NPC - news, injuries etc

[Nogusta]

@Daffy-Jaffy

John Akau'ola-Laula

he has a heart condition. Just discovered this year preseason after players regulation check ups

[Stargazer]

@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.

[Daffy Jaffy]

@Nogusta Thanks. That's sad. I wonder if it is something he can eventually return to the game from after rest and treatment like Northlands Matt Johnson?

[Chris B.]

@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.

[Dolamite]

JAL retired back in May, there’s a post on his Instagram with all the crusaders doing a haka for him

[Nepia]

@Dolamite said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:

JAL retired back in May, there’s a post on his Instagram with all the crusaders doing a haka for him

That's a good haka.

Saw the #godsplan though.

[Tim]

[Tim]

[Tim]

BOP are turning it on in preseason. Thrashed Harbour and Counties.

[Tim]

Game of Three Halves Results
Wellington 24 Bay of Plenty 15
Wellington 5 Counties Manukau 5
Counties Manukau 0 Bay of Plenty 31

[Stargazer]

Results of the last round of preseason games:

North Harbour 57 - 31 Northland (HT: 12 - 24)
Auckland 33 - 14 Hawke's Bay (HT: 12 -14)
Taranaki 21 - 24 Waikato (HT: 14 - 5)
Southland 19 - 62 Canterbury (HT: 19 - 22)
Ta$man 54 - 19 Otago (HT: 28 - 12)

and the above "Game of Three Halves" results.

[booboo]

@Stargazer said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:

Southland team to play Canterbury:

Taine Te Whata is clever. Starting and on the bench.

[shark]

Wow. The Ta$man box score reads like a Super Rugby side and it's no surprise they thrashed Otago. And then you scroll down and look at the Southland squad (I recognised 3-4 names) and wonder how Canterbury didn't put 100 on them. Such a difference in two provinces of relatively similar size and presumably resources.

[Stargazer]

Three more M10 Cup squads to be announced. Waikato, Hawke's Bay and Bay of Plenty. First game this Thursday. The competition I've been waiting for all year is finally about to start!

[Yeetyaah]

@Stargazer You more into M10 Cup than Super Rugby?

[Stargazer]

@Yeetyaah Hell yeah!

[Bovidae]

@shark The Southland corporates must spend all their sponsorship money on the Steel and Sharks.

I might watch the occasional Southland game to see how some players I saw play at schoolboy level perform (e.g., Alaimalo, Te Tamaki and Moorby).

[Daffy Jaffy]

Rugby park Invercargill today. A warm welcome instore for the Taniwha. Don't freeze your dreadlocks off boys.

[taniwharugby]

@Daffy-Jaffy I'll have you know there is unlikely to be anyone in the starting line up with dreads, maybe not even the 23! 😎

[Daffy Jaffy]

@taniwharugby Then it will be but a pale imitation of a real Taniwha team. What not even Ranger? Gregory could easily dread all that hair. You need to hunt down some more Pryors.