Canes vs Chiefs
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="cgrant" data-cid="573837" data-time="1461223552">
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<p>No Laumape. Is he injured ?</p>
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<p>No. Unsure why he does not even make the reserves. But the coaches seem to rate Aso and he's more suited to 2nd</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Unco" data-cid="573821" data-time="1461218627"><p>Bird's out with a minor foot injury apparently. Should be okay to play the Sharks next week though.</p></blockquote>
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Didn't he just come back from injury? Bird has had a heap of injuries in his career. -
<p>I'm pleased they stuck with Aso and Proctor. I like what I saw last WE so would like to see hw they can develop</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/79202846/Hurricanes-keen-to-hitch-their-Super-Rugby-future-to-John-Plumtree'>http://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/79202846/Hurricanes-keen-to-hitch-their-Super-Rugby-future-to-John-Plumtree</a></p>
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<p>Plumtree and Boyd have, largely, stuck with the side that beat the Rebels 38-13 last Friday. First-choice lock Blade Thomson returns to partner Michael Fatialofa, having sat that match out with a bit of knee bruising.</p>
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<p>Beyond that, the most notable aspect of the squad was probably the retention of Matt Proctor and Vince Aso in midfield.</p>
<p>"We liked what they brought to the party last week and we're just looking forward to growing that partnership and seeing how it goes," Plumtree said of the combination at centre and second five-eighth.</p>
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<p>"There's still pressure from Willis [Halaholo] and Ngani [Laumape], which is exactly what we want."</p>
<p>Halaholo gets the nod in the reserves, where James Marshall is also among the cavalry. Getting through Thursday's practise session was the last of the concussion protocols Marshall had to meet, having taken a head knock in the team's win over the Southern Kings on March 25.</p> -
<p>This should be a cracker. I have to be out of town so won't be going to the match and may even be lucky to see it live on TV which has me a bit pissed off.</p>
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<p>Hopefully the Canes show the rubbish defensive patterns they did against the Jaguares. The Jags found it fairly easy to get through them after a few phases but their own poor finishing and decision making (along with good scrambling by the Canes) meant that they didn't profit as much as they could have. If the Canes play the same way against the Chiefs the scoreboard will tick over.</p>
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<p>This has the potential to become a tit-for-tat try fest or a defensive slug out.</p>
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<p>BB will be aiming at ACs channel while AC will be looking to run put flat balls against the Canes midfield.</p>
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<p>Chiefs by a try.</p> -
<p>Hopefully these 2 teams don't do any long term damage (injury-wise) to one another!</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Milk" data-cid="573903" data-time="1461268799">
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<p>Is McNicol not known for his defense? Hopefully he's up to the task of containing Jane.</p>
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<p>it is more that I haven't seen much of his ability on defence. He is a bit of an unknown in that area. The concern is mine only and maybe not shared by others.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="573910" data-time="1461271611">
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<p>it is more that I haven't seen much of his ability on defence. He is a bit of an unknown in that area. The concern is mine only and maybe not shared by others.</p>
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<p>Hes a bit of unknown fullstop. Only played one game for the Canes last year. Over two seasons I think he only played about three games for Wellington and this year he has only played a handful for the Chiefs. He's got gas and a big kick but he is still unproven at this level. Im looking forward to seeing that back three of the Chiefs run though. Probs one of the fastest backfields in Super history you would have to say.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Canes4life" data-cid="573949" data-time="1461283359">
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<p>Hes a bit of unknown fullstop. Only played one game for the Canes last year. Over two seasons I think he only played about three games for Wellington and this year he has only played a handful for the Chiefs. He's got gas and a big kick but he is still unproven at this level. Im looking forward to seeing that back three of the Chiefs run though. Probs one of the fastest backfields in Super history you would have to say.</p>
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<p>McNicol is a bit of a mystery, I asked people back home in the Bay about him and they can't really remember him too much.</p>
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<p>He's looked ok in his runs for the Chiefs so far.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="573952" data-time="1461284961">
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<p>McNicol is a bit of a mystery, I asked people back home in the Bay about him and they can't really remember him too much.</p>
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<p>He's looked ok in his runs for the Chiefs so far.</p>
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<p>How old is McNicol? 20? I guess we will get a gauge this weekend of how good he is. I read an article a few years ago when he signed for Wellington and he can do 100m under 11secs. Same speed as Habana aparantly. Haven't seen evidence of his gas just yet, however if he can get some space we may see his jet shoes this week. </p> -
<p>Pulu is supposedly quickest though....</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="573952" data-time="1461284961">
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<p><strong>McNicol is a bit of a mystery, I asked people back home in the Bay about him and they can't really remember him too much</strong>.</p>
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<p>He's looked ok in his runs for the Chiefs so far.</p>
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<p>Then they obviously don't follow school rugby. He's one of the greatest talents coming out of Napier BHS in recent years and he played for NZ Schools in 2013. Not sure, but he probably would have been in the NZ U20s last year, if he hadn't been out of rugby with an injury for 7 months (double hip surgery).</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Canes4life" data-cid="573954" data-time="1461285981">
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<p><strong>How old is McNicol? 20?</strong> I guess we will get a gauge this weekend of how good he is. I read an article a few years ago when he signed for Wellington and he can do 100m under 11secs. Same speed as Habana aparantly. Haven't seen evidence of his gas just yet, however if he can get some space we may see his jet shoes this week. </p>
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<p>Yes, McNicol is 20.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="573981" data-time="1461295570">
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<p><strong>Then they obviously don't follow school rugby.</strong> He's one of the greatest talents coming out of Napier BHS in recent years and he played for NZ Schools in 2013. Not sure, but he probably would have been in the NZ U20s last year, if he hadn't been out of rugby with an injury for 7 months (double hip surgery).</p>
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<p>Yes, McNicol is 20.</p>
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<p>They're high school teachers, they just don't really remember him that well even knowing he played NZ Secondary Schools (obviously none of them teach at Napier Boys).</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="573981" data-time="1461295570">
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<p>Then they obviously don't follow school rugby. He's one of the greatest talents coming out of Napier BHS in recent years and he played for NZ Schools in 2013. Not sure, but he probably would have been in the NZ U20s last year, if he hadn't been out of rugby with an injury for 7 months (double hip surgery).</p>
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<p>Yes, McNicol is 20. </p>
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<p><span style="font-size:12px;background-color:rgb(247,247,247);">Just because you perform better than all others in a team does not classify you as a "greatest talent". Being better than the rest simply implies that you are better than those you play with and in the case of Napier Boys' High School they have been pretty average these last few seasons, even loosing to Hastings BHS (much to Gibbit and Nepia's joy!) last season. Whether he kicks on to the level of the hype accorded to him remains to be seen. As a contracted HB Mitre 10 Cup player I sincerely hope he does but at this stage in the limited number of games I have seen him take part in in open age rugby I am still waiting to be convinced that the hype is justified. He may well live up to that billing, I just haven't witnessed it yet.</span></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Higgins" data-cid="574166" data-time="1461321223">
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<p>Just because you perform better than all others in a team does not classify you as a "greatest talent". Being better than the rest simply implies that you are better than those you play with and in the case of Napier Boys' High School they have been pretty average these last few seasons, even loosing to Hastings BHS (much to Gibbit and Nepia's joy!) last season. Whether he kicks on to the level of the hype accorded to him remains to be seen. As a contracted HB Mitre 10 Cup player I sincerely hope he does but at this stage in the limited number of games I have seen him take part in in open age rugby I am still waiting to be convinced that the hype is justified. He may well live up to that billing, I just haven't witnessed it yet.</p>
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<p>He was considered "one of" the greatest talents at the time in HB school rugby, with a number of others. That's not my assessment, it was the view of people who know more about (school) rugby than me - at that point in time. I agree that having talent only means something if it is further developed and can be converted into playing well at a higher level and I hope, too, that he'll do that in Super Rugby and Mitre 10 Cup. I'm not aware of a hype ...</p>
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<p>I have no connection to Napier BHS whatsoever and I don't support them more than any other school team, but I like to get the facts right. Napier BHS hasn't performed well in 2014 and 2015, true, but was by far the best of the Bay school teams in 2013 (the year that McNicoll played for them; I believe he even captained the team, but not sure about that). They won about 12 of their 16 games overall that year, and lost only to Hamilton BHS in the Super 8. They beat Hastings BHS 60-10 that year, by the way, but it was generally a bad year for Hastings (only won 1 game in the Super 8).</p>
