NZ domestic competitions 2017

[waiopehu oldboy]

Highlights:

Agree on Hunt, pretty sure he's contracted to CruSadists for next year but after that a change of scenery might be what he needs: I just hope he doesn't end up at the Bloos aka where promising 5/8's go to become "meh". Clan might be a good fit.

You'd expect young Blackadder to have a high work rate if nothing else & he does seem to have some skills but I'm not sure who would have room for him right now. Maybe CruSadists if Digby doesn't come back from Japan/ comes back from Japan a bit more damaged than when he went there? Well worth an extended squad spot for someone, though.

TMN at home to Wanganui this week, winning that would not only secure a top-4 finish but underline that they're serious title contenders. Obviously a lot of self-belief in the playing & coaching groups which hasn't always been the case previously.

 

[Dan54]

Be bloody good to see The Nua with top 4 finish WOB, but seems there something going ok there this year.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^ I remember the bad old days (& you obviously will too) when a change of Board Chairman almost always lead to a change of coach who was almost always from the new Chairman's Club & almost always stacked the squad with players from his Club. Can recall two of my workmates, one a former player & the other the recent coach discussing this at length on more than one occasion - let's call them Don & Jim

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Counties Manukau snag a win that will likely keep them in the Premiership:

Not convinced that Pulu's card was a straight Red (not that it matters in the 76th) & felt the CM player, while impeded somewhat, hung onto the Manawatu guy as much as he was being hung onto so Manawatu unlucky to be denied the final, potentially match-winning try.

Match of the Round & probably the comp to date tonight. Taranaki are going really well but I just don't see Canterbury bottling this one.

 

[Dan54]

Match of the Round & probably the comp to date tonight. Taranaki are going really well but I just don't see Canterbury bottling this one.

Got the makings of a good one tonight WOB, of some interest to me will be the battle at 9-10 between both teams, both look very good combos, think this young Naki pairing might just be pretty ok over the next few years, though suspect the Canterbury forward pack may give a bit better ball to Drummond.

 

[zer0]

Wish I got to watch more than the final five minutes or so. I see Perofeta is starting at first five. How did he go?

 

[Dan54]

Geez zer0, was a bloody game and a half, will go down as a Shield classic. It hard to explain to people who didn't grow up in NZ what the Shield does to teams and what it means, but by geez that will do me for a rugby game!
Perofeta went ok, he stuffed up a few clearing kicks, but looks like he could turn into something. Really liked the game of the Naki 9 TTT, and Boshier at 7 probably MOTM. But there wer a lot of good players for the Naki tonight.

 

[2bluesfan]

What a match!
How good are the Naki 6,7,8? What a combination. Everyone knows about Boshier (deservedly) but Sowakula and Halfihi round out a perfectly balanced backrow.
TTT continues to impress and it was good to see Charlie Ngatai continue his comeback.
To think the Naki were down 31-7 at one stage.......

 

[Dan54]

What a match!
How good are the Naki 6,7,8? What a combination. Everyone knows about Boshier (deservedly) but Sowakula and Halfihi round out a perfectly balanced backrow.
TTT continues to impress and it was good to see Charlie Ngatai continue his comeback.
To think the Naki were down 31-7 at one stage...

Yep 2blues that loose forward trio were bloody good, and it not like Caterbury's were rubbish either. And Marty Mckenzie's kicking was pretty good (so was Mounga's) and loved the wander back and kick quickly. Loved Sumo's comment he could of got them over in Jandals from the carpark!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Bottled:

Friday night drinks spared me having to watch the implosion from 31-7 up, must've been quite the comeback from those 'naki boys. Hopefully my blokes take it on board & dust them in the Final.

 

[Dan54]

Bottled:

Friday night drinks spared me having to watch the implosion from 31-7 up, must've been quite the comeback from those 'naki boys. Hopefully my blokes take it on board & dust them in the Final.

Lol WOB, what the hell you doing having Friday night drinks without a TV when there a challenge!! Bloody canterbury supporters!!!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^^ in my defence, wife's cousin from Straya was in town, haven't seen her since we moved back so would've been rude not to have a few with her. Way more fun than watching the Shield leave, that's for sure & must be why I'm a bit poorly today (can't possibly have been the shots, eh )

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

The Shield has already been paraded through New Plymouth:

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/9...lcomed-back-in-the-naki-as-manawatu-eye-it-up

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Steamers with a crucial win:

Otago will be nervous, they're only a point ahead of Northland but have played an extra game. That said it's still a four-way race to see who makes the Championship SF alongside Wellington.

TMN's domination continues! 13-8 v Wanganui at what I'm sure would've been a packed Levin Park Domain. Warrants posting the full report IMO:

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2017 LYNN MCCONNELL GETTY IMAGES

Horowhenua Kapiti's first five-eighths James So'oialo booted five penalty goals to help his side to a 15-8 win over Wanganui in Mitre 10 Heartland Championship game in Levin on Saturday.

The win maintained Horowhenua Kapiti's hold on second place in the competition, three points behind South Canterbury who had a 29-20 win over Wairarapa Bush in Timaru. South Canterbury should be able to claim top qualifying berth for the Meads Cup as they play East Coast in Ruatoria next week

Buller are in third place after a 40-32 win over Mid Canterbury in Ashburton. Buller had to come back from 13-29 at half-time with first five-eighths James Lash scoring a try and kicking four conversions and four penalty goals to pass his century for the season and end the game on 118 points.

Buller and Horowhenua Kapiti will be a key game of next week's round, in Westport.

North Otago hold fourth place after their 57-14 win over East Coast in Oamaru.

Round Seven scores were:

Mid Canterbury 32 (Maleli Seu 3, Angus Lindsay tries; Jarred Percival 3 con, pen; Jason Kjestrup pen) Buller 40 (James Lash, David Egelstaff, Iliesa Ravudra 2 tries; Lash 4 con, 4 pen). HT: 13-29.

West Coast 24 (Nik Cumming, Amenatave Tukana, Brad Tauwhare, David Crouchley tries; Cumming 2 con) Thames Valley 17 (Tyrone Keith, Penalty try, tries; Chris Doak con; Jarrod Goodall pen). HT: 14-14

Horowhenua Kapita 15 (James So'oialo 5 pen) Wanganui 8 (Jona Sawailau try; Nick Harding pen). HT: 3-8

South Canterbury 29 (Sireli Buliruarua, Willie Wright 2, Vitali Tora, Brad Hemopo tries; Wright 2 con) Wairarapa Bush 20 (Epeli Rayaqayaqa, Piri Weepu tries; Tim Priest 2 con, 2 pen). HT: 12-17

North Otago 57 (Matthew Vocea 2, Josh Buckham 2, Connor Newlands, Don Lolo, Jared Whitburn, Inoke Naufahu, Dan Lewis tries; Buckham 6 con) East Coast 14 (Peehi Fairlie, Epeli Lotawa tries; Kris Palmer 2 con). HT:

Poverty Bay 43 (Andrew Tauatevalu, Sione Ngatu, Siosiua Moala, Kelvin Smith, James Grogan, Penalty try tries; Tauatevalu 4 con, pen) King Country 29 (Scorers not provided). HT: 19-19

So looks like TMN v Buller next week to determine who hosts the SF the week after & it's possible the loser could finish 4th if North Otago tip Wanganui over (geez the butcher boys are having a shocker by their standards).

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Northland leapfrog their way to second in the Championship, pushing Otago back to fifth:

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Wellington's Coronation tour passs through Invercargill:

Coupla games today that could confirm Waikato's relegation or leave them hanging for another week.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Aucks back in the relegation zone:

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

........ but Waikato still in the frame, too:

Permutations are that if Auckland beat Canterbury this week Waikato go down but if Auckland lose & Waikato beat Bay of Plenty then Auckland make the drop.

Northland may be second in the Championship but they could yet finish fifth if they lose to Wellington & Otago, Bay of Plenty & Manawatu have wins.

http://www.mitre10cup.co.nz/Fixtures/Standings

 

[zer0]

The only way Auckland would beat Canterbury this season is if Canterbury booked the wrong flight and ended up on Auckland Island.

As that seems unlikely, we must rely on the sulphur huffers winning their match. Given that Wellington will be murdering Northland the day before, they're in with a very good chance to host a home semifinal, so should have the required motivation.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

The only way Auckland would beat Canterbury this season is if Canterbury booked the wrong flight and ended up on Auckland Island.

Lucky they no longer use Gunston World Travel, innit

Hard to see Waikato getting up over the Bay but what I find interesting is that either way another of the Big 5 will be going down (albeit Wellington will surely be coming up), which suggests to me that the stricter salary cap NZRU brought in a few years back is starting to have the desired effect in terms of spreading the talent more evenly.