NZ Domestic comps

[Dan54]

Teams for opening game.Thought I put it up as we have few Auks overseas in here

Note that Los Spencer's young fella starting at 15 (bloody hell I getting old I from his grandad's time playing in the Nua), also keep an eye on Rico Simpson when he comes off bench, think this kid is ok. Looking forward as always, see the young ones coming through against some old heads.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Waikato with 2 x former AB 5/8's.

 

[Dan54]

I also be interested to see Hawke Eyes line up WOB. They got McLutchie, Harry Godfrey and Zarn Sullivan that can all ply 10. I suspect they will go with Godfrey at 10 and Sullivan at 15. But by geez some of the teams look to have some options.

 

[Tomthumb]

Force legend Alex Harford starting at 10 for Auckland

 

[Wilson]

Had a quick flick through the NPC squads (couldn't find a squad listing for Wellington) looking for Australian/Australian Super Aligned players this year:

Auckland
Alex Harford

Canterbury
Darcy Breen

Counties Manukau
Ioane Moananu (signed to the tahs)

Hawkes Bay
Lukas Ripley

North Habour
Felix Kalapu

Northland
Reesjan Pasitoa
Lachlan Hooper

Otago
Nathan Hastie (signed to the Force)

Tasman
Lopeti Faifua

This is a big drop back from last year, only half as many players, with Harford the only player who clearly has an ongoing contract with an Australian super side (Hooper and Faifua might). I'm guessing Super Au has played a role in that, but it does look like the NPC sides are shifting away from bringing in contracted players from Australia.

 

[Dan54]

Had a quick flick through the NPC squads (couldn't find a squad listing for Wellington) looking for Australian/Australian Super Aligned players this year:


This is a big drop back from last year, only half as many players, with Harford the only player who clearly has an ongoing contract with an Australian super side (Hooper and Faifua might). I'm guessing Super Au has played a role in that, but it does look like the NPC sides are shifting away from bringing in contracted players from Australia.

I think they only really bring them in if they need gaps filled anyway mate. I do think you also right, a few PUs are going more for the local content,
Not sure if there a push for it, or just most unions feel they are going alright player wise. I actually surprised a bit that Auckland have got Harford, but perhaps they not wanting to throw their young 10s in too deep .

 

[Tomthumb]

I'd also say a few of the unions are watching the purse strings too. Seems a lot more regular club players in the squads this year. Could imagine super rugby players would cost a fair bit more

 

[Dan54]

Had a quick flick through the NPC squads (couldn't find a squad listing for Wellington) looking for Australian/Australian Super Aligned players this year:


This is a big drop back from last year, only half as many players, with Harford the only player who clearly has an ongoing contr

Also just noted when seeing Manawatu that Taine Roiri (Reds) named in team. I not sure if he still at Reds.
Know his dad since he a kid in Levin and suspect @waiopehu oldboy would know him too?

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

I'd also say a few of the unions are watching the purse strings too. Seems a lot more regular club players in the squads this year. Could imagine super rugby players would cost a fair bit more

NZR have signaled a salary cap reduction from $1.1Mn to ~$850K from next year so likely to be fewer long-term signings this year & letting existing contracts run out/ run down.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Salary Cap-wise Paul Cully put out an article recently that was paywalled but popped into my Google feed in which he said NPC costs $35Mn to run vs revenue of $31Mn.

$1.1Mn - $850K = $250K x 14 teams = $3.5Mn max saving on salaries, probably nearer $3Mn as the likes of Southland & Manawatū don't spend their full cap.

Not sure how NZR plan to cover the rest but having Unions spending operating grant money that's meant to be for community rugby on NPC needs to stop or there'll be no Clubs to feed into NPC.

 

[Tazzmania]

Had a quick flick through the NPC squads (couldn't find a squad listing for Wellington) looking for Australian/Australian Super Aligned players this year:

add Josh Smith (Western Force signed for 2026/2027) playing for Hawkes Bay

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Also just noted when seeing Manawatu that Taine Roiri (Reds) named in team. I not sure if he still at Reds.
Know his dad since he a kid in Levin and suspect @waiopehu oldboy would know him too?

Bob Roiri?

Edit: that would have to be his grandfather so are we talking about one of China's boys?

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Didn't understand Aux taking the last three: still left Mooloos within two scores & only took a minute off the clock so they were no better off. Take the lineout & even if it doesn't result in a try they're no worse off & have run the clock down by at least three minutes.

Aux really need to find a more suitable venue. Wellington v Cantabs is in Porirua & will look & feel a whole lot better crowd-wise.

 

[Dan54]

Bob Roiri?

Edit: that would have to be his grandfather so are we talking about one of China's boys?

His nephew mate, he's Marty's boy the older of the 2 brothers. His grandfather is also a Martin, and Pauline grandmother. His Dad Marty would be same age as you, went to Horowhenua college, think he mainly played Basketball at college age as did his brother Rob.
As an aside I was tied up with a club in Brisbane, and after our team had played Sunnybank, I realised that Rob was in thier team. I was picking up flags etc and as I wandered past Sunnybank team, I tapped Rob on head with flag and pointed out I had been picking up flags after he played when he was 7yo, and was still doing it 20 years later. I actually coached Rob for a few years when he a kid. I also followed young Taine a bit when he played for John Paul college in Brissy.

 

[Dan54]

I enjoyed that game last night. Kind of showed how handy experience is when closing out games. In saying that some of those kids from Auckland look to have futures. I really like that kid Simpson that came on at 10, think he still only 19. Taele outside him looked ok and by christ both wings for Auks looked rapid.

Also pleased to read Steve Lancaster form NZR saying that NPC is staying, and at 14 teams etc. After doing a bit of look at things reports have come back it too important to pathways in NZ to change it too much. They suggesting (as @waiopehu oldboy mentions) that they think to help cut costs , they need to move out of big stadiums as costs are too high.

 

[Dan54]

Well was happy to see the Tu get that win . Shows what happens when you play with guts, and don't let an iffy ref's decision upset you, and you just get on with it.That stadium I think is probably one of my least favorite places to watch rugby live, been to plenty of games there to, over the years. That was first place I ever saw Campese play I think, at Wallaby vs Manawatu way back when.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Yeah the try was probably legit in terms of the grounding (no obvious separation) & while the possible knock-on was hard to judge due to camera angle & bodies in the way I think common sense suggests it had to have been a knock-on.

And yes CET is a crap venue & always will be as long as there's a stock car track around the outside & Palmy remains a petrol head/ bogan town (which is to say forever).

 

[Dan54]

Actually @waiopehu oldboy , funnily enough about 55-56 years ago going to Stock cars on that very place is when I first met this young bird, who has been my wife now for 52 years. By geez that stock car track has been there as long as I remember, must of been early 60s, remember older siblings going, and them talking about a toll bridge they had to go over around the Opiki stretch of road.

Tell you another thing, good to see Higgins back on the front of the Tu jerseys. they must of started a concrete firm or something. They disappeard off Tu's jerseys when they sold their roading company to Downers.
Just checked concrete company was sold to Fletchers, so good on them supporting the Tu.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Higgins signed a two-year sponsorship earlier this year. I know they had to pull back on their sponsorship of not just rugby but other sporting & cultural groups when times were tough in the industry, hopefully this shows they've come out the other side & will be getting their name back out there like it used to be.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

How good is Saturday arvo footy?

Not quite as good as Sunday arvo footy but it's a close second!

This will be Wellington's home ground for their regular-season games & I reckon the other big Unions need to take note (& Cantabs sorta have, at least one home game scheduled for Rangiora).