NZ domestic competitions 2017

[Jagman]

Players that have played in Australia (except NZ Super Rugby players) that I can see:

Terrence Hepetema
Ben Volavola
Culum Retallick
Jamason Fa'ana Shultz
Nigel Ah Wong
Lalakai Foketi
Phil Kite
Guy Millar
Leon Power
Angus Ta'avao

I am sure I missed some.

Murray Douglas is a Rebel from Victoria, Mitchell Scott played for the Force and Patrick Sio, I assume, is Scott Sio's brother

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[Jagman]

Also Mike Ala'alatoa, Peter Samu and Tom Hill, if that's the same guy who plays centre for Eastwood.

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[waiopehu oldboy]

I didn't bother with them as they were already playing Super Rugby for an NZ team.

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Right you are then.

I'm hearing whispers that if Lomax doesn't commit to NZ at the end of his current deal then Ala'alatoa is Plan B, possibly involving a move to the Chiefs. Apparently he becomes NZ-eligible at around the same time as Lomax comes off-contract.

 

[You're*]

I'm personally looking forward to the NPC more than I have in a while. Haven't followed it too closely the past few years, but I'm keen to get back into it.

So the Premiership teams are: Canterbury, Counties, Taranaki, Auckland, Waikato, North Harbour and Tasman

And the Championship teams are: Wellington, Hawkes Bay, Otago, Manawatu, Southland, Northland and Bay of Plenty

Logic says that Canterbury will win it again and, especially off the back of the success of the Crusaders, I think that they're the clear favourites. Looking at their squad, their potential 1st XV looks very solid:
1. Daniel Lienert-Brown
2. Ben Funnell
3. Siate Tokolahi
4. Dominic Bird
5. Mitchell Dunshea
6. Reed Prinsep
7. Matt Todd
8. Luke Whitelock
9. Mitchel Drummond
10. Richie Mo'unga
11. George Bridge
12. Rob Thompson
13. Tim Bateman
14. Poasa Waqanibau
15. Josh Mckay

That being said, there are definitely some squads to challenge them this year. IMO Taranaki are the team to watch... they've got an exciting bunch, especially in the backline, and have a great mix of youth and experience. A promising line-up they could put out:
1. Mitchell Graham
2. Ricky Ricitelli
3. Angus Ta’avao
4. Leighton Price
5. Leon Power
6. Finn Hoeata
7. Lachlan Boshier
8. Toa Halafihi
9. TTT
10. Marty McKenzie
11. Manasa Mataele
12. Charlie Ngatai
13. Seta Tamanivalu
14. Declan O’Donnell
15. Stephen Perofeta

(If they had their ABs, their backline would be dynamite!.... 9. TTT 10. B. Barrett 11. Mataele 12. Ngatai 13. Tamanivalu 14. Naholo 15. J. Barrett)

As for the championship, who knows....
Surely Wellington should have the talent at their disposal to take it out, but they don't inspire me with faith. Otago were strong last year and will be again, while both the Bays should be right in the mix.

Don't think Southland or Northland have the talent to do too much damage and Manawatu, who were probably expecting to have NMS and Laumape, probs won't have the firepower to challenge much either.

My prediction: Canterbury and Otago to win.

*Also hope the mighty Nua can cause some damage in the heartland!*

 

[You're*]

G&GR member akula has put together a "name the teams" quiz for M10 & HC:

http://www.jetpunk.com/user-quizzes/83115/new-zealand-provincial-rugby-map-quiz

Highlander35 got 15/26 which I reckon is a pass mark for any non-kiwi. Give it a burl!

Just had a go, aced it!

 

[zer0]

1. Sam Prattley
2. Greg Pleasants-Tate
3. Ofa Tu’ungafasi
4. Patrick Tuipulotu
5. Michael Fatialofa/Scott Scrafton
6. Taleni Seu
7. Blake Gibson
8. Akira Ioane
9. Jono Hickey
10. Daniel Bowden
11. George Moala
12. TJ Faiane
13. Malakai Fekitoa
14. Vince Aso
15. Melani Nanai

Nic White clearly has the player resources from Auckland, so he really should do a lot better than the poor showing from last season.

 

[Dan54]

*Also hope the mighty Nua can cause some damage in the heartland!*

Anyone who finishes a post with that remark gets extra bonus points from me and WOB You're!!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Corey Flynn probably playing for West Coast in the Heartland Championship:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...-black-playing-in-the-heartland-championships

............joining fellow former-AB's Regan King (Mid Cant'y) & Alby Mathewson (King Country):

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...cks-join-piri-weepu-in-heartland-championship

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Beaver's back in red, white & black:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...-manukau-sign-stephen-donald-for-mitre-10-cup

 

[zer0]

All of the provincial unions are all financially plodding along nicely. The NZRU will be pleased.

A Deloitte report found the country's 14 semi-professional and amateur rugby unions had a combined surplus of $3.5 million in the 2016 financial year.

This reversed 2015's "substantial loss" of $1.4m, which had come after three years of combined surpluses, and was the highest surplus in a decade.

All 14 unions recorded surpluses, and 12 had performed better than in 2015, the report said.

.....

Total revenue for the rugby unions was up nearly 20 per cent to $78.2m, driven by large increases in grants and sponsorships.

The five provincial unions with Super Rugby franchises - Auckland, Waikato, Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago - accounted for nearly half of the revenue of all the unions.

At the same time, spending by the unions was up nearly 10 per cent to $73.4m.

This was across the three categories of spending Deloitte analysed, Jarrold said, including team and match related costs, growing the game, and administration.

The increase in spending was, however, bettered by the increased income.

"The positive takeaway is that the largest increase in expenditure, in both percentage and dollar terms, was in the growing the game category," Jarrold [Deloitte reporty guy] said. This reflects that increases in revenue was reinvested back into grassroots rugby."

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/95...n-profits-but-money-should-be-spent-carefully

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

New award for future M10 Cup POTY named for Waikato legend (& in the opinion of many, including some who live further than 100km from Hamilton, the unluckiest non-AB of recent vintage if not ever) Duane Monkley:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...s-best-mens-player-to-get-duane-monkley-medal

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Another year, another opportunity to open the comp with a barn-burner goes begging:

No disrespect to Harbour & Otago but why wouldn't you schedule the Premiership GF re-match for Thursday not Friday? It's not like you're gunna get more than a coupla hundred extra punters through the gate.

Round 1 preview here:

http://www.mitre10cup.co.nz/News/31218/mitre-10-cup-preview-round-one

Just a reminder of who's in which division:

Premiership: Canterbury (defending champions), Auckland, Counties Manukau, Otago (promoted from Championship), Taranaki, Tasman, and Waikato.

Championship: Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay (relegated from Premiership), Manawatu, North Harbour, Northland, Southland, and Wellington.

 

[2bluesfan]

I don't know why I was surprised to learn that we can now bet on the nature of the first stoppage in Rugby matches now. I was aware that betting on the type of the first score was previously "available" but now we can bet on the first stoppage - I don't know how long this has been available. Here are the odds for tonight's opener in the Mitre 10:

And to show that I'm not a complete wowser I might have $5 on a Lineout

 

[2bluesfan]

I might have $5 on a Lineout

Well, the evidence is clear that the fix was in after I flooded the market with my $5.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Highlights:

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

So much for the barn-burner GF rematch:

 

[You're*]

This Naki backline are damn dangerous. They're gonna be a big threat this year.

 

[zer0]

Only saw the second half and Auckland were rather so-so, but there was some pretty shambolic officiating at the end.

Still don't understand how Nic White got/has the job.

 

[2bluesfan]

there was some pretty shambolic officiating at the end.

Almost my exact words.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Highlights: