Auckland v Canterbury

[Duluth]

Cantabs are naming their side tomorrow

[Chris]

@george33 said in Auckland v Canterbury:

@cgrant ekuasi at 8 wow this guy got it and kata on bench with lots of experience and lane with scrafton in second row , backline as expected no Roger yet

As expected No Ofa T ,RTS or Clarke

[Bovidae]

Looks like a 6:2 bench.

[Tim]

Sione Tuipulotu covering lock.

[Tim]

Interesting that Auckland have already gone outside their squad for a prop.

[KiwiMurph]

@nzzp said in Auckland v Canterbury:

TAB have AKL $1.62 Canterbury $2.20

Home advantage I guess. Such a tough start to the comp for Auckland - 4 roudns will be decisive. Can't afford to get off to a slow start

Those odds look the wrong way around.

Pleased to see Evans at 12.

[george33]

@kiwimurph yes Evans great choice wydh him well

[taniwharugby]

I assume Auckland followed HIA protocols with Zarn after the match last week clearing him but I still cannot believe they left him out there last week.

One of the hardest head clashes I've seen in a long while

[cgrant]

Pretty inexperienced bench. But I am pleased with this line up with an interesting combo in midfield (Evans - Heem).

[Chris]

Pretty young Canterbury missing a few

Team to play Auckland:

1 Daniel Lienert-Brown

2 Sam Stewart*

3 Oliver Jager

4 Luke Romano

5 Sam Darry

6 Liam Allen

7 Mitchell Gibson*

8 Henry Stowers*

9 Mitchell Drummond (c)

10 Fergus Burke

11 Manasa Mataele

12 Dallas McLeod

13 Isaiah Punivai

14 Chay Fihaki

15 Josh McKay

16 Shilo Klein

17 Finlay Brewis

18 Tamaiti Williams

19 Zach Gallagher

20 Corey Kellow*

21 Luke Donaldson

22 Rameka Poihipi

23 Ngatungane Punivai

[KiwiMurph]

@chris battle of the Gibson brothers.

[Chris]

@kiwimurph said in Auckland v Canterbury:

@chris battle of the Gibson brothers.

Yeah that's going to be interesting, is the younger one better or not.

[African Monkey]

@chris I've seen Mitch play for HSOB down here and they have very similar styles. Both very physical 7s that throw themselves into everything both in attack and defense.

Sadly Mitch Gibson that day got outshone by his opposite Bill Harmon. Hope for his sake his body holds up a bit better than his brothers especially with the style he plays.

[Chris]

@african-monkey said in Auckland v Canterbury:

@chris I've seen Mitch play for HSOB down here and they have very similar styles. Both very physical 7s that throw themselves into everything both in attack and defense.

Sadly Mitch Gibson that day got outshone by his opposite Bill Harmon. Hope for his sake his body holds up a bit better than his brothers especially with the style he plays.

I rate young Corey Kellow,It will be interesting how he goes off the bench.

[george33]

@chris never herd of half them weres noholo,think they gonna struggle.

[george33]

@african-monkey looks like an average side alot of ex aucklanders is club rugby weak in chch and no noholo

[Chris]

@george33 said in Auckland v Canterbury:

@chris never herd of half them weres noholo,think they gonna struggle.

McAlister,Prinsep,Grace and Harmon have injuries
Naholo still building his knee up.

A lot of Players in this side from the Crusaders academy
They may suprise you, some future Crusaders in there .
I have never heard of half of the Auckland team either
Like Lane, and the No.8 and the Bench.

[KiwiMurph]

@chris Lane has been around for years. Average beanpole lock. Being tall is about his only attribute shown so far.

[African Monkey]

@george33 Its not as strong as what it was a few years back tbh. Still, despite Canterbury not being as strong as they once were, never write off any Canterbury side.

[African Monkey]

@kiwimurph Yeah surprised to see him back tbh. Lacks a hard edge.

I'd like to see Dalzell there if fit. I was quite impressed with him last season.