NPC - news, injuries etc
-
@taniwharugby Oh, we've beaten a number of shield-holding teams.
Ask me how many of these "pass the cheese" teams have dared to put the shield on the line! With tonight's effort, William Wallace will be turning in his grave!
Anyway - wet night. Otago drove over for a couple of early tries. Ta$man matched those with a couple where Will Jordan got put into gaps and outpaced the defence - one off an intercept by Levi Aumua. Jordan was really the star of the show - dangerous every time he had the ball - played the first half on the wing and then 25 minutes at fullback (rolling subs).
Leicester Faingaanuku also picked up two tries - one outsprinting the cover defence in the corner - and the other with an unmarked crossfield kick - catch and dot down.
Liam Squire showed some good pace to score one down the left flank in the second half. He packed at No. 8 but the rest of his 40 minutes he was largely stationed in the midfield (don't think he participated in a lineout). Lots of carries - quite a few tackle busts including one run when he broke about five.
I think Tima Faingaanuku, an unidentified forward, and Alex Nankivell scored the other Ta$man tries - Taylor Waugh scooped up a dropped ball and sprinted 80 metres to score a consolation try for Otago.
Worst news was Wyatt Crockett hobbled off after 10 minutes of play with an ankle/calf/achilles injury. Looked quite bad - several weeks out-ish bad. Could barely put weight on it.
Aside from that the Ta$man scrum was impressive in the first half and up until Wyatt went off. One where they marched Otago back at least 10 metres and several others to draw penalties and/or tightheads.
-
@Chris-B said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:
Worst news was Wyatt Crockett hobbled off after 10 minutes of play with an ankle/calf/achilles injury. Looked quite bad - several weeks out-ish bad. Could barely put weight on it.
From Crocky's instagram:
-
Comment from Ta$man Mako on this post on FB:
Additional halfback and 2-3 others to be named later.
http://www.mitre10cup.co.nz/News/34491/tasman-name-powerful-squad-for-2019-campaign
-
@Stargazer Havili's the only real openside in there.
They'll probably play Taufua at openside quite a bit this season.
-
@Dice Yeah, Taufua has played in the 7 jersey for Ta$man before. Although, if they're still going to add a few players ... Of the two or three extra players - in addition to a 2nd halfback - you'd expect at least two of those to be forwards, one of them probably a hooker. The other one a lock or a loosie?
-
OTD write-up of last night's preseason game between Ta$man and Otago below.
"It blew out at the end, but we had a couple of props out on the wings and a hooker playing No8. That wasn't the way we wanted to finish, but they kept coming at us," Herring said. Otago ended with plenty of injured troops and had players well out of position in the final few minutes. Halfback Kurt Hammer appears the most serious injury after he got a whack on the arm just after he had come on in the second half. He had his arm in a sling after the game, and it would be assessed over the weekend. Other players had picked up knocks and with the first round of the competition next week, Herring was mindful to take care of some key players.Ta$man 54 Will Jordan 2, Leicester Faingaanuku 2, Andrew Makalio, Liam Squire, Hugh Roach, Alex Nankivell tries, Mitch Hunt 5 con, Tim O’Malley 2 con Otago 19 Dylan Nel, Aki Seiuli, Taylor Haugh tries; Josh Ioane con, Haugh con Halftime: 28-12
Tasman romps away in rampant second half
Otago finished a distant second to a stacked Tasman side in Nelson last night. Tasman won 54-19 after leading 28-12 at halftime and running away...
-
In a recent stuff article re: the Ta$man Otago shield game it stated that John Akau'ola-Laula had retired from the sport. (In fact, the only certainties to miss out this season were Rugby World Cup-bound Ray Niuia, retirees John Akau'ola-Laula and Vernon Fredericks) ..
Does anyone know the reason he would retire so young? -
@Daffy-Jaffy Jeez that's tough. I was wondering why I hadn't seen his name in any squads.
-
@Daffy-Jaffy said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:
John Akau'ola-Laula
No idea sorry. A quick google shows he played a pre-season game for the Crusaders at the start of the year.
-
John Akau'ola-Laula
he has a heart condition. Just discovered this year preseason after players regulation check ups
-
@Daffy-Jaffy Vernon Fredericks as well? Another one cap Crusader, who received a shock call-up in 2017.
Geez, John Akau'ola-Laula is only 21. I've seen him in a lot of instagram posts during the SR season, so was obviously still in the Crusaders environment then.
-
@Stargazer said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:
@Daffy-Jaffy Vernon Fredericks as well? Another one cap Crusader, who received a shock call-up in 2017.
Geez, John Akau'ola-Laula is only 21. I've seen him in a lot of instagram posts during the SR season, so was obviously still in the Crusaders environment then.
Vern's been around a long time without cracking higher levels and, a bit like Tim Perry, suffered a season ending injury five minutes into last year's M10 Cup.
I'd guess he thinks he's given it a decent crack. He had to have brain surgery a few years ago as well.
-
