trade in Britain or is British.

I've seen enough of him to say he's a good player but he has room to develop (as do most rugby players) to become an elite winger.

 

[psychic duck]

Whats the point in comparing players that way.
Yes Rokocoko was a try machine but for the past 3/4 years he hasn't been. Also the Blues play a much more open game which suits him than Bayonne does. He's only there for the pay check along with a lot of the other NZ players and you know it. He is hardly playing for a contract. He can go anywhere with his name.

Rico Gear was pathetic, he was only there for the money and you wont find many Worcester supporters who said he was a good signing. You can't deny that he ripped it up at international level though.
Scott Hamilton was and always has been a solid club player no one has said he is world class and don't forget he is getting on with age and has had injury problems. And if you remember when he first went over he was playing very well.
You also mention Howlett. When he first went to Munster around 4 years ago, yes he was one of the top wingers in the world. He isn't now.
Wulf i don't know really.

Imhoff on the other hand is an up and coming international player who has been playing for a contract.

Im sure if you sent someone like Ranger, Gear, Masaga, Tim Nanai-Williams, Savea, Maitland and put them in the same situation as Imhoff then they would play their hearts out and put in some big performances.

the point is that YOU said that there are MUCH better players than Imhoff in Super Rugby, look a few posts up

and I'm just pointing out that Hamilton was a Super Rugby player for a reasonably long time, and also an All Black with a couple of caps, and is kept out of the Leicester team by an Argentine, so surely that Argentine is good enough for Super Rugby, and Imhoff is better than Agulla anyway

I'm not denying Gear was very good for All Blacks and Crusaders and an almighty, but I'm just saying you put him and Rokocoko in a crap team who's attack is blunt and they aren't so good, it's like that for most wingers

 

[Darwin]

yes they were I'm afraid

people didn't just say he was "unproven at a high level", some people basically said he had achieved nothing because it was the Vodacom Cup and a few internationals

they also inferred that basically any kid who was in the New Zealand under 20's or Sevens team was better and was more proven

if Imhoff was from NZ and got all the easy run in tries at the end of moves that Carter/Dagg/SBW create for the wingers at the and combine that with his ability to finish individual tries, he would be in my opinion already an All Black and be considered world class

both those players were starters in Super Rugby, so to suggest that Imhoff is not up to the standard of Super Rugby wingers is in my opinion wide of the mark

Perhaps you would like to provide a link to back-up what people apparently said about Imhoff?

I'm only aware of a single thread that has discussed Imhoff in depth (here); if there is another thread where Imhoff is discussed please point me to it. The point made repetitively through the thread (but ignored continuously) was not that Imhoff wasn't good enough for Super Rugby, but rather NZ already had an abundance of wing depth, so don't necessarily need to be importing international wings. I couple of posters (myself included) suggested that Imhoff may struggle to get a start at a NZ Super rugby franchise (apart from possibly the Chiefs), but this is hardly talking down Imhoff. I haven't seen a single comment that suggests that Imhoff is a poor player, or wouldn't be good enough for Super Rugby. Indeed here are a few comments in the thread by NZ posters:

To me he (Imhoff) is in the same sort of boat as most of the rookie New Zealand wings: talented young players, but largely unproven at a high level of rugby (of course Imhoff's limited international experience gives him a slight edge).

I think that is the point that many New Zealander's here are making - it is not that Juan Imhoff is not good enough for Super Rugby (indeed he scored a brilliant try against Cardiff just a few days ago), it is that he is not clearly better than the local players.

No-one said that Imhoff wasn't good enough or wouldn't be welcomed to New Zealand.

I highly doubt that there are 20 wingers in New Zealand who are better than Juan Imhoff even though I have hardly ever seen him play.

Which of these comments in particular talk down Imhoffs ability, make you think people believe that any NZ U20/Sevens player is better or more proven than him, or make you believe that people don't think he is good enough for a Super Rugby spot?

It is great that Imhoff is performing well at Racing, and he obviously is a talented player. However, just because he is performing well in the Top 14 doesn't necessarily mean he would be a guaranteed starter in a NZ Super Rugby franchise though, as the style of play is very different between the competitions. For example when Toulon fullback Luke Rooney played rugby for Hawkes' Bay in NZ (ITM Cup level) he was completely out of his depth - I'd go as far as to say he was dire. He wasn't any better for the Rebels either, but he seems almost a guaranteed started for Toulon. Likewise I'm sure there examples of NZ Super Rugby players who are guaranteed starter at Super Rugby level, would struggle at Top 14 level. I'd give Imhoff a few years (or at least a full season of top class rugby!) before I would even consider putting him in the 'elite wings' category. It will be great to see him in the Rugby Championship matching up against the likes of Mitchell, Ioane, Jane, Kahui etc later this year...

 

[psychic duck]

I'd rather show you examples over private message if you want, so as not to restart that whole thread again

 

[Darwin]

I'd rather show you examples over private message if you want, so as not to restart that whole thread again

Ok, if you wish. Feel free to PM me the examples of where people have suggested Imhoff is not of Super Rugby standard. However if you are going to make strong unproven claims in the thread such as: "they also inferred that basically any kid who was in the New Zealand under 20's or Sevens team was better and was more proven" you should probably be able to back up these claims in the thread!