North Harbour v Hawke's Bay
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@Stockcar86 That was really a stupid yellow. Stupid from the ref, I mean.
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Okay, I expected a loss, and feared a bad loss. Flush the dunny and move on. With so many changes to the 23, we were never going to have a good game, no matter having a few good, old names on the team sheet. I hope our usual starters and the absentees had a good rest. Now, start thinking about the game that really matters, next week. This game was written off before it started.
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I hope Ozich will seriously consider giving Baker a rest . A season-ending rest. Now that McNicol is back, please, drop Sapsford, too. He must be the most handling error prone, most turnover conceding player we've had in a long time. These guys are sevens players, who need space. They can't handle XVs. How was Baker ever a Highlander?
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@Stargazer i think Baker earned a start next week i mean it is only Northland next week.
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@Duluth just got in from the Harbour game , had a quick word with Sam Ward the harbour assistant, he was telling Page can shift and has got a very good rugby brain ..really impressed with the Harbour pack..Jacob Pierce is going from strength to strength , over 2mtrs and has still got some size to pack on , will serve the Blues well in seasons to come ..
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@Steven-Harris said in North Harbour v Hawke's Bay:
Jacob Pierce is going from strength to strength , over 2mtrs and has still got some size to pack on , will serve the Blues well in seasons to come ..
..and the All Blacks
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@Stargazer just got in from the game, a couple of observations, there was very little penetration or variety in the midfield , Sapsford is big and direct but need to look offload once through contact ..McNicol looked like he had been out of the game for a long time ..they reminded of Athens Turbos last night running into contact all day ..one player being there live , who just seemed uninterested the longer the match went was Kurt Baker, he’s good when things are going your way, but when it’s not, he just looks like he does not want to there ..
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@Steven-Harris It will be interesting to see who - if anyone - Harbour lose to the ABs with the additional call-ups.
Bryn Hall must be a decent chance.
But, if they lose no-one, they are a decent chance to win the whole thing. Early losses to AB- reinforced Canterbury and Waikato might have them flying under the radar.
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@Chris-B NH looked bloody sharp out there too, great scrambling defence, won alot of HB ball on the ground, although lost a bit too, thier lineout struggled at times. Gatland with that 60m pen kick too, helps alot
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@taniwharugby I didn't watch this game - but, I watched last week's one with some concern.
We were poor, but quite a lot of that was down to how good Harbour was. They've possibly got the best forward pack in the competition now the ABs are gone - and the two Bryns are pretty sharp for NPC.
As well as having some firepower they have a very good (though old school) coach!
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Can see Jared Page as a possible fullback option for the Blues..the youngster Jack Heighton also looked very good ..
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@Steven-Harris Did Heighton play at fullback?
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@Steven-Harris said in North Harbour v Hawke's Bay:
@Stargazer just got in from the game, a couple of observations, there was very little penetration or variety in the midfield , Sapsford is big and direct but need to look offload once through contact ..McNicol looked like he had been out of the game for a long time ..they reminded of Athens Turbos last night running into contact all day ..one player being there live , who just seemed uninterested the longer the match went was Kurt Baker, he’s good when things are going your way, but when it’s not, he just looks like he does not want to there ..
I think McNicol last played on 22 February 2020, so you're right about that. Clearly he has some rust to get rid of.
About Sapsford & Baker, haha, I think I've said my bit already. Drop them!
