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Sky have dumped both Grassroots & Mainfreight Rugby which provided coverage of club & Heartland footy, respectively :( Hopefully backers can be found to keep one or both going even if it ends up on a streaming platform (looking at you, NZR) rather than FTA & subscriber TV as was the case.

^ anything the Unions can do to make themselves less dependent on NZR funding gets my vote. Also frees up some resources for grassroots up to & including Heartland.

Big Tongan & Samoan communities here in the Tron plus Auckland's not much more than an hour away now so I think they'll go OK crowd-wise c.f. Albany.

JBar got three weeks with the option of a "tackle school" reduction to two so should be back around Easter.

Hurricanes: Ruben Love, Josh Moorby, Billy Proctor (co-capt), Riley Higgins, Kini Naholo, Brett Cameron, Cam Roigard, Brayden Iose, Peter Lakai, TK Howden, Isaia Walker-Leawere, James Tucker, Tyrel Lomax, Asafo Aumua (co-capt), Tevita Mafileo. Reserves: James O’Reilly, Xavier Numia, Pasilio...

DRUA (1-15): Haereiti Hetet, Tevita Ikanivere, Jone Koroiduadua, Mesake Vocevoce, Ratu Leone Rotuisolia, Etonia Waqa, Vilive Miramira, Meli Derenalagi (c), Frank Lomani, Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, Epeli Momo, Apisalome Vota, Iosefo Masi, Selestino Ravutaumada, Ilaisa Droasese RESERVES: Mesulame...

Yup.

Brendon Pickerill hanging up the whistle after Friday night, apparently to take up a WR (World Rugby) gig: https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350202402/why-top-new-zealand-rugby-referee-brendon-pickerill-blowing-time-career

NZHurld are reporting an unconfirmed story out of Japan that Sam Cane has a back injury that will sideline him for up to ten weeks. Source is an expat journo who's lived there for years & is well connected with Japanese rugby so I'm picking the info is solid.

FWIW these are the Power Rankings according to stuff.co.nz: 1. Chiefs 2. Blues 3. Hurricanes 4. Reds 5. Waratahs 6. Highlanders 7. Moana 8. Drua 9. Brumbies 10. Crusaders 11. Rebels 12. Force Seems pretty fair to me. Fun fact for all the CruSadists non-fans out there: the only time...

^ I'd also question 8. Highlanders 10. Drua & 11. Moana...

^ 3. Crusaders 7. Waratahs Seriously?

Week 3 - both on Saturday 9/03 1405 NZDT Drua v Crusaders in Lautoka 1905 Hurricanes v Blues in Wellington

From rugbypass.com: "Former Wales wing Johnny McNicholl has been released from his Scarlets contract upon request in order to return to his native New Zealand. The winger’s next destination is yet to be revealed." I'm guessing somewhere North of the Waitaki River but South of Cook Strait...

What he says is mostly as horrible as it sounds...

Mr croaky is former Clan lock Joe Wheeler & he always sounds like that.

I think I pretty much predicted this after Reihana went down. Kemara has big raps on him but he's nowhere near starting Super Rugby 10 level yet. Makes next week a must-win which given it's in Lautoka may be a bit too much of an ask for the current group :(

^ congratulations, @zer0, you passed the audition!

Don't we all, @molman... ... except their actual fans, of course :D