2014 – ITM CUP - NZ's 3rd Tier Competition

[Dan54]

Like that one myself WOB!! Ah the Flash Hakas on opening day of world cup!!
I laugh at the Palmy boring remarks myself, then remeber I live in Logan City ,which is without doubt more boring than most other cities, proved by fact noone actually goes out here, they all go to Brisbane!

 

[Ulrich]

Excellent game!

The quality of this game emphasizes NZ's strengths.

It's all about a love for the game.

The skills come naturally for these blokes as they practice them for fun long before they think about money.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Tasman and Manawatu is who I'll be cheering for.

What is great is that the 2 best sides from each division are in the finals and that both games should be good with plenty of drama.

Nice bit of foretelling in respect of the last try right on full time. Another inept grubber/chip led potentially to a 14 point turn around.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Nice piece about Buller (smallest Union with 5 clubs & < 100 senior players) making the Meads Cup GF:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...uller-team-bullish-despite-all-the-knockbacks

Searching for a live stream, will post a link if I can find one.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

No fairy tale ending for Buller, Mid Cant'y take out the Meads Cup 36-13:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...id-Canterbury-beat-Buller-to-retain-Meads-Cup

Lochore Cup kicked off an hour after the Meads, haven't found a result yet.

EDIT: turns out the Lochore is tomorrow which is kinda bizarre but explains why I haven't been able to find a result lol.

 

[Dan54]

Great win Taranaki, geez after the extra time last week I thought they might struggle to hold on. HJ will be slightly disappointed that the wine growing areas came second to the cockies, but as a boy that grew up on farms I gotta be happy!!
Truthfully pretty happy with both results!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Best team in each Division won IMO, can't really ask for more than that. Except for the Kiwis to get up over the Kangaroos tonight.

 

[Ruggo]

Bloody great final. Just as a rugby fan who cares for the rugby (rather than that other pathetic soap opera shit we have going on over here), your NPC is truly awsome. The way the games are played and followed it is clear how dear it is to your nation. As a neutral looking for quality rugby to watch I say thank you.

I love watching Tasman play but the better side got up.

 

[qwerty51]

Tasman wilted under the pressure, conceded 2 silly tries from an intercept and a long kick that took a unkind bounce but should've been dealt with earlier. Banks' kicking went under the pressure too. Shows what a final can do.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^* On the money there. Still a good effort from Tasman given they're probably the smallest of the ITM sides by most measures. In saying that Taranaki aren't exactly heavyweights either so well done them.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/10659845/Dramatic-victory-for-Taranaki-in-NPC-final

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Wanganui knock over North Otago to take out the Lochore Cup:

www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/10664967/Wanganui-beat-North-Otago-to-win-Lochore-Cup

Yesterday Auckland took out the women's Championship for approximately the millionth year running ( actually 7 but seems like more). NZ domestic footy is therefore officially over for the year.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Great win Taranaki, geez after the extra time last week I thought they might struggle to hold on. HJ will be slightly disappointed that the wine growing areas came second to the cockies, but as a boy that grew up on farms I gotta be happy!!
Truthfully pretty happy with both results!

Not happy about the viticulturists getting done, but to their credit I can recommend Mikes Organic Beers from Taranaki. Manawatu seems to be a bit of a wasteland on the alcohol front.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

It's taken a while but it does look as though the level-playing-field salary cap (as opposed to the old one that favoured the "Big 5" major Super Rugby shareholders) is having the desired effect of better distributing the talent & allowing that talent to move to the next level: something like 6 guys who played the PGF have scored rookie Super Rugby contracts for next year. That's gotta be good for NZ rugby.

Also & without wanting to be seen as dumping on the NRC, I think we saw this year that you don't need to monkey with the games fundamentals in order to have good rugby, nor that every game needs to be a 10-try extravaganza.

 

[Dan54]

In NZ last week, and watching a show on TV called rugby nation that was showing highlights of all finals, by gee the Heartland games were pretty good , skills on display were quite sharp in that division as well.