NZ Domestic comps

[Dan54]

Ok kick off night for NPC. Tonight's games the Naki vs Counties (if my Dad was still alive we would be supporting opposite teans)
And later on the Jafas play Wellington Lions. My life is now full again!!!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Sky Open, their FTA channel, today ran an ad "Heartland Championship returns 17 August": given HC (& Farah Palmer Cup) games are sometimes played as curtain raisers to NPC that implies some FTA coverage.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Sample size of one but the Law variations did seem to result in less downtime last night with the exception of a scrum in the second half that seemed to take forever to set.

Still a bit pissed they're sticking with the four-try BP even if you lose, it's gotta be changed to plus-three.

 

[Dan54]

I enjoyed the sped up game, though I wall say the 30 seconds to set scrum is a bit quick, and one that will perhaps get taken out a little longer. I counted a couple went a bit longer to set last night with no apperent stuffing around.

 

[Wilson]

Looks like there's going to be quite a few Aussies popping up in the NPC this season:

The Post

www.thepost.co.nz

North Habour:
Tane Edmed
Ben Grant
Daniel Halangahu (Coach)

Southland:
Jake Strachan
Lachie Albert
Byron Smith

Hawke's Bay:
Ben O'Donnell
Lukas Ripley
Brock James (Coach)

Auckland:
Tuaina Taii Tualima
Ola Tauelangi

Manawatu:
George Blake
Lachlan Shaw

Counties Manukau:
Sateki Latu

Northland:
Richie Asiata

Otago:
Lachlan McCaffrey (Defense Coach)

This has definitely picked up over recent years, I wonder if we might soon see some changes/tightening around the rules, I'm not sure how much appetite there will be from NZRU for foreign players to take up more places.

Hudson Creighton for Otago now too

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ also Christian Leali’ifano for Aux as of last night.

 

[Dan54]

Geez I enjoyed the shield game last night. HB winning 55-30, was a bloody great watch, a couple of teams throwing it around and having a real crack. Ben O'Donnel from Brumbies scored a couple of tries , first one was a joy to watch, he caught the ball just inches above the ground ,after diving after a kick. Hwe said after game he lost the ball in lights and just dived, suddenly it was there! Was interesting hearing how he enjoying the NPC, loves the camaderie and the fact there just seems to be a joy in the players throwing the ball and running etc.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Awesome game & I'm glad Northland didn't get a 4-try BP, you shouldn't be rewarded for losing by 25. The sooner they adopt the +3 try BP system the better IMO.

 

[Dan54]

Well bugger me I loving this, Otago after knocking over Aux last week do same to the Bay today in another absolute ripper game today.
Then enjoyed the NH/Waikato game. And thought Tane Edmed had a bloody good game for NH, another who looks to be settling in and enjoying the rugby.

 

[RemainingInTheGame]

Good to see Tane doing well over there.

Might need to watch more NH games as Auckland hard to watch at the moment (and not just for me, TJ was blowing a gasket in the commentary box over the quality of the Auckland / Canterbury game yesterday!).

 

[Dan54]

Was amused to hear them laughing today, that Tane Edmed is getting called the Maori pronounciation of his name (making him more one of the boys etc) and Tane is actually Te Reo for man!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Proper Shield challenge this, complete with taking the easy three with half time all but blown.

Bay will surely come back & look to have the better bench but Mako are giving this a red hot go & who knows, score first after HT & the Shield may be crossing the Strait tomorrow.

 

[Dan54]

Geez and won by Tasman with a kick from Paratam he was 10 for Southport school, when I followed them a few years back!! You right WOB proper shield challnge won after 80 minutes!!!

 

[Dan54]

I disappointed because the Naki had next challenge. Naki
will get one against Tasman in 4 weeks or so, if Wellington don't win it next Sunday!!!

And if Wellington win it next week. Hawkes Bay get a crack at getting it back in 3 weeks I think!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Campbell Parata is henceforth a dead set, for all time Mako legend.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Was it Parata who caused a bit of a kerfuffle on the forum a few years back by moving to NZ after leaving school rather than remaining in Aus? Or am I thinking of someone else?

I haven't gone through all the permutations but I'd dearly love for Tasman's next Shield challenge to be here in the Tron, the only Shield match I've ever been to was the day Carlos literally had the Aux coaching staff scribbling furiously in their notebooks.

 

[Wilson]

I believe so, though as far as I'm aware he is back with the Force. Might be off contract at this stage though.

 

[Dan54]

Yep he a kiwi boy who moved to Perth as a young fella, then got a scholarship to Southport, and got a gig through Crusaders academy, and headed to Tasman. As @Wilson says, he got a contract with Force as he never quite made it at Crusaders. I also not sure if he still got Force contract or not. Believe his parents still live in Perth.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

If he's off-contract, given CruSadists' current 5/8 stocks he'd at least be worth another look.

Edit: what I mean is he wouldn't be the first schoolboy star who's struggled to make an immediate impression in the adult game. But if his time at the Force has made him a better player than he was at the Crusaders academy, & of course if he's up for it, there's no reason not to give him another chance.

 

[Dan54]

Had a good laugh other day. In the Ack/North Harbour last week, NH were leading going into last minute. NH had put into a scrum, and Bryn Hall (NH No 9) walked away to swap ball, the Auc forwards pointed it out and ref free kicked him for time wasting. Then watching Hall on Aotearoa Rugb pod, they showed what happend, there was a quick injury break, Auckland boys sprayed ball with water bootle then their 9 wiped it on all the front orws sweatty jerseys, before handing it to Hall (they knew he would hate a wet slippery ball). Hall took it on chin, they knew he dislike the ball being wet etc and as he said if it happened again he would make sure he told ref he was swapping ball etc. Said he should of know what they were up to when Auckland 9 handed him the ball so nicely. I enjoy seeing/hearing about this kind of skullduggery!! Still a bit of fun had in game.