NZ Domestic Rugby 2022

[waiopehu oldboy]

Wellington: 1-Xavier Numia, 2-Asafo Aumua, 3-Pekahou Cowan, 4-James Blackwell, 5-Dominic Bird, 6-Caleb Delany, 7-Du'Plessis Kirifi (c), 8-Peter Lakai, 9-TJ Perenara, 10-Jackson Garden-Bachop, 11-Pepesana Patafilo, 12-Riley Higgins, 13-Billy Proctor, 14-Julian Savea, 15-Ruben Love

Reserves: 16-Josh Southall, 17-PJ Sheck, 18-Tietie Tuimauga, 19-Taine Plumtree, 20-Keelan Whitman, 21-Richard Judd, 22-Aidan Morgan, 23-Connor Garden-Bachop


Auckland: 1-Alex Hodgman, 2-Soane Vikena, 3-Marcel Renata, 4-Hamish Dalzel, 5-Patrick Tuipulotu, 6-Blake Gibson, 7-Niko Jones, 8-Jackson Pugh, 9-Taufa Funaki, 10-Simon Hickey, 11-Tomas Aoake, 12-Harry Plummer (capt), 13-Bryce Heem, 14-AJ Lam, 15-Jordan Trainor

Reserves: 16-Leni Apisai, 17- Jordan Lay, 18-Sione Ahio, 19-Josh Beehre, 20-Terrell Peita, 21-Manu Paea, 22-Corey Evans, 23. Joel Cobb

Cantabs & Steamers both still TBA, presumably tomorrow.

A smattering of ABXV players but no-one from the main squad. It's a tricky one as on the one hand you don't want to be going in totally cold v Japan but also you don't want to run the risk of injury or suspension plus from an NPC team's POV you'd prefer that the guys who get you into the GF are available for it.

 

[Dan54]

Cantabs & Taniwha both still TBA, presumably tomorrow.

A smattering of ABXV players but no-one from the main squad. It's a tricky one as on the one hand you don't want to be going in totally cold v Japan but also you don't want to run the risk of injury or suspension plus from an NPC team's POV you'd prefer that the guys who get you into the GF are available for it.

ABs are already in camp, so can see why they not been released. Not a bad Wellinton team, I not real convinced anout JGB ahead of Morgan, but guess like last week when JGB wasn't bad, they feel his experience would be good? Really think Aucklands scrum could be too strong.

 

[KiwiM]

I really don't understand how Simon Hickey keeps getting starts even at this level. He's small, a slow processer with a weak punt.

 

[Dan54]

Was having a bit of a laugh yesterday, watching the Heartland rugby show, the mighty Nua were playing Thames Valley, the Nua's captains wife looked like she was going into labour for 3rd kid, so he didn't get on bus up to Paeroa, being heartland no spare players going, so the team manager sat on the reserve bench ( he does play club rugby), couple of years ago the Nua were on a tour and similar stuff,injuries etc were running out of players so the CEO from the Nua (who always goes on tours etc and runs water) actually ended up playing the last 10 minutes of game off bench. Man you have to love heartland stuff, whole lot of players etc who not being paid etc, just playing because they love the game!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ "...the mighty Nua were toying with Thames Valley..."

Fixed .

Canterbury: 1-Tamaiti Williams, 2-Brodie McAlister, 3-Oli Jager, 4-Luke Romano, 5-Zach Gallagher, 6-Dominic Gardiner, 7-Tom Christie, 8-Billy Harmon (C), 9-Willi Heinz, 10-Fergus Burke, 11-George Bridge, 12-Rameka Poihipi, 13-Dallas McLeod, 14-Manasa Mataele, 15-Chay Fihaki. Reserves: 16-George Bell, 17-Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18-Owen Franks, 19-Reed Prinsep, 20-Corey Kellow, 21-Joel Lam, 22-Isaiah Punivai, 23-Ngatungane Punavai

Bay of Plenty: 1-Aidan Ross, 2-Kurt Eklund (C), 3-Tevita Mafileo, 4-Justin Sangster, 5-Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 6-Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 7-Jacob Norris, 8-Zane Kapeli, 9-Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 10-Wharenui Hawera, 11-Nigel Ah Wong, 12-Lalomilo Lalomilo, 13-Joey Walton, 14-Leroy Carter, 15-Emoni Narawa. Reserves: 16-Anaru Rangi, 17-Haereiti Hetet, 18-Jeff Thwaites, 19- Etonia Waqa, 20-Veveni Lasaqa, 21-Lucas Cashmore, 22-Taylor Haugh, 23-Gillies Kaka

As with SF1, a handful of ABXV players but none from the main squad.

 

[Dan54]

By geez this Wellington/Aucks game is bloody good watch. Welly up 26-7 at oranges. By gee balls certainly in play a boody lot.

 

[Dan54]

Well I didn't see that score coming. Aucks were well beaten, a pretty entertaing game I thought. A few good young uns on display, Pugh from Ack looks of, and Lakai from Wellinton, as well as Higgins who just may have a future in the game.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ suspect the Cantabs will put a similar score on Steamers tonight.

Young bloke Pugh was an Aussie U20 I heard or read somewhere? Lakai will play Test footy, only a question of if it's for NZ or Tonga. Haven't really seen much of Higgins.

Was looking into whether Ruben Love might be related to Marlborough & MAB legend Jim & found he's actually Matene's son & Sir Ngatata's grandson (of Wellington Tenths Trust notoriety) which would also make him Danny's nephew. Another who'll go a fair way, I think.

 

[Dan54]

^ suspect the Cantabs will put a similar score on Steamers tonight.

Young bloke Pugh was an Aussie U20 I heard or read somewhere? Lakai will play Test footy, only a question of if it's for NZ or Tonga. Haven't really seen much of Higgins.

Was looking into whether Ruben Love might be related to Marlborough & MAB legend Jim & found he's actually Matene's son & Sir Ngatata's grandson (of Wellington Tenths Trust notoriety) which would also make him Danny's nephew. Another who'll go a fair way, I think.

Good checking WOB, never thought of Jim Love connection. I agree the boy has a future, he was actually a bloody good cricketer too.

 

[KiwiM]

Well I didn't see that score coming. Aucks were well beaten, a pretty entertaing game I thought. A few good young uns on display, Pugh from Ack looks of, and Lakai from Wellinton, as well as Higgins who just may have a future in the game.

Can't agree with Pugh at all. As an Auckland fan it's been frustrating watching Pugh have a mortgage all season on the 8 jersey. He's really poor at the back of a scrum (really poor) and for every good thing he does he makes a lot of errors (his two errors from restarts and running into a man in front are typical of mistakes he made all season). His work rate is high, he's decent in the lineout but his error rate is enormous and he lacks power as a ball runner - not helped by the fact Ieremia played an unbalanced back row in nearly every game this season by continuing to pick two opensides on the flanks.

Agreed that Lakai and Higgins look like future ABs to be if they can transition their NPC form to Super as they have done from U20s to NPC.

 

[Dan54]

Can't agree with Pugh at all. As an Auckland fan it's been frustrating watching Pugh have a mortgage all season on the 8 jersey. He's really poor at the back of a scrum (really poor) and for every good thing he does he makes a lot of errors (his two errors from restarts and running into a man in front are typical of mistakes he made all season). His work rate is high, he's decent in the lineout but his error rate is enormous and he lacks power as a ball runner - not helped by the fact Ieremia played an unbalanced back row in nearly every game this season by continuing to pick two opensides on the flanks.

Agreed that Lakai and Higgins look like future ABs to be if they can transition their NPC form to Super as they have done from U20s to NPC.

Yep kiwi, can maybe see what you mean with Pugh, after seeing some highlights, I may of been a bit generous to him. He certainly got the build, but probably made too many cock ups. I must admit I may of taken notice as I haven't realyy seen/noticed him in previous games.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Meads Cup SF:
Whanganui 25-18 Thames Valley
South Canterbury 76-9 King Country

GF in Timaru

Lochore Cup SF:
Horowhenua Kapiti 30-37 East Coast
North Otago 15-31 Mid Canterbury

GF on the Coast

 

[Dan54]

Going to hurt the Bay with no Kaleb Trask tonight!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Cantab ABXV front row not going so well...

Edit: their ruck & maul D is pretty ordinary, too.

 

[Dan54]

No but they just wearing the Bay down. They are a pretty relentless team.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ must be a tactic: it's not that the pillars/ guard dogs aren't getting there, they're just not being sent in at all most of the time. Making life tough for Heinz but seems to be paying off in the slightly wider channels.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Um, did Harmon just have one of those "Oh, shit, I forgot to call Mark!" moments? I hate it when they happen...

 

[Dan54]

Well that has set up a bloody tasty final next week hasn't it? Wellington Lions on a good roll at moment, and Canterbury give the idea they capable of going back to their structures etc when going get's tough. Have to say I do think young G Bell and Gardiner showed why the in ABXV. And Heinz also perhpas showed why he played for England, he bossed team around pretty well.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Canterbury: TBA

Wellington: 1-Xavier Numia, 2-Asafo Aumua, 3-Pekahou Cowan, 4-James Blackwell, 5-Dominic Bird, 6-Caleb Delany, 7-Du'Plessis Kirifi (c), 8-Peter Lakai, 9-TJ Perenara, 10-Jackson Garden-Bachop, 11-Pepesana Patafilo, 12-Riley Higgins, 13-Billy Proctor, 14-Julian Savea, 15-Ruben Love. Reserves: 16-James O'Reilly, 17-PJ Sheck, 18-Tietie Tuimauga, 19-Taine Plumtree, 20-Keelan Whitman, 21-Richard Judd, 22-Aidan Morgan, 23-Connor Garden-Bachop

 

[Dan54]

Pretty well the top team Wellington can muster WOB, some may say PUJ, he's injured, and I not convinced he what some think he is anyway. By geez I looking forward to this game!! Shame it's the last one.