NPC Final - Auckland vs Canterbury (free entry)
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@chchfanatic Yep, that's why we lost. Ioane just didn't get us back into it in the 2nd half. Clearly he was just useless. Not like wonder athlete Whitelock with his tackles that don't slow the ball, or 1m flop to the ground ball carries.
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I am at the Kamo Rugby Club and was a loud cheer when Auckland won...admittedly there were 2 Auckland teams here too but seems most were cheering for Auckland.
I need a shower 😂
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@stargazer said in NPC Final - Auckland vs Canterbury (free entry):
@antipodean It's an unfair solution though. Two injured hookers and two injured props. Theoretical situation, but then you'd go for a (replaced) lock.
There's no requirement to have any locks on the bench, so what do you do if they have 5 outside backs?
I mean, it's also unfair that you can't bring back on a substituted player for an injured one so have to replace an outside back with a loose forward. And that you have to play with 14 players if you've used all your substitutes. But the more complex you make the rules, the more potential loopholes you create to be abused.
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Was a great game of footy won by the best team all season. Canterbury played awesome today but just couldn’t get up. Today showed why whitelock is an all black and ioane is a pretender. The crusaders were offered ioane to try and sort him out. Razor just laughed at them and said he’s not what we’re looking for.
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@tim Nanai was a main reason we lost. Thought the young reserve hooker was great for Auckland too.
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@chchfanatic LOL, please keep this up. Most entertaining Cantab after a loss in a while.
Your tactic of focussing on the opposition's best player is an interesting one for sure.
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@tim Whether Akira was Auckland's best player is debatable. He was one of the best in the 2nd half and ET, but was mostly invisible and completely dominated during the first half; also got correctly yellow carded. TJ Faiane was good for the entire match, one of the few who stood out in the first half.
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@tim I suppose u know the real reason why ioane and laumape were dropped from the ABs then too do ya.
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@chchfanatic I can guess but do you have the goods.
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@chchfanatic Do you? We've heard one story on here.
Do you have anything to backup your "offered to the Crusaders" talk? We know that the Hurricanes were after him.
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@tim sorry don’t know the story on here. It involves drinking breaking curfew etc.
Let’s just say I was at a bbq with a certain high profile crusaders person who I’ve known for years and after a few beers we asked him who was in the squad for next year. We all said ioane would be great in crusaders environment. He said he was offered to them and the coaches just laughed at the thought -
@chchfanatic said in NPC Final - Auckland vs Canterbury (free entry):
It involves drinking breaking curfew etc.
That's the story that was on here about him and Laumape. Which hasn't kept Laumape out.
RE: The Crusaders story, that may be so, but it doesn't change his great performances in the Mitre 10 Cup finals, nor that the Hurricanes wanted him.
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@tim he would be amazing if he got out of the blues. Imagine if he was actually fit. He’s in his comfort zone in Auckland. It’s like a lot of the warriors when they leave home and move to Aussie. But I guess it’ll never happen
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@chchfanatic Unfortunately the Blues couldn't even sign up a backup 8, and he played pretty much every minute of the season.
Despite being a die-hard Blues fan, I actually wanted him to go to the Hurricanes. Hopefully more Blues players will develop further under Coventry.
Might well take getting rid of the CEO, head coach, and development officer (Hanks) to turn that team around though. Auckland needed a complete clean-out to get their act together.
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Just got in from the game,well worth getting a bit damp..
Was an absolute privilege to be at Eden Park to witness what was probably one of the best provincial finals in a very long time.
Congratulations to both sides for turning on such an awesome spectacle.
Must admit at halftime it did not look to good for the home team,but what really impressed me was Aucklands ability to hold onto the ball given soggy nature of the pitch,looked more like an ice skating rink in the 2nd half which makes the comeback even more meritorious...I thought the introduction of Teleni Seu was huge..his ability to run so hard at the line wether close in or ranging wide was spectacular..and boy they played with so much heart..
Would have to look at the replay,but alll in all a great day for Auckland
