Auckland Rugby 2019

[Tim]

Auckland sign AFL player who could run rugby players 'ragged'

Many will have missed the name Kurt Heatherley, when he was listed as 'loaned' when named in the Auckland Rugby 40-man Mitre 10 Cup.

[Dice]

@Daffy-Jaffy said in Auckland Rugby 2019:

@Tim I'm surprised that Freedom Vaha'akolo is not in the B squad after a stellar club season and trialling with the M10 squad preseason. Maybe he is injured or moved away?

Freedom played fullback for the Bs on the weekend.

Suafoa was also at blindside for the Bs. So like @Nogusta mentioned, he might be seen as more of a 6 by the coaches.

[Dice]

Lemeki Namoa also seems to have recovered from his injury as he was playing at centre for the U19s against the Colts on the weekend.

[Daffy Jaffy]

@Dice That's good news. At the A squad naming it mentioned one back to be added. Namoa would be my choice for that spot as he can cover centre, wing, fullback and would be a good threat off the bench with his speed and step.

[Tim]

Representative Results - Thursday 15 to Saturday 17 August

There were a number of representative teams in action late last week and over the weekend wearing the blue and white...

[Dice]

Niko Jones was back and playing for the U19s on the weekend.

[Tim]

@Dice Was he injured?

[Dice]

@Tim I assume he's been injured because he wasn't part of the first three U19 games. I think he's been injured for a good chunk of the year.

[Stargazer]

@Dice Isn't he a contracted NZ sevens development player? Maybe it has something to do with that?

[Duluth]

There are articles from May saying he's injured and that's why he missed 7's tournaments

There was no mention of what the injury was

[KiwiMurph]

Auckland are training at Blues HQ. Finally some sensible stuff going on between Auckland and Blues.

[Duluth]

@KiwiMurph said in Auckland Rugby 2019:

Auckland are training at Blues HQ. Finally some sensible stuff going on between Auckland and Blues.

Redman gets pushed and then the ridiculous ban is lifted..

[Tim]

Auckland B team to play the Auckland Colts (24/08/19):​​​​​​​

Ezekiel Lindenmuth (Suburbs)
Mike Sosene-Feagai (Marist)
Marco Fepulea'i (Ponsonby)
Marcel Barnard (unattached)
Felix Kalapu (Grammar TEC)
Hau Paea (Mt Wellington)
Sioeli Alofi (Te Papapa)
Dylam Lam - Captain (Grammar TEC)
Desma Liaina (Eden)
Johnny Cooper (Ponsonby)
Freedom Vaha'akolo (Ponsonby)
Paul Roache (Ponsonby)
Solofa Silipa (Papatoetoe)
AJ Lam (Grammar TEC)
Matt Storm (Grammar TEC)
Te Ariki Te Puni (University)
Herman Huch (Ponsonby)
Simi Kata (Marist)
Isi Manu (College Rifles)
Rilloy Suesue (Ponsonby)
Sasa Tofilau (College Rifles)
Hawaii Ahokovi (Pakuranga)
Beau Birtwistle (University)

[Daffy Jaffy]

@Tim The lock Marcel Barnard appears to be from Durban. He is listed as playing for the Sharks U21 team this season. Maybe looking at him as cover for Scrafton.

[Dice]

@Daffy-Jaffy Would be nice if he's decent enough to give our starting locks some rest, especially Whetton. We obviously don't trust Peter-Chanel Tagaloa enough, as both Lane and Whetton played 80 on the weekend.

Some tough games coming up, so Whetton could be playing some big minutes until the Southland game in round 9. We're going to have to hope for some early blowouts to get him subbed off.

[African Monkey]

@Dice Interesting about Tagaloa as I liked the look of him when he came on against Northland despite the fact we were well ahead when he played. Hope to see Plummer back for Waikato as well. Leuila's doing alright in his absence but our attack functions better with Plummer out there.

[Nogusta]

@African-Monkey Plummer has a torn quad so definitely won't be back this week and probably not for a few weeks. I would start Dan Kirkpatrick with Leuila off the bench. Be nice to get Trainor back too at the back. Tumua Manu for mine goes straight into 13 too if/when he's fit.

[DrivingMaul]

Leuila did great up in Northland but found it tougher going this weekend

[African Monkey]

@Nogusta Hmm no good thanks for that though. Manu and Trainor also bring more balance to the backline as we're virtually playing with 4 wingers out there. I include Tele'a as a winger as his distribution still needs working on for me. Manu is a far more rounded player at this stage.

[Nogusta]

@African-Monkey my thoughts exactly re Tele'a/Manu. His (Tele'a) work at the breakdown not the best for a dude his size.