Farah Palmer Cup 2020
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The Farah Palmer Cup schedule has been released.
Different from previous years, the competition is not split in a Premiership and a Championship division, but in a North and a South pool.
North:
Northland, North Harbour, Auckland, Counties Manukau, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and TaranakiSouth:
Canterbury, Manawatu, Hawke’s Bay, Wellington, Ta$man and OtagoOne of the consequences is that teams in pool South only play 5 round robin games, while North teams play six.
The top two teams from each pool take part in crossover semi-finals and the Final will be held a week later on 17 October.
Link to the draw: https://www.provincial.rugby/farah-palmer-cup/fixtures-and-results/
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Portia Woodman and Tyla Nathan-Wong will join the Northland Kauri, Sarah Hirini will don the green strip of the Manawatu Cyclones while Ruby Tui will be eying up a debut for the Auckland Storm.
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Canterbury will have to defend the JJ Stewart Trophy against Ta$man, Otago and Wellington in their three home fixtures.
The JJ Stewart Trophy is the women's version of the Ranfurly Shield.
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Good idea, reduces traveling costs in a comp that bleeds money. Until some businesses decide to sponsor women's rugby to the same amount they do men's, you gotta feel for NZR. They have to promote the weekends game, but no one wants to pay for it. Or, numbers wise, watch it.
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One very big downside of this north-south schedule is that there are going to be some really one-sided games with monster scores. Some provinces are relatively new to FPC, or have been absent for years and have only just returned (to the Championship div), or are weak for other reasons. Teams like Taranaki, Ta$man and possibly North Harbour are going to get hammered. Northland, because it gets a few superstars, will probably go relatively well. Canterbury is missing out on some of their strongest competitors (Auckland, Counties) and get an easier route to the finals than in previous years, just like Auckland and Counties don't meet Canterbury in the rr.
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I've posted the Hawke's Bay Tui squad in this thread.
This is the Ta$man Mako women's squad (pool South): -
Is Risi Pouri-Lane playing for BOP and not Ta$man?
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@Bovidae Yes, I think so.
I haven't seen squads other than those of Ta$man and Hawke's Bay, yet. What I know is that most BF7s are spread over a limited number of NI squads, like Woodman and - I think - Nathan-Wong will be in the Northland squad, Ruby Tui, Theresa Fitzpatrick and - I assume - Nial Williams will play for Auckland (maybe a few others, too), Sarah Hirini will play for Manawatu (as always), Gayle Broughton used to play for Taranaki, but not sure where she'll play this year, and the majority of players for BOP (including Pouri-Lane, Blyde, Brazier). Not sure about other provinces. Maybe Terina Te Tamaki will play for Waikato?
It's a pity that only some squads get to benefit from the BF7s playing FPC.
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Another squad announced: Taranaki ... with Gayle Broughton
Port Taranaki Whio sqaud announced
Taranaki Rugby and Head Coach Brendan Haami are pleased to announce their 30 women strong 2020 Port Taranaki Whio...
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The opening two rounds of the Farah Palmer Cup will not go ahead as scheduled, New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has announced today. The North pool of the premier women’s competition was due to kick off next Saturday 22 August, with North Harbour hosting Waikato, Counties Manukau playing Bay of Plenty and Northland hosting Taranaki. NZR Head of Women’s Rugby Cate Sexton said: “With Auckland-based teams unable to train or host matches for the next 12 days due to Level 3 restrictions, the decision has been made not to start the competition next weekend. "We’ll now discuss with Provincial Unions and the Players Association around the different options for revising the draw. The Farah Palmer Cup is an exciting competition and we know our teams and fans are looking forward to it getting underway.” The Farah Palmer Cup will be played in two pools split geographically with Northland, North Harbour, Auckland, Counties Manukau, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Taranaki making up the seven-team North pool and Manawatu, Hawke’s Bay, Wellington, Ta$man, Canterbury and Otago in the South pool. -
Spirit Squad
The Otago Spirit squad announcement:
Otago Spirit
The squad
Eilis Doyle, France Bloomfield, Meg Breen, Rosie Buchanan-Brown, Lucy Cahill, Paige Church, Jamie Church, Cheyenne Cunningham, Amy du Plessis, Maddie Feaunati, Teliah Ferguson, Julia Gorinski, Sarah Graham, Morgan Henderson, Keely Hill, Tegan Hollows, Trisha Hopcroft, Maia Joseph, Rosie Kelly, Leah Miles, Gemma Millar, Kilisitina Moata’ane, Libby Napier, Isla Pringle, Bree Thomas, Rebekah Wairau, Hinemoa Watene, Kiana Wereta, Zoe Whatarau. -
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@taniwharugby Good squad with several Black Ferns and Black Ferns 7s players. Noticeable omission is talented youngster Savannah Bodman, who showed much promise last year. Attending uni and in one of the main centre squads, like some of the other small province talent?
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Wellington Pride Wider Training Group Announcement
The Wellington Pride wider squad is:
Mata Taafua - HOBM
Tyler Bentley - HOBM
Ana Afuie - MSP
Caitlyn Taniela - MSP
Cheyne Copeland - MSP
Jane Bryce - MSP
Lyric Faleafaga - MSP
Marcelle Parkes - MSP
Monica Tagoai - MSP
Saraya O’Dea - MSP
Dhys Faleafaga - Norths
Dora Laupola - Norths
Harmony Ioane - Norths
Kolora Lomani - Norths
Nina Foaese - Norths
Sanita Levave - Norths
Syntyche Tuimaolo - Norths
Te Amohaere Ngata-Aerengamate - Norths
Vaine Marsters - Norths
Emily Dalley - OBU
Georgia Daals - OBU
Moana Solia - OBU
Montana Heslop - OBU
Thamsyn Newton - OBU
Amanda Rasch - Ories
Ayesha Leti-I'iga - Ories
Barbra Taumoli - Ories
Bernadette Robertson - Ories
Charlene Gubb - Ories
Evelyn Tea - Ories
Fa'asua Makisi - Ories
Janet Taumoli - Ories
Joanah Ngan-Woo - Ories
Josephine Falesita - Ories
Precious Auimatagi - Ories
Rejieli Uluinayau - Ories
Sinead Toala-Ryder - Ories
Tina Paulo - Ories
Acacia Claridge-Te Iwimate - Pare-Plim
Alia Ah Far - Pare-Plim
Lavinia Lea - Pare-Plim
Alice Soper - Petone
Alicia Print - Petone
Angel Uila - Petone
Jackie Patea-Fereti - Petone
Milly Mackey - Petone
Soraya Umaga-Jensen - Petone
Rebekkah Carter - Poneke -
@NateHill74 At least three Black Ferns and two Black Ferns 7s players (there may be more; the BFs have capped quite a few rookies last year, who I don't recognise yet).
Also an Umaga-Jensen. Sister of?
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@Stargazer She's played for Wellington in 2008, Otago in 2017, and yes she is the sister of the Umaga-Jensen brothers
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