Southland v Auckland

[Duluth]

1 Josh Fusitua
2 Soane Vikena
3 Sione Ahio
4 Patrick Tuipulotu
5 Josh Beehre
6 Adrian Choat
7 Blake Gibson
8 Vaiolini Ekuasi
9 Kalani Thomas
10 Zarn Sullivan
11 Xavier Tito-Harris
12 Bryce Heem
13 Corey Evans
14 AJ Lam
15 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

16 Joe Royal
17 Ben Ake
18 Marcel Renata
19 Edward Annandale
20 Che Clark
21 Taufa Funaki
22 Jock McKenzie
23 Payton Spencer

[Duluth]

@Daffy-Jaffy said in Southland V Auckland:

Xavier Tito-Harris, Sione Ahio are starting, Edward Annandale and Payton Spencer on the bench. Akira and Rayasi rested.

Plummer and Rayasi probably injured too?

Hopefully we don't see much more of Apisai

Looking forward to finally seeing Annandale.

A big game for Ekuasi. He's outside of the top trio and Clark has done well off the bench. If he can get back to his Rebels form he could force his way in (Choat back to 7)

[Daffy Jaffy]

[KiwiMurph]

Lovely wide pass by Zarn for the try on the back of a good Auckland scrum

[KiwiMurph]

Zarn intercept try. Good hands.

[KiwiMurph]

RTS does some good things at fullback but he still looks like a league player playing rugby

Tucks and runs an awful lot and he only offloads only after running himself.

[KiwiMurph]

Nicely done Kalani Thomas - he'd be my starting 9 for the Blues every day of the week

[frugby]

@KiwiMurph Contracted to the Reds unfortunately for you!

[KiwiMurph]

@frugby Yep. He should be starting Super Rugby not sitting on the bench behind Tate.

[frugby]

@KiwiMurph No doubt, some good 9s rolling about across NZ and Australia to be fair.

[KiwiMurph]

@frugby True. A team like the Rebels could really use him too - pairing him with Carter Gordon would be ideal.

[KiwiMurph]

Finally RTS passes the ball. Nice try.

[KiwiMurph]

Bonus point up for Auckland.

24-6 with 44 mins gone.

[Stargazer]

@frugby said in Southland v Auckland:

@KiwiMurph Contracted to the Reds unfortunately for you!

Yes, and what's worse, he re-signed with them for two more years!

[KiwiMurph]

After a lovely Kalani Thomas break Auckland eventually score from multiple ensuing scrums.

31-6

[Steven Harris]

@Stargazer Connor Mcleod an ex Hawkes Bay boy..?

[KiwiMurph]

Nice try to Southland - been impressed by Manson this year

31-13

[Steven Harris]

@KiwiMurph looks pretty rapid, would love to see him in open space.

[Stargazer]

@Steven-Harris Yes, he must be loaned to Southland, because he was in the 2023 Magpies squad.

[KiwiMurph]

Still hoping Highlanders sign Connor Mcleod for obvious reasons