George Bridge

2022 - 10 - 15

Post cover — Image courtesy of "planetrugby.com"

All Blacks: George Bridge ends international career after signing ... (planetrugby.com)

New Zealand wing George Bridge has decided to forgo the chance of playing in the 2023 Rugby World Cup by signing a three-year deal with Top 14 club ...

Bridgey is such a good honest man and we can all call him a great mate. [Ian Foster is looking to maximise development opportunities on the tour of the northern hemisphere](https://www.planetrugby.com/news/all-blacks-ian-foster-is-looking-to-maximise-development-opportunities-on-the-tour-of-the-northern-hemisphere) [World Cup](https://www.planetrugby.com/tournament/rugby-world-cup). [All Blacks](https://www.planetrugby.com/team/new-zealand).” [Montpellier](https://www.planetrugby.com/team/montpellier). [Bridge](https://www.planetrugby.com/tag/george-bridge) said.

George Bridge calls time on All Blacks career with Montpellier move (Irish Examiner)

The 27-year-old played his 19th test for the All Blacks last November but has not featured in the New Zealand squad this season after losing his starting ...

Bridgey is such a good honest man and we can all call him a great mate." "He's a hard worker, he's tough, and he's a winner. "George is a man and player who epitomises what it is to be a Crusader," coach Scott Robertson said.

All Blacks utility back Bridge signs for Montpellier (News24)

New Zealand utility back George Bridge has signed for Montpellier until June 2025 from the Crusaders, the French Top 14 club announced Friday.

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Bridge calls time on All Blacks career with Montpellier move (Fiji Times)

(Reuters) – All Blacks outside back George Bridge has given up on his international career and signed a three-year deal to play for French champions ...

Bridgey is such a good honest man and we can all call him a great mate.” “I look forward to bringing to the club the experience I was able to gain with the Crusaders and the All Blacks.” Bridge scored 12 tries for his country – the first with his first touch of the ball on debut against Japan in 2018 – and started four matches at the 2019 World Cup.

Crusaders confirm Bridge departure (Huge Rugby News)

Ka kite George Bridge Bridgey, it's been a treat and a pleasure. A true star of the game and an ambassador for the Crusaders spirit on and off the field.

He’s played a key role for the Blues over the past two seasons and I’m sure will continue to do so in 2023.” Mac Grealy fired back for Queensland’s third try on the stroke of half-time, the fullback winning the race to dive on a deft Creighton grubber in the in-goal. The Reds had their seventh soon after as Spencer Jeans went himself off the back of a scrum close to the line to bring up the half century. Navosailagi was first to cross for the President’s XV, skipper Eli Pilz floating a cut-out ball to his winger who strolled across the line untouched. Premiership winning captain Connor Anderson crossed out-wide in the 65th minute for the Reds, Creighton putting him over with an inch-perfect cut-out ball. Reece has dotted down 14 times for the All Blacks in his 21 appearances so far, proving himself a key member of Ian Foster’s squad. Creighton converted to open-up a 12-nil lead for his side. He was Canterbury’s Under 19 player of the year in 2014, played for the NZ Under 20 team in 2015, and was selected for the Canterbury Mitre 10 Cup in 2016 where he scored five tries in eight matches. He got his Crusaders contract in 2017 and between then and now racked up 67 caps for the team. He made his All Blacks debut later that year against Japan and scored two second half tries – one off his first touch of the ball. By 2019 he was a regular All Blacks starter, his season including a four-try blitz against Tonga (the boys won that one 92-7). Bridgey, it’s been a treat and a pleasure.

The major challenge ahead for New Zealand's once premier wing (RugbyPass)

Sevu Reece no doubt had to think long and hard about signing a new contract with New Zealand Rugby, even with the World Cup on the horizon.

For a man who made the most of every opportunity he was given in 2019, those opportunities are going to be more and more difficult to come by as France 2023 looms. Now, in 2022, Clarke is back in action in the No 11 jersey, Jordan is a permanent selection at No 14 and Reece has once again found himself sitting on the outside looking in. He’s quick, but not quite as quick or versatile as Jordan. After starting in NZ’s three biggest games of the World Cup, against After all, what All Black would give up the chance of playing at the showpiece tournament? [Leicester Fainga’anuku](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/leicester-faingaanuku/) for opportunities on the park – and there doesn’t seem to be an obvious way forward for the 25-year-old unless injuries strike. [Jordie Barrett](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/jordie-barrett/) installed on the right for all but one of the campaign’s six fixtures, and was given just 80 minutes of action to satisfy his hunger. [Caleb Clarke](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/caleb-clarke/) took the opportunity to establish himself on the left wing. [Ben Smith](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/ben-smith/) and [Rieko Ioane](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/rieko-ioane/) struggled to set the world alight whereas Reece and [George Bridge](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/george-bridge/) did enough to convince Steve Hansen that their youthful exuberance was the way forward. [South Africa](https://www.rugbypass.com/teams/south-africa/) in the pool stages, Ireland in the quarter-finals and [England](https://www.rugbypass.com/teams/england/) in their fateful semi-final showdown, Hansen reverted to Smith and Ioane for the bronze play-off – in part to farewell Smith and the other men who were set to play their final games in black. [All Blacks](https://www.rugbypass.com/teams/new-zealand/) at the beginning of 2019 and by the time that year’s World Cup rolled around, the [Crusaders](https://www.rugbypass.com/teams/crusaders/) winger had entrenched himself as the side’s first-choice No 14. [signing a new contract with ](https://www.rugbypass.com/news/sevu-reece-re-signs-with-the-crusaders-and-new-zealand-rugby/) [New Zealand](https://www.rugbypass.com/teams/new-zealand/) Rugby.