sea_point wrote: After a season with Castres in 10/11...

Not a season, just 2 months as medical joker in March/April 2012, and a lot a fans there wanted to re-sign him. And don't forget he is still young, he has a margin of progress, and won't necessaraly do the same mistakes he did with self-discipline

PS : He played 13 in Castres, just as we need when Griff and Tonetti are injured, and Poolman busy on the wing

its_phil wrote:

salmson wrote:

sea_point wrote:
Also he doesn't play nine or ten According to Lam...
“James is a superb utility back who can play all positions but half back."

I think by that Lam probably meant he can't play 9 (halfback) but can play 10 (first five eighth). Of course I'm not fluent in Kiwi so I could be mistaken.

Well half-back is 9 or 10, so you can rule out those positions.

My point was that Kiwi's generally refer to the 9 only as (the) halfback, and the 10 as the first five eighth, so don't rule out 10.

salmson wrote:

sea_point wrote:
Also he doesn't play nine or ten According to Lam...
“James is a superb utility back who can play all positions but half back."

I think by that Lam probably meant he can't play 9 (halfback) but can play 10 (first five eighth). Of course I'm not fluent in Kiwi so I could be mistaken.

Well half-back is 9 or 10, so you can rule out those positions.

sea_point wrote:
Also he doesn't play nine or ten According to Lam...
“James is a superb utility back who can play all positions but half back."

I think by that Lam probably meant he can't play 9 (halfback) but can play 10 (first five eighth). Of course I'm not fluent in Kiwi so I could be mistaken.

like everyone here, i know nothing about this guy, on the other hand, pat lam does!
pat is here to prove himself after the blues, if he fails here, it could be the end of him, he's not going out there to sign crap players.

PB said, that he will block young players, i dont care if the players are from galway/mayo or samoa as long as the best player goes on the pitch, they;ll have time in preseason to prove themself.

im sure Eric kept telling Pat, "if there good enough, there old enough and they'll get there chance".

rossie wrote: Worryingly northern utd arent itm cup or heartland championship standard eithef!

Not an issue, Norths feed into Wellington RFU who run the ITM side and have been Premiership champions (easily AIL 1) three times in the last 10 years, they also have a very decent representative list over the years.

www.northsrugby.co.nz/our-people.html#manusamoa

And also as pointed out through this thread, he's played for two different clubs in France and capped five times for Samoa, including at the RWC..

salmson wrote: The hinternets tell me that he spent last year playing for Pays D'Aix, who just got relegated from Pro D2.

Ouch. And again, ouch.

On the plus side, he scored 77 of their 171 points.

After a season with Castre in 10/11...

Also he doesn't play nine or ten According to Lam...
“James is a superb utility back who can play all positions but half back."

Looking at his stats on ItsRugby, most of his games were in the centre or at fullback (or from bench). I have a feeling that may be planning for us losing a couple of players for the AI's, post Lions tour and all.. (McSharry/Henshaw and Marmion most likely).....

His stats for Aix stop in early December so I was thinking that maybe he was injured, however it appears he took flight back to Samoa and it would seem they ended his contract early...

Pays D'Aix Rugby wrote: 15.12.12

For three days, the Aix Rugby Club is a lack of professional training in the group of player James So'oialo. The club regrets this and, after investigation, found that So'oialo took the plane back to Samoa, the country of origin. At a time when it has more than ever need all its strengths, the club takes note of the decision of the player to leave the group without permission, and he has already sent a registered letter. It is currently considering the follow-up to the event while striving to remain fully focused on two upcoming deadlines by the end of 2012, in Brive and opposite Massy.

Now I'd probably be a bit concerned at that news, but we need to bear in mind that this season Aix were a club in crisis on the pitch and ultimately got relegated. James had played during the AI's for Samoa and got a 2 match ban for a no arm tackle in their first match against Canada and missed the other fixtures as a result so there may have been some issue from that and then going back to a club in turmoil (and most probably not speaking a great deal of French either)..

I think the fact that he's going to an English speaking country, to a club with a strong Kiwi/PI connection and Pat Lam at the helm will mean he should settle in OK and we won't see him go AWOL hopefully...

Craic Head wrote: Hope that he drops that Tash by the time he comes here...... not a good look

Well, I think he looks tremenjus.

Have to say that I agree with PB, he does not float my boat at all. It is obvious that it is a Lam signing and of course I hope that it works, but he is covering a position that is adequate for me. I would rather see young lads coming through like Robbie, Shane and Darragh. Best of luck to him though.

Hope that he drops that Tash by the time he comes here...... not a good look

Worryingly northern utd arent itm cup or heartland championship standard eithef!

Who's being blocked by this signing? He can play across the backs, perhaps he is too slow to be a starting wing I don't know that yet, but he can provide an option off the bench, take the pressure off carty or nikora from the tee and bang them over from inside our own half if necessary. He can also help keep the team fresh if Lam decides to initiate a good, schmidt style rotation policy, rather than a bad, bradley style one. Plus there are going to be injuries next season that's a given so a player like this who can be dependable even if he never becomes spectacular, will be needed.

its_phil wrote:

Porterbelly wrote: We don't need a full back

We have Henshaw, Duffy, Layden and Darragh Leader

He won't play wing, too slow

Can't say I'm excited by this signing at all at all

I imagine this signing is just for extra cover. I doubt he'll be a starter. That boot could be worth something though.

It blocks a young lad coming through though

Porterbelly wrote: We don't need a full back

We have Henshaw, Duffy, Layden and Darragh Leader

He won't play wing, too slow

Can't say I'm excited by this signing at all at all

I imagine this signing is just for extra cover. I doubt he'll be a starter. That boot could be worth something though.

we're a pacific-colourded team :

Ah You
White
Clarke
Fafita
Naoupu
Heenan
Nikora
Parks
So'oialo

We don't need a full back

We have Henshaw, Duffy, Layden and Darragh Leader

He won't play wing, too slow

Can't say I'm excited by this signing at all at all

He's a utility back that can play 10 to 15. I think he will be an impact player from the bench. I think he'll do well.

We don't need a full back

We have Henshaw, Duffy, Layden and Darragh Leader

He won't play wing, too slow

Can't say I'm excited by this signing at all at all