Northland Rugby 2022
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Northland HP and North Harbour finish on level terms.
The Northland High Performance squad and the North Development finished on levels terms in what turned out to be a tight contest played at the Mahurangi Rugby Club in Warkworth on wednesday evening under lights
Northland coaches George Konia and Graham Dewes took the opportunity to roll out a mixture of experienced ,young and players who were rewarded through club form .
The Harbour Development team which has been together as a collective for several months started the stronger using their big ball carriers to get over the advantage line and using the inside ball with good effort .
The home side scoring after 8 minutes from a lineout drive intially breaking down the visitors with series of impressive forward charges .On the 20 minute mark Northland finally got some go forward and strung some phases together getting in behind Harbour , from the resulting phase a cross kick out to winger Josh Davis when things looked likely for the visitors ,however the crosskick was picked off by the impressive North Harbour left winger Tika Lelenga who ran 80 metres down the left flank to score despite a desperate chase from Reece Le Vavasour who did extremely well to get so close.
The Lelenga try was converted by Harbour first Phoenix Nofoa who was also a handful with his footwork during the opening half hour
At 14-0 down the visitors needed to strike back , and it would be 3 minutes before halftime break when they would finally crack what had been some staunch North Harbour defence.
From a 5 metre scrum ,number 8 Jacob Matiu got to within a couple of metres of the try line ,after series drives to right under crossbar the ball was shifted wide , not perfectly by any means but good enough for Josh Davis to squeeze across in the corner ,first five Dan Hawkins slotted an excellent conversion from the touchline to head into the halftime break at 7-14 down .
Justin Davies touched down after 12 minutes in the 2nd half after series forward charges close to the Harbour line , Hawkins added the extras to complete the match scoring
A much improved 2nd half from the Taniwha especially at scrum time , the only slight disappointment most of the rugby was played between the 22s with teams making unforced errors as the game progressed
Despite the effortFor the Northland HP , Waipu skipper Jonah Mau’u playing in the 7 jersey took the eye with an impressive display especially in and around workrate , hooker Ben Kauika Peterson was a bundle of energy during his time on the paddock in the first half turning up on at least a couple off occasions on defence
Kauika Peterson who has transfered North from Wellington looks a great pick up especially with lasts years Taniwha skipper Jordon Olsen unavailable.
Locks Tevita Faukafa and Kali Vaipulu along with Sam McNamara for the main were a great source of lineout ball ,but the also put a lot of pressure on the Harbour throw
Both were willing ball carriers ,Vailpulu who has the size to match looks a player of imense promise and his time at NPC will come rather sooner than laterIn the backs Heremia Murray who has been signed for 2022 season looked like a player who has time along with an excellent skillset
Josh Davis from Ngati Hine Uk/Moerewa also played well showing some niffty footwork ar times and finishing of his try expertlyReece La Vavasour showed some genunie power on at least couple of occasions bumping off players with consumate ease and that despite playing in the unfamiliar left wing position did well defensively .
Kalani Going also showed why he is one of the form midfielders running around in the Tyrepower Northland premier club comp scattering defenders when he took the ball into contact .
I also liked the look of Ryan Nankerville , offered something different especially when he slotted into first five ..
Matt Matich bought some great defensive hussle off the bench when he entered the fray in the 2nd half , and showed theres still plenty of experience and energy if requred when the final make up of the 2022 Northland Taniwha Squad is eventually announced.
Personally if it were my choice Matich would be one of my first loose forwards picked , hes too good a player to leave out in my opinion.Final Score
Northland HP 14
Josh Davis Try ,Justin Davies Try,Dan Hawkins 2 ConHarbour Dev 14
Try , Tika Lelenga Try ,Phoenix Nafoa 2 Con -
@Steven-Harris said in Northland Rugby 2022:
Matich would be one of my first loose forwards picked , hes too good a player to leave out in my opinion.
Sharks are a different team without him, have to be consistently the best loosie running around up here in club footy for years, and usually in our npc team too.
On that, I have heard he is not really favoured by our coaches as he challenges them, and from what I hear around the traps, they don't like being challenged by anyone, which says more about them if they can't handle people questioning tactics, selections etc.
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@taniwharugby , speaking to a friend who was at the Sharks v OBM game , he told me Matich only played in the first half and in his opinion it had a massive bearing on OBM getting across the line such Is his influence on the sharks ..had a brief chat Matt after the trial game and he confirmed he was only allowed to play 40 minutes .
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@Steven-Harris why was that?
It's a shortened club season, why are minutes being restricted?
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@taniwharugby I have no idea Matich is so fit , I have no doubt he could play back to back matches with no issues , besides I am not entirely sure if he played the full 40 in the 2nd half ..makes no sense .
I know Graham has a liking for Saimoni Uluinakauvadra, but he’s been injured for 15 months , just hope we are not making the same mistake we made with Kane Jacobson ..
Someone’s gonna be disappointed when it comes to picking those that loose forward mix
So far selected
Tom Robinson 6/lock
Rob Rush 6/7
Sam McNamara..I see Sam solely as a 6I suspect Uluinakauvadra will be signed
Which leaves 3 spots only .Tevita Faukafa
(A few issues in and around fitness , but will give you gain line as an 8 and can slip into lock )
Matt Matich ( No synopsis required ,we know what he brings)
Jonah Ma’uu ( has been a stand out in club and to be fair played well in the trial )
Jacob Matiu ( played 8 in the trial ,looks lighter than he’s ever been ,but once again we know what he brings )
Melino Fotu
( great one for the future in my opinion ,been in top form in club footy ,amazing athlete but from those in the know better ranging wide , was a little quiet in the trial , needs roll the sleeves up when the game gets tight )I would take Faukafa and Matich , the next is one is a toss up.
Never know with Graham, he’s probably got someone from the Drua lined up 😂 -
@Steven-Harris see I simply dont understand their thinking in that trial v NH.
Hawkins & Hohaia started...seriously, what is the point of starting these 2 together in a trial/development game?
We know exactly what these 2 bring, why not start Nankivell at 10 & Going? Was Bell from KK unavailble?
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@taniwharugby , several pulled out due to knocks in club games and the odd COVID contact , have since heard Matich only played 40 minutes due to a concussion protocol that kept him out so if that’s the case fair enough ..
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@Steven-Harris odd, surely around the concussion thing, you are either cleared to play or you shouldnt play at all, 1 min or 80 mins?
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@taniwharugby I actually thought Hohaia was ordinary, just makes poor decisions , even if they had kept Hawkins at first five and given either Going or La Vavasour time with Murray, besides it’s another midfield back your looking for especially if Goodhue is selected for the ABs ..
To me that’s odd , Going looked good , both he La Vavasour are 2nd fives in my eyes ..they both carry into contact much stronger than Blake ..
In my time following the Taniwha , the selection of Blake Hohaia has to be the most puzzling one ,but as they say selection is in the eye the selector at that time .Dan Hawkins played reasonably well , his strengths is his kicking game and his kicking off the tea and he defends well for a small fella
However he does sit in the pocket , which does not offer any threat running at the line , put in a really good cross kick which was unfortunately picked off by the Harbour winger ..probably should have been kept in hand . -
@Steven-Harris well as I have said plenty of times, Hohaia doesnt stand out in club rugby (and I watch Kamo more often than most other teams) makes the same poor decisions.
Hawkins can control a game, and is a courageous defender, but he is not a plyer to ignite an attack, as you say, he sets so deep, and as he isnt the quickest pace wise or his distribution, we are so often caught well behind the gain line, and when you are setting targets for your loosies, it aint great, and his kicking game isnt long enough.
Aside from a few signings that I have mentioned maybe once or twenty times, overall I think we will have a strong squad, but my concern is our coaches have shown very little to indicate they are able to pick the right players or get the best out of players and also put systems and structures in place for us to build on.
The development behind the scenes seems lacking, they arent as bad as when Ferris was running things pulling in randoms from outside Northland left right and centre, but from what I hear, they arent really development focused.
I think our starting 15 or even 23 this year could be very good, loosies are the one area I am not 100% on where we will go though, assuming fitness, Tom should be at 6, meaning McNamara, Matiu, Matich, Mau'u, Faukafa (given the depth we have at lock, assume he will again focus on loosie) all battling for the 7/8 spots.
At lock we have Goodhue, Caird, Hallam-Eames, Craig and then Vaipulu in the wings here too.
The players at our disposal, if we cant win more than 1 game this year, our coaches should be sacked!
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All Blacks in Northland for Matariki 2022
The All Blacks are heading to Northland for their first full squad training camp and will be in Kerikeri on Friday June 24th, Matariki, for a public training session.
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weather looking scratchy for this weekend, key game for me is the Kamo v HH one, and I will be going to watch this one.
One of the hardest hitting defenders in the comp is Kamo prop, Iose Brown, and HH have a beast of a prop in Esile Fono, so should be good seeing them square off!
Probably too close to call, especially with Kamo losing Tua to the Blues, if I had to stick my neck out, I reckon HH could sneak it in a close one
Sharks will be too strong for KK
Waipu should account for Wellsford
OBM should get past Hika, although OBM have been all over the show this season, losing at home to KK, and then winning away over the Sharks, so if they lost it wouldnt surprise me
MN v Morewa / United Kawakawa could be a good game, but the MN grounds will be heavy with all the recent rains, so the forward battle will decide that, reckon MN will take it.Current top 4 of MN, HH, Kamo, Waipu should all still be top 4 at the end of the weekend, but 4th-6th will be tight come tomorrow afternoon.
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Another tight round, with all bar 1 result going as I predicted, and that was Wellsford getting up over Waipu.
In mild but breezy conditions, Kamo went down to HH in a tight contest which was a bruising and niggly game.
HH did better with ball in hand, but defended for long periods in thier 22, and a 70m intercept try proved to be the difference.
The Kamo 9 under pressure at the back of a scrum, stepped inside the loosie, ran 5 and opened a gap, but instead of taking it, threw a pass that was plucked off by the HH 12....
Scrums were hit and miss, with one side dominating one, then next the other team, Kamo lineout struggled again, throw long, lose >50% of the time, so attacking lineout in the 22, where do they throw it...
Otherwise bit of an odd game where no one really stood out, Kamo made silly errors in the wrong parts of the field, while HH were a bit more accurate, although did concede a try when they were down to 14 following a YC for what appeared a cynical play.
Defence won this for HH, but errors robbed Kamo of the opportunity to really push thier defence.
This opens a gap for 1 & 2, while 4 points separates 3rd-5th and only 4 points between 4th-7th
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@Tim ok, so the bench...
Bruce Kauika-Peterson, Justin Davies, Ross Wright, Hallam-Eames/Caird, Loosie, Milo-Harris, Hawkins, Hohaia
Obviously not my favoured bench, but I expect Reihana/Hawkins likely the other way around Cooper is floating about, and Hohaia...
Plenty of locking options behind those mentioned - Craig, Vaipulu, King
Hoping Murray gets some starts alongside Tua, but coach fave Hohaia likely to get more than his share, allowing Ranger to start on the wing or come on from the bench.
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@taniwharugby Is Jarred Adams joining your squad?
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@Tim I think he is signed although IIRC @Steven-Harris said he had picked up an injury that may rule him out for the season???
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Fairly straight forward looking round this weekend, although I am going to Okara Park to watch footy, so no club rugby this weekend for me.
I think MN (1) will be too strong for Kamo (3) who will likely now lose 3 on the bounce as they look to cling onto a top 4 spot, which will be dependent on other results, MN will stay at #1.
HH should account for Hika to cement #2
OBM should beat Wellsford as they make a late charge to break into the top 4
Waipu (5) v Sharks (4) is the toughest to pick, Waipu with an upset loss last week, Sharks unconvincing in thier tight win...a win for Waipu will put them ahead of the Sharks into the top 4, and thats the way I'm leaning, a home side win.
KK v Morewa / United Kawakawa, battle of the mid-north...on form, M/UKK should be too strong as they press thier case for the top 4, and a win will keep them in touch with 3rd and 4th as we head to the final round.Next weekend will be some very interesting match ups battling for 3rd and 4th, with 1 & 2 playing one another to determine who gets the top spot.
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@taniwharugby Why the early kick offs?
