NPC - news, injuries etc
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@Nogusta I should have been clearer, I meant similar deals with MLR teams. But yes, several NZ teams (or their academies), including Mitre 10 Cup teams, have some form of partnership with a Japanese team.
I remember that not only the Blues, but also the Chiefs (Kobelco Steelers) and Highlanders (Docomo Red Hurricanes) had development options for some players from those Japanese clubs, resulting in those players playing for the development team in 2019. Hawke's Bay (and no doubt more provinces) does the same. There have been movements in the opposite direction, too. IIRC that's how first Gareth Evans, and now Lincoln McClutchie, ended up with the Docomo Red Hurricanes.
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@Stargazer Great try by Sam Briggs at 67 minutes.
Rips the ball from a Sabrecat and runs 70 metres stepping three defenders on the way.
Pretty sure Sam's dad is former Nelson Bays captain and prop - Gavin - who wasn't really noted for his mobility!
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...and the Mako win 29-19.
I only watched the last 20 minutes, but it was actually pretty entertaining footy - open with lots of ball movement and the Baby Sharks looked pretty sharp.
The coverage was excellent - pretty much Mitre10 Cup standard.
Houston probably good Heartland rugby standard - maybe a bit better?
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@Chris-B Yeah, about Heartland level, at least this team. Maybe the team they field in competition games will be a bit stronger.
Someone in the comments suggested a game between the MLR champions and the SR champions. I was just thinking about how to word it nicely that that would be a blood bath, when - fortunately - someone else replied that that would be a step too far and that playing the Shute Shield champions would be a better fit.
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@Stargazer One of the slight problems with these sorts of tours - the promoters want to play up that the Mako are New Zealand's national provincial champions, while playing down that there's only a handful of squaddies on tour.
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@Dice said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:
Ouch. So Dalton Papali'i has signed for Counties.
Now @crucial is going to act like Dalton is his favorite player.:smiling_face_with_open_mouth_smiling_eyes:
Would've preferred to keep him, but it does ease up the loose forward log jam at Auckland
In practical terms I don't think it will matter much. IMO Papali'i is the best blindside in NZ. He should only play NPC if he's coming back from an injury
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@Duluth I am really surprised he’s gone to Counties Manukau given that they struggled big time in this years Mitre 10 Cup..I know he’s the sort of player who will stand out regardless of whom he plays for, but I can’t help but think it would have been a backwards step..maybe with an up and coming team like Hawkes Bay or even dare I say it Canterbury would have been a much better option to critique his game..even staying with Auckland was doing him no harm..I just don’t get it, to me it can only be a culture issue to why he’s leaving ..
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