2023 Hawke's Bay Representative Rugby
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The Hawke's Bay U19 team has been named. Not surprised to see two Magpies in this team, Tom Allen and Patrick Tuifua, as they're both in their first year out of school.
Some good players in the squad, this year, and a fair bit of length in the second row, with both Alllen twins named.
Other players to keep an eye on are halfback Kade Manuel, first fives Jordan Soli and Kobe Deacon, winger Bryson Pakoti-Crawfored (Hurricanes U20) and some frontrow power in Newlands, Fonohema and Tevita. Not sure where Kingshouse Tupuola playes these days; at school, he played both at hooker and at number 8.
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Team to play Auckland tomorrow at Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park (12.05pm).
Some familiar names, some new.
Teilah Ferguson's mum is back in the Tui squad. IIRC, in Teilah's debut year for the Tui, Julie played as well. Now that Teilah's back in the Bay, her mum is back in the squad as well.The player in the 23 jersey wasn't in the FPC squad named earlier. She looks incredibly young on the Tui squad page, so maybe they were still waiting to get dispensation from NZR (required for 16-year-olds). The same applies to a few other added players.
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@Stargazer Disappointed to see my favourite Number 26 has not made the matchday 23.
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From the Hawke's Bay Māori Rugby - Te Matau a Māui FB page:
Very pleased to announce the 2023 Te Matau a Maui Tane squad, with their first game against Wairoa Sub-Union at Lambton Square, Wairoa on Saturday 29th July, 2.30pm kick-off. Congratulations to all players on your selection.
Coaches:
Murdoch Paewai, Mutu Ngarimu, Albe Baker, Andre Taurerewa.
Physio: Blake Taylor
Manager: Tom Blake
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I don't recall seeing Hisamitsu Shimada, Yuhei Sugiyama and Ryo Kikkawa during my stay up in the Bay and I saw all teams play bar MAC, Pirates and Havelock. Does anyone know anything about these guys? Come to think of it Bear WIlliams is also an unknown name to me.
Looks to be a touch short in the locking department, at least in numbers. -
@Higgins Those Japanese players must be here on some special arrangement. Many provinces have Japanese players on some kind of development contract. All three are players from Japanese League One clubs: Hisamitsu Shimada from Red Hurricanes Osaka, Yuhei Sugiyama from Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo and Ryo Kikkawa from [Hino Red Dolphins](Ryo Kikkawa). It's a weird one, because they're not even that young. I hope they're just added to the squad and don't take the place of a local player, but it's possible that the player movement isn't in one direction only. Maybe some Hawke's Bay players will get an opportunity at the respective clubs in Japan?
Bear Williams last played for Cornish Pirates. If you click that link, you'll also see the name of Shae Tucker, a Napier lad who played one game for the Magpies in 2018, which I can't remember at all. He played 4 seasons for Cornish Pirates. Maybe Tucker is responsible for Williams ending up here for some kind of OE?
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Sugiyama and Kikkawa played for Pirates this year, Shimada played for Clive and Williams for NOB Marist.
Brandon Televave (MAC) also appeared for Moana Pasifika U20 earlier this year and, interestingly, Semi Vodosese has also been named in this year's Whanganui's 37-man initial Heartland squad.
Another to play in HB club rugby this year - Konradd Newland (Pirates) - has also been named in that initial Whanganui squad.
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@Number-10 It doesn't surprise me that they have played club rugby here, too. It's a similar scenario to that in Southland, except that there Japanese players actually made their NPC squad. I saw Newland being named in the Whanganui wtg squad. Ezra Malo not going back to Whanganui, this year?
Mefi Tupou has been named in the Otago Development squad, I think. It looks like the Highlanders want to keep him in the system there?
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For you guys who watched club rugby this year what did you think of the form of Udy-Johns? My mate who watches a lot of club rugby said he's been a stand out this year, and when he didn't make the Magpies squad he just assumed he'd been signed by another province, but then was bemused to see him in the dev squad only.
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@Nepia His name has come up quite a bit in the club rugby thread, this year. And yes, we're all wondering why Udy-Johns didn't make the Magpies squad.
I can only assume he didn't make the squad because someone like Sam Smith (one of Josh Syms' pets) is still under contract and they didn't want to run the risk of Cooper Flanders ending up somewhere else. I hope LIam sticks around, because there will be injuries, and he may push out Sam Smith, next year.
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The representative (pre)season starts next weekend (Sat 29 July 2023). I haven't seen all the details about venue and k/o times, yet, but these are the games that I've found thus far:
Hawke's Bay Development v Whanganui - Taihape
Central HB Representative Rugby v Ngāti Porou East Coast - Otane Domain
Wairoa sub-union v Hawke's Bay Māori - k/o 2.30pm at Lambton Square, Wairoa -
@Stargazer said in 2023 Hawke's Bay Representative Rugby:
The representative (pre)season starts next weekend (Sat 29 July 2023). I haven't seen all the details about venue and k/o times, yet, but these are the games that I've found thus far:
Hawke's Bay Development v Whanganui - Taihape
Central HB Representative Rugby v Ngāti Porou East Coast - Otane Domain
Wairoa sub-union v Hawke's Bay Māori - k/o 2.30pm at Lambton Square, WairoaThe Under 19's are playing Waikato U19 at Taupo.
The new Tui Dev team are playing Wairarapa Bush at Masterton.
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@Stargazer said in 2023 Hawke's Bay Representative Rugby:
@Nepia His name has come up quite a bit in the club rugby thread, this year. And yes, we're all wondering why Udy-Johns didn't make the Magpies squad.
I can only assume he didn't make the squad because someone like Sam Smith (one of Josh Syms' pets) is still under contract and they didn't want to run the risk of Cooper Flanders ending up somewhere else. I hope LIam sticks around, because there will be injuries, and he may push out Sam Smith, next year.
Yes, I was a bit surprised Liam Udy-Johns missed. I watched Tech three times and he always seemed to be prominent - finished off a very good try v MAC.
Only saw Havelock twice this year - v Tech and Hastings. Smith did not play either game but Tony Lamborn played against Tech.
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@Nepia said in 2023 Hawke's Bay Representative Rugby:
For you guys who watched club rugby this year what did you think of the form of Udy-Johns? My mate who watches a lot of club rugby said he's been a stand out this year, and when he didn't make the Magpies squad he just assumed he'd been signed by another province, but then was bemused to see him in the dev squad only.
I only watched Tech in 2 games this year - the semi against NOB and final against Taradale. In both games, he would have been my MOTM. Similarly, I am confused in his non-selection. I wonder if the selectors don't think he has the size needed for a 7?
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@Stockcar86 Funny that you should turn up for two of the few games that I was not there for!!!!!! Liam could almost be compared to Ardie Savea in that he would go equally well as a second five as he does as an openside given his skills. Ardie obviously dwarfs him as Liam would struggle to reach 190cm much less exceed the 2.00metres plus of Ardie! One can only guess that selectors are going to adopt a bulldozing type forward dominated style given Udy-Johns bewildering non-selection and using the reasoning that he is not built like an over musclebound MMA fighter as justification for his omission. But then that does not account for the not exactly large Sam Smith in his place nor the best second five bar none seen in club rugby, Mr. Popoali'i, being overlooked as well, particularly when looking at the three midfielders name being pretty much bench players last season.
Udy-Johns invariably got over the advantage line when tasked with the carting the ball up job and made big yardage when give a bit of space a little bit further out and some of the seven loose forwards named in the initial squad not being that much bigger than him and apart from Smith not really seen as opensiders these days. -
It wouldn't surprise me at all if Kahlia Awa makes the Black Ferns in the next few years. Hopefully she will be picked by the Hurricanes Poua as a full squad member for 2024.
Awa Out to Create History for the Hawke's Bay Tui
Kahlia Awa seems determined on creating a lot of history very quickly.
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@Stargazer said in 2023 Hawke's Bay Representative Rugby:
Tui team to take on Waikato
Sat 29 July 2023 - 2.05pm - Sky Sport 1
@Higgins She's back (at 3)!
