Hall Joins the Lions
Super 15 side, the Lions, have signed Trevor Hall on a long term contract as they look to inject some experience into their side.
Sides all over the Super 15 league have been working very hard during the close season to attract better players and improve their playing squads ahead of the new season.
Hall joins with a big reputation and there are many qualities that he can bring into the team. However, he is not getting any younger and certain parts of his game are going to be tested to the extreme in one of the most competitive leagues in the whole world.
The work is not done for the Lions and they'll have to make one or two more additions to their squad if they want to have any chance of winning the Super 15 next season. The point is that they have thrown down their intent and this is not a bad signing by any means.
Qualities
Hall brings a number of qualities to the club but his main one is his vast experience. He has been playing rugby for over a decade and during this time he has built up a vast knowledge of how to deal with a variety of different situations.
He can use this experience in a number of ways. He can use it on the field to help his side form a little bit against opposition attacks. He can also use it to guide younger players through the ranks as they may be about to play professional rugby for the very first time.
He's still quite strong although not as big as he was a few years ago. He can use this to break down opposition attacks and create an imposing figure for the other side to behold. He passes very well and this will be crucial on more than one occasion. A good pass can often get a side out of trouble.
Getting On
The people who do not like this move will say that it's a bad signing because Hall is getting on and not getting any younger. At lock you need to have some form of pace and he has lost a great deal of this over recent times.
It could well be the case that the opposition look at the Lions next year and look for a weakness. If they put a charismatic young forward or attacking player in Hall's area of the pitch then he will be vulnerable to pace and creativity.
This means he could end up giving away needless penalties as he tries to bring down this attacking player as they storm forward. The tackle could be a bad one and he could also end up being sent to the sin bin during games or even suspended altogether. However, Hall should have enough know-how to be able to deal with this sort of situation.
Betting Advice
The Lions will be a good outside bet for the Super 15 title next season but a lot still depends on who they bring in during the rest of the close season. Look at the quality of the players arriving and of those already in the squad. If you like what you see then have a punt but don't part with a great deal of money.
If you want to back Hall as an individual then you will have to look up some special bets. He is not going to romp forward and score tries so stick to bets like him completing the most passes during a game or becoming the first to receive a yellow.
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