Richard Kahui to leave for Japan

[TRF Mr Fish]

http://www.chiefs.co.nz/news/kahui-announces-future.html

Chiefs midfielder and recent All Black Richard Kahui has announced he will leave New Zealand rugby to play rugby in Japan.

Kahui will head to Japan to play for the Toshiba club for two seasons following the 2013 Investec Super Rugby competition with his current champion Chiefs team.

"I love being a Chief, but it is no secret that I have had my fair share injuries which have forced me to make some very hard decisions about my future and make the most of the opportunities while I can," said Richard.

Chiefs' coach Dave Rennie said "Richard has been an outstanding member of the Chiefs family, having played over 50 games for us.

"I have been really impressed with him as a man, as a player and as a leader within our group.

"He has an opportunity to set himself up for his future and we are fully supportive of what he is doing and hope to get him back for 2015."

Kahui has played 17 Tests for the All Blacks since making his debut in 2008 and has scored ten tries.

Really sad news for me, as he's been my favourite player for the last six or so year. Good move for him, he needs to bank some dollars. Probably the unluckiest All Black of the professional era, a world class centre/wing, and were it not for injury I think he'd probably go down as one of the top centres of the professional era too.

Funnily enough, he will head to Toshiba where my favourite player prior to Kahui currently resides, David Hill.

 

[nickdnz]

Gutted for the guy. If Conrad Smith wasn't around - and he wasn't made of glass, he should have got 45 or so caps by now.

 

[Darwin]

Gutted for the guy. If Conrad Smith wasn't around - and he wasn't made of glass, he should have got 45 or so caps by now.

I reckon he probably would have got 50+ even even with Conrad Smith around if he wasn't made of glass, as when fit he seemed to be able to find a spot in the AB's 22 (either on the wing or on the bnech). He is certainly a big loss of Waikato and the Chiefs, but you have to think that this is probably the right move for Kahui. 2-3 years in Japan could set him and his family (if he has a family?) up well for the future, and given the Japanese League is a bit less physical he may even be able to play for a complete season!

 

[Feicarsinn]

Oh **** that, if there was one player I wanted at Leinster it was Kahui (seriously, I've been on about it to LN7 a lot.)

 

[Amobokoboko]

Kahui of to Japan

Full story here: He did have his share amounts of injuries but we will miss him

 

[nickdnz]

Oh **** that, if there was one player I wanted at Leinster it was Kahui (seriously, I've been on about it to LN7 a lot.)

To be fair - while he's an extremely classy player, I'd be suprised if he got as much game time as Christian Cullen got for Munster - what with four sholder reconstructions so far.

 

[Larksea]

I think people tend to pigeon hole him as "injury prone" or "made of glass" quickly but the fact is the reason he injures his shoulders so much is because he goes into the tackle harder than any other back player in the NZ game and that has consequences. He knows it too but has stated that that is how he plays and he doesn't want to change that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGNZssC_eCs

I think he is a very classy player and a rare bread, I think he's one of NZ's top 5 players. An Automatic selection for the All Blacks when fit and one of the rare players that gets better and better the bigger the stage. Proving that by being IMO NZ's best back in the last world cup final and the fact every one of his test performances has been above average, man of the match on test debut.

I'm gutted because I will miss watching him play and supporting the chiefs wont be the same.

But at the same time, he has made a good decision. A very smart one. The reality is another major shoulder injury this year could end his carrier. Two seasons in Japan and he will be a millionaire and as we have seen in the past players come back fitter and stronger because in Japan they train really hard but the actual games are not as physically demanding or hard. If he can get through two years of that without shoulder problems then he may be in the best shape ever.

man I really hope he gets through this season ok.

 

[admartian]

Good luck to him. Didn't realise he was only 27.

Hopefully he can keep his form despite his injuries and return at some point.