NPC - news, injuries etc
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@mikedogz said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:
Counties Manukau PIC Steelers 2017 Squad Announced
Coaches Darryl Suasua, Grant Henson and Semo Sititi have named their team with a blend of popular long-serving Steelers, new local talent, brothers, Super Rugby players and internationals.
The Counties Manukau squad features 23 players who have previously been part of the Steelers environment and seven new additions. Thirteen players have Super Rugby experience and 10 have earned international honours.
Young rookies to the PIC Steelers family include McNamara Cup winning halfback Liam Daniela from Bombay, Waiuku speedster winger Tevita Nabura and Pukekohe midfielder Salimoni Tukinia. At 20 years of age, Junior World Cup champion Orbyn ‘Go the Fro’ Leger, whose father Gus also played for the Steelers, is the youngest player in the team.
Also joining the side this year is Maori All Black Joe Royal who has spent part of the Super Rugby season training with the Blues, and Brumbies midfielder Nigel Ah Wong who scored the Brumbies only try against the Chiefs in their last New Zealand outing.
South Auckland born Samoan international Albert Nikoro formerly from the Western Force, has joined the Steelers for the first time, having been sidelines since receiving an eye injury against the All Blacks earlier in the year. All Blacks captain Kieran Read will be welcomed back home to ECOLight Stadium on Friday August 11 when Read’s two teams play each other in the Game of Three Halves.
Brothers Nepo and Luteru Laulala are expected to take the field together for the first time for the Steelers to add to the collection of brothers who have represented Counties Manukau.
The PIC Steelers will be again led by two born-and-bred Counties players. Augustine Pulu is the highest capped Steelers player in the squad and freshly back from a strong season for the Blues, joining with his Super Rugby teammate Jimmy Tupou, who welcomed a new son in late July. Tupou is on target to join a special group Steelers to have played 50 matches in the red, black and white jersey when the Steelers host Auckland in their opening Mitre 10 Cup game at ECOLight Stadium on Saturday night 19 August.
Steelers Head Coach Darryl Suasua said “It is great to have retained a core group of passionate Steelers while being able to blood-in new players. The Mitre 10 Cup is the springboard for many careers, so we are excited at the prospect of introducing our new players to this level of rugby while being surrounded by experienced players.”
It is expected that Toni Pulu and Sione Fifita, who both experienced long term injuries whilst on contract with the Chiefs and Crusaders respectively, will spend the Mitre 10 Cup season recovering. Due to Super Rugby commitments, some temporary extra players have been bought in as cover and will also be used as injury cover should the need arise.
2017 PIC Steelers Squad
Nigel Ah Wong Brumbies Midfield 0 caps*
Sean Bagshaw Onewhero Prop 32 caps
Liam Daniela Bombay Halfback 0 caps*
Sione Fifita Pukekohe wing 18 caps **
Glen Fisi’iahi Bombay Wing 0 caps
Sam Henwood Pukekohe Loose forward 12 caps
Jonathan Kawau Bombay Loose forward 6 caps
Baden Kerr Karaka First Five-Eighth 29 caps
Luteru Laulala Ardmore Marist First Five-eighth 11 caps
Nepo Laulala Ardmore Marist Prop 0 caps
Orbyn Leger Karaka Midfield 0 caps
Fotu Lokotui Patumahoe Loose forward 1 caps
Pauliasi Manu Karaka Prop 25 caps
Matiaha Martin Bombay Lock 11 caps
Tevita Nabura Waiuku Wing 0 caps*
Tim Nanai-Williams Manurewa Fullback 56 caps
Albert Nikoro Western Force Ultility Back 0 caps*
Augustine Pulu Karaka Halfback 66 caps
Toni Pulu Bombay Wing 44 caps **
Ronald Raaymakers Waiuku Loose forward 51 caps
Viliame Rarasea Ardmore Marist Lock 24 caps
Kieran Read Crusaders Loose forward 0 caps*
Joe Royal Patumahoe Hooker 0 caps*
Salimoni Tukinia Pukekohe Midfield 0 caps*
Viliami Taulani Manurewa Loose forward 4 caps
Suliasi Taufalele Ardmore Marist Hooker 35 caps
Kalolo Tuiloma Bombay Prop 11 caps
Jimmy Tupou Pautmahoe Loose forward 49 caps
Jonathan Taumateine Ardmore Marist Halfback 4 caps
Matt Vaai Manurewa Loose forward 8 caps
Sonny Bill Williams Puni Midfield 2 caps
Sam Furniss Patumahoe Midfield 0 capsSuper Rugby Cover
Riley Hohepa Patumahoe First five-eighth
Kalione Hala Karaka Fullback
George Maka Pukekohe Midfield
Gafatasi Su’a Pukekohe Hooker
Corey Te Whata-Colley Bombay Prop
Sesimani Tupou Ardmore Marist Prop
Daymon Leasuasu Ardmore Marist Lock
Romero Tagi
Onewhero
PropSo no Fa'aoso, last season's Nr.8. And no Skelton either.
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@cgrant said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:
We won't see this but it would be cool if we got to the finals and all the players back and available. This team could be pretty strong
Pauliasi Manu
Joe Royal
Nepo Laulala
Viliame Rarasea
Jimmy Tupou
Ronald Raaymakers
Sam Henwood
Kieran Read
A Pulu
Kerr
SBW
Ah-Wong
Fifita
T Pulu
TNW -
@Crucial that team if it was possible to see would be something..!,especially with 151 kgs of Kalolo Tuiloma coming off the bench..!
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@Tim said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:
There has been no coverage of the Mitre 10 Cup squads from either the Herald or Stuff. Garbage papers.
Fairfax (Stuff) was in a Cold War with NZR over the conditions of the Rugby Championship accreditation, so boycotted all rugby coverage from Monday (the Crusaders' parade could be argued as falling under general news). NZR backed down on some of the restrictions yesterday, I'm led to believe.
More on it here: http://www.sportsfreak.co.nz/stuff-it/
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Really looking forward to this year's Mitre 10 Cup. I hope that Canterbury can once again win the title, they have a very strong squad. I am a bit worried about our depth at first five, but hopefully Cameron and McKay can provide backup to Mo'unga if required. We have lots of depth in the forwards, and we'll need this as the Mitre 10 cup can be very attritional. My predicted 1st 23.
Marshall Suckling
George Bridge
Tim Bateman
Rob Thompson
Poasa Waqanibau
Richie Mo'unga
Mitch DrummondLuke Whitelock
Matt Todd
Tom Sanders
Reed Prinsep
Dominic Bird
Siate Tokolah
Ben Funnell
Daniel Lienart-BrownNathan Vella
Alex Hodgman
Oliver Jager
Mitchell Dunshea
Jed Brown
Ere Enari
Brett Cameron
Josh McKay -
Good to see that Penikolo Latu got himself a contract
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@Stockcar86 He wasn't named in the Waikato squad, so must be in their development team again. Same with Marino's twin.
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@Cantab79 said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:
Really looking forward to this year's Mitre 10 Cup. I hope that Canterbury can once again win the title, they have a very strong squad. I am a bit worried about our depth at first five, but hopefully Cameron and McKay can provide backup to Mo'unga if required. We have lots of depth in the forwards, and we'll need this as the Mitre 10 cup can be very attritional. My predicted 1st 23.
Marshall Suckling
George Bridge
Tim Bateman
Rob Thompson
Poasa Waqanibau
Richie Mo'unga
Mitch DrummondLuke Whitelock
Matt Todd
Tom Sanders
Reed Prinsep
Dominic Bird
Siate Tokolah
Ben Funnell
Daniel Lienart-BrownNathan Vella
Alex Hodgman
Oliver Jager
Mitchell Dunshea
Jed Brown
Ere Enari
Brett Cameron
Josh McKayReed Princep won't play lock. It'll be Dunshea or Dalzell partnering Bird.
Don't be surprised to see McKay at fullback, possibly covering 10.
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Interested in the crop of young players who are eligible for u19 in the squads. Good crystal ball gazing into next years under 20 programme.
Auckland
-Caleb Clarke (Wing)
-Wiseguy Fiane (10)Hawkes Bay
-Tim Farrell (Prop)Manawatu
-Brayden Iose (Loose)
-Sione Asi (Prop)Otago
-Vilimoni Koroi (Fullback)Southland
-Flynn Thomas (Hooker)Taranaki
-Tom Florence (loose/lock)
-Ciarahn Matoe (10)Ta$man
-Will Jordan (Fullback)Waikato
-Bailyn Sullivan (midfield)Wellington
-Carlos Price (Halfback) -
@Stargazer said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:
PRESEASON
Full time:
Waikato 31 - 21 BOPScorers:
Waikato tries: Zac Guildford, James Tucker, Matty Lansdown, Dwayne Sweeney, Sevu Reece; 3 con
BOP tries: ?surprised the Baron hasn't been on here calling for the immediate call up of Delany to the AB's following his BOP comeback
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Another former AB playing in the Heartland competition would be awesome! Nothing signed yet.
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@Stargazer said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:
PRESEASON
Full time:
Waikato 31 - 21 BOPI watched the last 30 mins of this game and walked in to see Reece score under the sticks. He seemed to be playing at FB then and Guildford had moved to the left wing. There was plenty of intent up front. BOP had a few Chiefs players in their team (e.g. Tiatia, Karpik) and at least one ex-Waikato rep (Masirewa). There were a couple of Waikato players I didn't recognise at all, having seen no club rugby this year.
Moli, Ahki, Uhila, Caird and Luke Jacobson didn't play.
It was a blast from the past seeing Sweeney and Delany out there.
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