2023 Hawke's Bay Representative Rugby
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@Stockcar86 Yeah, I'm glad I chose to watch the Tui play instead of the Samoa v Fiji game. Kathleen Brown has been huge for the Tui the last few years and it's a pity that she hasn't it made it further than the Hurricanes Poua's fringes. She trained with them but didn't get game time, this year. Last year, she got only a few minutes.
Halfback Kahlia Awa is promising, too. A bit too keen sometimes, but her decision-making will improve. She reminds me a lot of Folau Fakatava a few years ago. Moomooga Palu is a great bulldozer; I love watching her running undisturbed by all the opponents who desperately try to get her to the ground.
Both former Black Ferns, Krysten Cottrell and Gemma Woods are also important in the team. Cottrell is a great leader and Woods is relentless. She started as a halfback, has played at prop, and now plays in the backrow. But wherever she plays, she throws herself into her work and doesn't stop until the game is over. Huge engine. Leading by example.
The Tui's greatest worry is that their scrum gets dominated, but the line-out worked well. Tackling has improved the last few years. Biggest improvement however is fitness. I remember reading a few years ago that they struggled to get some players to come to training because they didn't take it too seriously. They also started working on fitness far too late in the season, meaning that they struggled early in the season and they started improving as the season progressed. Now they seem to start the season fit and all players seem to be committed.
Hopefully, the Tui now playing in the Premiership means they get noticed more and more players will be picked up by Aupiki squads and maybe - ultimately - the Black Ferns too.
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Something I forgot - how slow was the Tui right winger? Twice she had breakaways and got mowed down relatively easily. Was she injured maybe?
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@Stockcar86 I noticed that, too. She was really slow. She didn't look injured; maybe she's an older player? Or a converted midfielder? This is where it bites having such a small squad. During the first round game v Auckland, the commentator said that they had struggled to get enough players, so I guess they couldn't be too picky. This is also where it bites having Harmony Kautai moving to, and playing for, Wellington.
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@Number-10 Oh, that's not good! At least one eligible player was playing for the Magpies (Tuifua) and Allen is still on suspension, but that's a worrying result. I know we've had bad results before with our U19s (including teams with Toala, McClutchie etc) and it has never affected the Magpies because the best out of that U19 team were really good, but a team putting 60 on us makes you wonder ...
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@Stargazer Just watched the highlights you posted over on the other thread and note with mixed feelings that my No. 26 is no longer No. 26! On the other hand I can only assume that the powers that be in the HBRFU have decided to "retire" that number, and that's the ultimate tribute but it just doesn't look right for my favourite to be wearing another number.
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Whanganui Rugby's write-up of their game v Hawke's Bay Development (which they still call Saracens).
Whanganui Rugby
Discover the abundant opportunities across 23 Rugby Clubs and 12 Secondary Schools in Whanganui, catering to all skill levels.
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And some photos of the Whanganui v HB Development game.
Kiwi TV 2017 Limited
The Whanganui Heartland team played the Hawkes Bay Development team today in Taihape. In an entertaining game in which the lead changed hands constantly with Hawkes Bay ending up winning 40-33 with...
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In addition to the Magpies and Tui games, I've been able to find info about the following (preseason) games on Saturday 5 August 2023:
Hawke's Bay Men's Development v Poverty Bay - Tremain Field, Napier - 1.00pm
King Country Trailblazers v Hawke's Bay Women's Development - Owen Delany Park, Taupō - 2.30pm
Central Hawke's Bay Representative Rugby v Northern Whanganui (?) - Onga Tiko, Tikokino - 2.00pm
And this tournament (including Hawke's Bay Māori and Wairoa Sub-Union):
@Number-10 Do you know whether our U19s are playing this weekend? The U16s start early September; I assume the U18s start after the National Top 4?
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Tui squad to play Wellington on Sunday afternoon, 12.05pm, at the Hutt Rec.
Our rising star halfback Kahlia Awa is injured and replaced by an even younger player, Raedeen Blacke (18), who made her Tui debut, last week and only played a few minutes.
Our right winger, who was great at making intercepts last week, but was very slow, has been replaced.
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@Stargazer The lady will be sure to know how to play halfback to a good level given her name is Blake.
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@Stargazer said in 2023 Hawke's Bay Representative Rugby:
In addition to the Magpies and Tui games, I've been able to find info about the following (preseason) games on Saturday 5 August 2023:
Hawke's Bay Men's Development v Poverty Bay - Tremain Field, Napier - 1.00pm
King Country Trailblazers v Hawke's Bay Women's Development - Owen Delany Park, Taupō - 2.30pm
Central Hawke's Bay Representative Rugby v Northern Whanganui (?) - Onga Tiko, Tikokino - 2.00pm
And this tournament (including Hawke's Bay Māori and Wairoa Sub-Union):
@Number-10 Do you know whether our U19s are playing this weekend? The U16s start early September; I assume the U18s start after the National Top 4?
Under 19's next scheduled game is next Saturday (12th) v Wairarapa Bush, Masterton.
Under 18's start on Sept 2 v Wgtn Centurions, Napier
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Pretty average officiating in the Tui game, and the commentating is even worse. If you'd only listen to the commentators, you'd expect Wellington to be miles ahead, because they're so good at everything. Instead, the Tui lead, despite some questionable decisions from the ref.
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That was a very satifying end to the game! A bonus point win for the Tui and at the same time denying Wellington a losing bonus point.
If you had to believe the commentators, Wellington were doing everything right and were stronger in this and that, but in the end the Tui just clearly showed they were the better team, both collectively and in many cases also individually.
Great to see Teilah Ferguson score a hat-trick.
FT: Wellington 22 - 33 Tui
