Hawke's Bay rugby 2018
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The first Magpies wider training squad has been named:
- Lewis Marshall, Pasqualle Dunn, Tom Parsons, Travis Taylor (all Central),
- Josh Eden-Whaitiri, Josh Kaifa, Sasa Tofilau, Lucas Goodin, Tianua Poto (all Clive),
- Devan Flanders, Ryan Tongia, Sam Ulufanoa, Willie McGoon (all Havelock North),
- Aleki Vuki, Ben Hamelink, Danny Toala, Folau Fakatava, Jason Long, Josiah Tavita-Metcalfe, Mason Emerson, Ausage Fomai, Timo Vaiusu, Jacob Devery (all HRS),
- Fa'alemiga Selesele, Frank Tupuola, John Ika (all MAC),
- Chris Johnston, Ellery Wilson, Hannon Brighouse, Johnny Luano, Matt Gardner, Michael Buckley, Mitch Drew, Ricky Hayes, Shae Tucker, Jake Nelson-Murray, Zac Donaldson, Sia Paiese (all NOBM),
- Will Tremain (OBU Wellington),
- Pouri Rakete-Stones, Hayden Hann (both Pirates),
- Kianu Kereru-Symes, Lincoln McClutchie, Mason Kean (all Tamatea),
- Joe Apikotoa, Lester Maulolo, Lui Luamanu (all Taradale),
- JJ Tualagi, Mark Braidwood, Sebastian Visinia, Trent Boswell-Wakefield, Tim Farrell (all Napier Technical).
This squad will prepare for a preseason game against Ta$man on Wednesday, 2 May in Wellington.
The squad doesn't include loosie Tony Lamborn who is on international duty with the United States team, and Samoa Commonwealth Games Sevens representatives Tom Iosefo and Neria Fomai. It also doesn't include the Bay's 10 Super Rugby players - Ash Dixon, Ben May, Michael Allardice, Gareth Evans, Marino Mikaele-Tu'u, Jonah Lowe, Brad Weber, Tiaan Falcon, Israel Dagg and Brodie Retallick.After the Ta$man game a second wider training group will be named to prepare for the June 4 fixture against Wairarapa Bush in Featherston. The Magpies will also play the Manawatu Evergreens on July 4 and Ozich is hoping for a fixture against Auckland on July 29 but no player involved with the Maddison Trophy final the previous day will be expected to play in this match. The Magpies' final pre-season game will be against Waikato in Taupo on August 4 and their Mitre 10 Cup campaign will begin with an away fixture against Southland on Sunday, August 19.Great news is that Trent Boswell-Wakefield is back and will play his first club rugby game of the season on Saturday.
The article also mentions a few more Aucklanders. It doesn't say whether they have signed contracts:Versatile loosie Josh Kaifa, 25, who played Mitre 10 Cup rugby for Auckland last year will arrive in the Bay on Monday to link up with K9 Petfoods Clive. Kaifa was the 2015 Auckland B team player of the year. Another Clive-bound newcomer is centre Sasa Tofilau who will turn out for the riversiders against WIT Napier Old Boys Marist at Farndon Park on Saturday. Magpies head coach Mark Ozich said Tofilau and Kaifa are the last two newcomers to arrive in the Bay.Siosiua (Josh) Kaifa - profile from Auckland Rugby page:
Club: Manukau Rovers
Position: Loose forward
Height: 1.88m
Weight: 104kg
DOB: July 21, 1992
Caps: 7
Points: 0This is what I found about Sasa Tofilau on the website of Edinburgh Rugby:
http://www.edinburghrugby.org/edinburgh-rugby/player/sasa-tofilauhttp://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503460&objectid=12029220
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A lot of people rate Kaifa highly. However in the matches I saw him play, he fell off too many tackles.
Some good prospects coming through in Auckland would have pushed him down the rankings. Still a good signing though
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@duluth It's unclear to me whether they've already signed him or not, and on what kind of contract. Maybe @Number-10 knows more. There are quite a few loosies competing for a spot in the squad (including off-contract Magpies Tony Lamborn, Fa'alemiga Selesele and former Magpie Trent Boswell-Wakefield), and we've only lost Hugh Renton as far as I know.
We also have Gareth Evans and Marino Mikaele-Tu'u, and young lads such as Devan Flanders (he may be on academy/development contracts though) and Will Tremain (not sure whether he has been signed).
Tackling was a huge problem for the Magpies the last few seasons. The last thing we need is another loosie who can't tackle. We'll see what happens!
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Tualagi has a Magpies contract, I have been advised that all the other imports have Provincial Union Development contracts which are only worth $1500. The PUD's are standard across the Mitre Cup provinces (part of the NZR-NZRPA collective) - essentially it is just relocation money. The clubs they are assigned to (by HBRU) help out with accomodation, jobs, as part of the deal.
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@stargazer said in Hawke's Bay rugby 2018:
I only just now discovered that Joe Penitito is playing in France since October. He's with Club Sportif Beaunois, which competes in Pool 2 of Fédérale 2.
I read his interview on their website, and reading between the lines, he's there because he didn't get selected for the Magpies. So it looks like he won't be back to compete for a Magpies spot and that's a real shame. I rate the guy.
Joe's risky move to that amateur club in France appears to have paid off! Via twitter, I just found out that he has signed with French Pro D2 club Biarritz.
Biarritz has reached the play-offs for promotion to the Top 14 and will play Grenoble this Saturday for a spot in the semi-finals.
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@stargazer said in Hawke's Bay rugby 2018:
@stargazer said in Hawke's Bay rugby 2018:
I only just now discovered that Joe Penitito is playing in France since October. He's with Club Sportif Beaunois, which competes in Pool 2 of Fédérale 2.
I read his interview on their website, and reading between the lines, he's there because he didn't get selected for the Magpies. So it looks like he won't be back to compete for a Magpies spot and that's a real shame. I rate the guy.
Joe's risky move to that amateur club in France appears to have paid off! Via twitter, I just found out that he has signed with French Pro D2 club Biarritz.
Biarritz has reached the play-offs for promotion to the Top 14 and will play Grenoble this Saturday for a spot in the semi-finals.
Good to see a NOB
Mlad making good. I still fail to see how Selesele got a contract ahead of him -
Assuming most of these players are Hawke's Bay Canes, can anyone tell me who is who? I only recognise Ihaia & miss Mason in the photo :smiling_face_with_open_mouth: , although I think JJ is the player standing on the left?
Sam Uluafonua, Josh Kaifa, Ihaia West, Mason Emerson, Sasa Tofilau, JJ Taulagi and John Ika were named in the sqad to play Japan 'A'. I don't think any of the other players in the line-up are from the Bay (or playing club rugby in the Bay).
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The HBT article below has a list of currently injured wider training squad members:
Hayden Hann, Zac Donaldson, Tianua Poto, Lester Maulolo, Lucas Goodin, Tim Farrell, Jacob Devery, Tom Iosefo, Kianu Kereru-Symes, Ausage Fomai, Pasqualle Dunn, Tamati Samuels, Ryan Tongia, Lui Luamanu, Hannon Brighouse.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503460&objectid=12043112
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Interview with Folau Fakatava. One of the players I can't wait to see develop further. So much potential; I really hope it will lead to something special (and that we can keep him in the Bay if and when that happens).
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503460&objectid=12044557
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@stargazer Worrying that he finds club rugby easier than 1st XV.
Also, calling TKB usually a lock? Hmmm.
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@number-10 said in Hawke's Bay rugby 2018:
@nepia yep, lock is where Trent Boswell-Wakefield played in the hitout v Ta$man.
Oh great ....
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Marino Mikaele-Tu'u has signed with the Highlanders for 2019.
Gatland signed but Highlanders still after experienced No 10
The Highlanders have confirmed the signing of first five-eighth Bryn Gatland but are still on the look-out for an experienced pivot. Gatland, who...
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@nepia You may be right. With Tony Lamborn now part of the San Diego Legion squad (Major League Rugby) and, now doubt, playing for the USA Eagles, you'd have to wonder whether he'll come back for Mitre 10 Cup (although the competitions don't overlap). And Renton might play for Canterbury.
There are obviously still Gareth Evans
, TBW and Fa'alemiga Selesele 
as experienced loosies in the squad. -
@stargazer said in Hawke's Bay rugby 2018:
@nepia You may be right. With Tony Lamborn now part of the San Diego Legion squad (Major League Rugby) and, now doubt, playing for the USA Eagles, you'd have to wonder whether he'll come back for Mitre 10 Cup (although the competitions don't overlap). And Renton might play for Canterbury.
There are obviously still Gareth Evans
, TBW and Fa'alemiga Selesele as experienced loosies in the squad.I was assuming Evans would be injured, TBW is a lock, and I'm pretending Selesele doesn't exist.
Is Renton still contracted to Magpies or has his contract expired?
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@nepia HBRU are not very good at providing info about player signings (usually you have to read it in the HBT, which is also not very good), but if his Magpies contract ran parallel to that with the Canes, he would be off contract. I think it was also announced during the AGM that he wouldn't be back (not sure)?
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From the HBRU website:
Preparation for Magpies Season into full swing
The men’s club rugby season is already onto the second round and for Magpies coaches Mark and Josh Symes, they are in the processing of keeping an eye on their potential Magpie players. Josh says of the 34 contracted players that will be announced at the end of July, 12 will be Super Rugby Players, while the remainder will come from the talent already in the Bay. One player that could make a much-welcomed return to the Black n White jersey is All Black Israel Dagg. Izzy has had an unfortunate run of injuries over the last 2 seasons and might struggle to be fit in time for the All Black Tri Nations games later in the year. “We hope that Izzy can continue to be an All Black in 2018 but at the same time, he would be welcomed back to us with open arms. He’s a top player, one of the best in New Zealand and he would make a huge impression in our squad.Josh says the wider training group for the Magpies, approximately 45 players, are mixing club rugby and training with on field training and strengthening with the Magpies every week. However, the coaching roster is mindful of players not getting overworked, with scheduled breaks from Magpies training every three weeks. The Magpies have pre-season games against Wairarapa Bush at Queens Birthday weekend in Featherston, against the Manawatu Evergreens in Palmerston North on July 1, Waikato in Taupo on August 4 and a second match against Manawatu, which will hopefully be seen played on the new turf at McLean Park on Friday 10th August just a week before the Mitre10 cup kicks off. A squad of 34 professional contracted players will be announced at the end of July along with a few other players, who will provide injury cover during the Mitre 10 Cup. One player missing from the roster in 2018 is first five Ihaia West, who is heading to Europe after the Super rugby season. Josh says that although West will be missed, there is plenty of depth in the number 10 jersey with Tiaan Falcon having served his apprenticeship as well as stepping up to Super Rugby with the Chiefs. Other’s in consideration for the position include Danny Toala, Lincoln McClutchie and the more experienced Dan Snee. also doesn’t expect to see to many changes within the leadership group which will call on the experience of the likes of last year’s captain Ash Dixon, Gareth Evans, Brad Weber, Michael Allerdice and Ben May. “They are hugely experienced and like our other Super Rugby players they are looking forward to returning and performing at their best.”"Tri Nations"
