Taranaki vs Northland
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@taniwharugby said in v Taranaki:
yet we seem to plod along, struggling to stay in the middle of the road, often veering off into the ditch, right ourselves briefly and then back to the ditch, never finding our way into the fastlane.
Perfect way to describe it. Even 2017 when Jack Goodhue was on deck and we had some good results, the wheels came off and we relied on Hawke’s Bay (of all bloody teams!) to give us a leg up to the semis.
We’ve just never got away from that battler tag, to being actual contenders. Hard to think it’ll ever change in all honesty.
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1 Reuben O'Neill
2 Ricky Riccitelli
3 Donald Brighouse
4 Tupou Vaa'i
5 Mitchell Brown (c)
6 Kaylum Boshier
7 Lachlan Boshier
8 Pita-Gus Sowakula
9 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi
10 Daniel Waite
11 Kini Naholo
12 Teihorangi Walden
13 Sean Wainui
14 Waisake Naholo
15 Jayson PotrozReserves:
16 Scott Mellow
17 Chris Gawler
18 Kyle Stewart
19 Jesse Parete
20 Tom Florence
21 Lisati Milo-Harris
22 Regan Verney
23 Jackson Ormond -
@J77 couldn’t agree more about the mediocrity comment. We looked looked slow, played without intent and some players just looked average. However start of the season and maybe they still have their training wheels on. We need to see a lot more energy and some straight and hard running - especially from the backs.
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@taniwharugby we have yet to have our golden period. If you look at our injured list this year you have to say we are well below strength. That said the performance against Auckland was us veering well into the ditch. A soulless effort. The first five selection, the complete submission at ruck time, the backline playing well behind the advantage line, and some really poor individual mistakes. We looked a lot better against Southland but I still remember the two long range tries we gave away - no cover maybe due to the lack of energy we saw in the Auckland game. Just hope that the team and coaches take a look at what other teams are delivering and can lift - they need to.
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@J77 said in v Taranaki:
We’ve just never got away from that battler tag, to being actual contenders. Hard to think it’ll ever change in all honesty.
Still think we can but maybe not this year. I would be satisfied with a team that competes for 80 mins, plays with energy and innovation, and is smart. I remember when Bryce Woodward had his second stint as coach, how the team played attacking entertaining rugby. Really enjoyed watching that team.
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@kev said in v Taranaki:
@J77 said in v Taranaki:
We’ve just never got away from that battler tag, to being actual contenders. Hard to think it’ll ever change in all honesty.
Still think we can but maybe not this year. I would be satisfied with a team that competes for 80 mins, plays with energy and innovation, and is smart. I remember when Bryce Woodward had his second stint as coach, how the team played attacking entertaining rugby. Really enjoyed watching that team.
Hope so Kev. I guess my opinions are tinged with frustration and a bit of jealousy as I look at other teams of similar status to us performing well.
Just about every team in this comp over both divisions have had recent golden runs, and that’s including Southland with their shield glories. When you look at it we’re the only ones who’ve been left behind. Yep we’ve scraped into that fourth spot three times since 2014, but that’s about it.
I only come across as a bit pissed purely because I know we are capable of much better.
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After watching Otago and Hawkes Bay on Thursday night we have to find another level..
I am totally concerned about tomorrow’s game against the Naki, they have so much super rugby talent to call on compared to our boys, not to mention a couple of All Blacks in TTT and Naholo.
I think we will be lucky to stay within 20..Hawkes Bay,BOP and Taranaki you can lock in in terms of semi finalists in my opinion..and then Otago probably favoured to get that 4 place.
One player I thought we could cover was Ranger, but his absence in the midfield is there for all to see especially at Mitre 10 Cup level.
Also Tom Robinson gave us so much energy in the first few games last despite getting injured..
Can only 🙏we bring some sort of physicality tomorrow -
TTT played that on the ground with his feet prior to that try.
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@taniwharugby said in v Taranaki:
TTT played that on the ground with his feet prior to that try.
Yes should be penalty. They always miss that.
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is that wind really that strong?
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NOck has a very quick pass, but he spends alot of time with his head up looking at scrums.
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@taniwharugby got to coach that out. Make decisions get on with it.
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man our discipline is average (although ref let them go straight off feet which he pinged us for)
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superb passage of defence, ending with a great t/o by Matich
