Magpies - 2018 Mitre 10 Cup
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Magpies 52-man training squad announced
Rugby: Boswell-Wakefield returns to Magpies nest
The return of Trent Boswell-Wakefield and the naming of two players yet to be sighted in the province are features of a 52-strong Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby wider training group named last night.Loosie Boswell-Wakefield, 29, played 70 first class games for the Magpies between 2010 and 2016 before deciding to play in Spain last year. A 2009 world champion New Zealand under-20 player, Boswell-Wakefield returned to the Bay a fortnight ago and will play his first club game of the season for Altherm Window Systems Napier Technical against Taradale Rugby and Sports at the Tareha Recreation Reserve on Saturday.
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.
"It's all about getting our base wider. I'm very happy with the talent we've got when you compare where we were in November to where we are now ... I can sleep a little bit better at night," Ozich said.
"To be able to find players like Sam Ulufanoa and JJ Taulagi and to have them and others like Fa'alemiga Selesele and Pasqualle Dunn playing club rugby in the Bay from the start of the season is great. It means we are able to be working with them and not waiting for them as well as our Super players to return.
"It's less disruptive. When players came in late last year there was no continuity and it was too hard to create a culture. Doing it this way players are aware of the expectations and skills required and it's really positive," Ozich explained.
He pointed out the squad of 52 is for the first pre-season game against Ta$man in Wellington on May 2. Seven of the squad are injured but they still attend trainings to keep in touch with the systems.
The squad doesn't include loosie Tony Lamborn who is on international duty with the United States team, and Samoa Commonwealth Games Sevens representatives Tom Iosefo and Neria Fomai. It also doesn't include the Bay's 10 Super Rugby players - Ash Dixon, Ben May, Michael Allardice, Gareth Evans, Marino Mikaele-Tu'u, Jonah Lowe, Brad Weber, Tiaan Falcon, Israel Dagg and Brodie Retallick.
Ozich stressed the Ta$man game was crucial to gauge where players in the wider training group were at.
" Ta$man are a similar sized union to us and have a similar make-up. At the same time we are mindful of the players' commitment to club rugby and that is why we will probably take 30 players ... nobody will play 80 minutes and some may only play 20."
After the Ta$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.
The 52-strong Magpies wider training group to prepare for a game against Ta$man on May 2 and begin training at Elwood Park, Hastings from tomorrow is:
Lewis Marshall, Pasqualle Dunn, Tom Parsons, Travis Taylor (all Central),
Josh Eden-Whaitiri, Josh Kaifa, Sasa Tofilau, Lucas Goodin, Tianua Poto (all Clive),
Devan Flanders, Ryan Tongia, Sam Ulufanoa, Willie McGoon (all Havelock North),
Aleki Vuki, Ben Hamelink, Danny Toala, Folau Fakatava, Jason Long, Josiah Tavita-Metcalfe, Mason Emerson, Ausage Fomai, Timo Vaiusu, Jacob Devery (all HRS),
Fa'alemiga Selesele, Frank Tupuola, John Ika (all MAC),
Chris Johnston, Ellery Wilson, Hannon Brighouse, Johnny Luano, Matt Gardner, Michael Buckley, Mitch Drew, Ricky Hayes, Shae Tucker, Jake Nelson-Murray, Zac Donaldson, Sia Paiese (all NOBM),
Will Tremain (OBU Wellington),
Pouri Rakete-Stones, Hayden Hann (both Pirates),
Kianu Kereru-Symes, Lincoln McClutchie, Mason Kean (all Tamatea),
Joe Apikotoa, Lester Maulolo, Lui Luamanu (all Taradale),
JJ Tualagi, Mark Braidwood, Sebastian Visinia, Trent Boswell-Wakefield, Tim Farrell (all Napier Technical).
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Latest update on Brendon Edmonds, who is still contracted to the Highlanders until the end of this year.
End of season decision time for injured Edmonds
A date to return to the field — if at all — is still unclear for felled Highlanders prop Brendon Edmonds. Two years ago this month, Edmonds (27)...
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First preseason game is today. Hawke's Bay Saracens v Ta$man.
Kick-off 2.00pm at Hutt Recreational Ground, Lower Hutt.Team playing the 1st half
1 Mark Braidwood Tech
2 Jason Long HRS
3Joe Apikotoa Taradale
4 Sam Ulufonua Havelock
5 Tom Parsons CHB
6 Fa'aleminga Selesele MAC
7 Chris Johnson NOBM
8 Josh Kaifa Clive
9 Ellery Wilson NOBM
10 Lincoln McClutchie Tamatea
11 Mason Emerson HRS
12 Danny Toala HRS
13 Sasa Tofilau Clive
14 Michael Buckley NOBM
15 JJ Taulagi Tech
16 Sebastian Visinia TechTeam playing the 2nd Half
1 Aleki Vuki HRS
2 Frank Tupuola MAC
3 Josiah Metcalfe HRS
4 Trent Boswell-Wakefield Tech
5 Matt Gardner NOBM
6 Ricky Hayes NOBM
7 Nathan Tweedy Taradale
8 TBC
9 Folau Fakatava HRS
10 Johnny Lauano NOBM
11 Mitch Drew NOBM
12 Timo Vaioso HRS
13 Shae Tucker NOBM
14 Willie McGoon Havelock
15 John Ika MAC
16 Jack Nelson-Murray NOBM -
Managed to get away from work for a few hours, and went to the preseason game. I hope it's a good sign for the rest of the season, because we beat Ta$man 31 to 22. If I recognised the players correctly (some without a number on their shirt), the Bay's tries were scored by Tom Parson, Sebastian Visinia, JJ Taulagi, Sasa Tofilau and Folau Fakatava. Josh Kaifa left the field with an ankle injury. He managed to walk afterwards, but it looked painful.
A few things I noticed:
- giving away too many penalties
- scrum is still a work-on (that's where several of the penalties came from)
- too many handling errors (particularly, dropping balls/knock-ons)
- backs already look exciting (I focused mainly on them, because I found them easier to recognise)
- JJ Taulagi is smaller than I thought and lost a few one-on-one's, possibly because of his size. But when he was able to step his opponents (and that happened often) and went hot on attack, he was really hard to stop.
- I don't know who the very big midfielder was (I first thought he was a prop), but while he is strong and relentless on defence, he is also quite slow.
- our ex-schoolboys are looking good, particularly Toala and Fakatava. Exp Fakatava is pure class. I wish they'd selected him already for the NZ U20s.
- he may not have been the best on the field, but Mason Emerson was good in taking a leadership role. He was screaming his lungs out now and then.
I found two short clips on Twitter (don't watch them full screen because the quality isn't good enough for that):
I think this is Tom Parsons try:
This is - without the lead-up - the try from Folau Fakatava:
I think they were filming, so there will probably be a highlights video later in the week.
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It was interesting to see a whole delegation from the Wellington Lions in the stands, among them, Cory Jane. Spying haha?
I can confirm that Shane Christie was part of the Ta$man coaching staff present at the game.From the Super Rugby Magpies, I did see Gareth Evans. There may have been more of them though, sitting at the reserves bench maybe (too far away for me to see).
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Second pre-season game:
Wairarapa Bush v Hawke's Bay Saracens
Monday, 4 June (Queen's Birthday), kick-off 2pm at Featherston Rugby ClubSquad according to the HBT:
Forwards: Mark Braidwood, Jason Long, Joe Apikotoa, Aleki Vuki, Josiah Tavita-Metcalfe, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Sam Ulufonua, Tom Parsons, Lui Luamanu, Matt Gardner, Fa'alemiga Selesele, Lucas Goodin, Chris Johnston, Ricky Hayes, Nathan Tweedy, Hannon Brighouse, Ben Hamelink, Jack Nelson-Murray, Kianu Kereru-Symes, Frank Tupuola.
Backs: Ellery Wilson, Folau Fakatava, Zac Donaldson, Tianua Poto, Lincoln McClutchie, Sasa Tofilau, Sebastian Visinia, Timo Vaiusu, Shae Tucker, Johnny Ika, Pasqualle Dunn, Mason Emerson, Danny Toala, Willie McGoon, Michael Buckley, JJ Taulagi, Mitch Drew, Hayden Hann.
Injured: Lester Maulolo, Tim Farrell, Jacob Devery, Tamati Samuels, Ryan Tongia, Trent Boswell-Wakefield, Josh Kaifa.
Unavailable: Devan Flanders, Will Tremain (both at Under 20 World Championship).
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Slightly corrected Hawke's Bay Saracens squad for Monday's preseason game v Wairarapa Bush:
1 Jason Long, 2 Jacob Devery, 3 Joe Apikotoa, 4 Tom Parsons, 5 Matt Gardner, 6 Lui Luamanu, 7 Richy Hayes, 8 Hannon Brighouse, 9 Ellery Wilson, 10 Lincoln McClutchie, 11 Mason Emerson, 12 Pasqualle Dunn, 13 Sasa Tofilau, 14 Ryan Tongia, 15 Danny Toala
Reserves: 16 Kianu Kereru-Symes, 17 Josiah Tavita-Metcalfe, 18 Pouri Rakete-Stones, 19 Chris Johnston, 20 Ben Hamelink, 21 Sam Ulufonua, 22 Folau Fakatava, 23 Tianua Poto, 24 Shae Tucker, 25 Hayden Hann, 26 Michael Buckley, 27 Mitch Drew
And according to the HBT:
Injured: Trent Boswell-Wakefield, Tim Farrell, Lester Maulolo, Tamati Samuels, Fa'alemiga Selesele, Josh Kaifa, JJ Taulagi, Mark Braidwood, Lucas Goodin, Aleki Vuki.
Unavailable: Devan Flanders, Will Tremain (both with NZ 20s), Johnny Ika (Tonga A), Will McGoon (Away).
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Full time: Hawke's Bay Saracens 57 - 14 Wairarapa Bush
Tries: Ricky Hayes, Pasquelle Dunn, Joe Apikatoa, Hayden Hann, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Michael Buckley, Folou Fakatava, Josiah Tevita-Metcalfe 2x
Conversions: Lincoln McClutchie 4 and Tianua Poto 2.
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@number-10 That would be awesome! He's been extremely unlucky with injuries, but I think he could become a very good lock. I hope a good season for us will give him an opportunity to get another SR contract. I'm afraid the Canes will dump him like they've done with Renton though.
