Chiefs sign Crusaders utility back Tom Marshall

nice recruit fro the chiefs, chiefs depth in the backs is pretty awesome at the moment, best in the comp by miles.

cant see marshall playing fullback when robinson and if anscombe is around though, so he will prob spend most of his time on the wings.

rennies also continuing his trend of recruiting top young players from across NZ and elsewhere for that matter (olecruz), chiefs are going to be very competitive for the next few years, similar to the bulls in the spXIV.

with marshall gone the crusaders will now most likely elevate nicholl to the big leagues, they should also try to lock up patrick osbourne, was a huge mistake when the crusaders didnt sign him for 2013, and after the dramas they had with injuries and zacs indiscretions at the start of the year, a player of osbournes quality would have been more then a perfect answer.

@mikey,

i think the marshall signing with the chiefs is fantastic for the chiefs, but IMO stupid for marshall.

ive just read that anscombe had extended his contract with the chiefs, so this pretty much means that for 2014 the chiefs backs options will have the likes of,,,

aaron cruden - flyhalf
bundee aki - center
charles ngati - center/wing
andrew horrle - center/fullback/flyhalf
patrcik osbourne - wing
asaeli tikorotuma - wing
gareth anscombe - flyhalf/fullback
robbie robinson - fullback/flyhalf

and now tom marshall - wing/fullback

IMO he would have gotten a lot more gametime at the crusaders then he will in the chiefs, hes going to have a titanic struggle keeping his place in the pecking order.

chiefs have the best backline depth in the spXV easy and their forwards are looking very good too, congrats to rennie and smith, the chiefs dynasty plan they had in 2012 is coming along nicely, :o).

Mike; SBW will be back, nothing surer. The lure of the 2015 WC is too much for him.

Great news. I always liked Marshall, he is solid in various aspects of the game. It will be nice to see him combine with other dangerous runners like Nanai-Williams, Anscombe, Ngatai and Cruden himself.