Wellington Lions 2024
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@Canes4life said in Wellington Lions 2024:
@BerhamporeNinja interesting, without knowing all the signings, I was trying to piece together the Lions squad in my head before the AB squad was announced and I was struggling to put together a 23. With Lakai, Numia and Love not making the first squad of the year though we should have a few more on deck (Numia's injury permitting). I think the best 23 probably looks something like the below. I've added Toomaga-Allen to the mix based on your source.
- Numia
- O'Reilly
- Toomaga-Allen
- Delany
- Plummer
- Shields
- Kirifi
- Lakai
- Preston
- S Clarke
- Patafilo
- Higgins
- Umaga-Jensen
- Filipo
- Love
- Poasa / Press
- Sheck
- Lauaki
- Ieremia
- Ropeti
- Henry
- Savea
- T Clarke
This looks a VG side
Our biggest weakness last year was our starting HB - 1st5 combination and a poor coaching team who had better options but were unable to see this
Although PUJ needs to learn how to pass. Otherwise Savea might be a better midfield option.
I would also like to see Love at 1st 5 in a few games
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@Winger said in Wellington Lions 2024:
@Canes4life said in Wellington Lions 2024:
@BerhamporeNinja interesting, without knowing all the signings, I was trying to piece together the Lions squad in my head before the AB squad was announced and I was struggling to put together a 23. With Lakai, Numia and Love not making the first squad of the year though we should have a few more on deck (Numia's injury permitting). I think the best 23 probably looks something like the below. I've added Toomaga-Allen to the mix based on your source.
- Numia
- O'Reilly
- Toomaga-Allen
- Delany
- Plummer
- Shields
- Kirifi
- Lakai
- Preston
- S Clarke
- Patafilo
- Higgins
- Umaga-Jensen
- Filipo
- Love
- Poasa / Press
- Sheck
- Lauaki
- Ieremia
- Ropeti
- Henry
- Savea
- T Clarke
This looks a VG side
Our biggest weakness last year was our starting HB - 1st5 combination and a poor coaching team who had better options but were unable to see this
Although PUJ needs to learn how to pass. Otherwise Savea might be a better midfield option.
I would also like to see Love at 1st 5 in a few games
There might be a few more signings outside the above so it will be interesting to see how the squad ends up looking but there is enough there to be strong again. I'm sure injuries will dictate selection though.
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@Canes4life theres a possibility Lakai will not be available, hes been seen training with the ABs. in this case theres Sione Halalilo and Dominic Ropeti? I imagine would be next in line but id say thats pretty close to a starting line up.. soild!
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Never heard of this bloke. Token ginger in the side. Tick.
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This post is deleted!
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@cgrant only one of them is from Wellington. Coles and Bason have signed for the Turbos.
Speaking of, make that two gingers.
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Jeff Toomaga Allen has apparently signed with the Lions and Matt Proctor is back in Wellington so that could be a hint at his next move. His son is playing club rugby for Wellington Axemen so he’s obviously settled here again.
I hope the Canes sign him up, my source said Matt was talking to the Canes about a month ago. He would be a solid replacement for Moorby.
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@Canes4life said in Wellington Lions 2024:
His son is playing club rugby for Wellington Axemen so he’s obviously settled here again.
Just like his father and Uncle BIlly also did! In fact all the three Proctor brothers (oldest bro James - think he might have cracked the Nelson based outfit for a period in the NPC!) played all their schoolboy rugby at my Axemen, just a shame that they played their senior rugby elsewhere.
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Another signing announcement, Senio Sanele who started for the NZ Under 20s and anchored the scrum against Spain today has been locked in. Reminds me of a young Xavier Numia.
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@Canes4life am I being blind or is there zero mention of his position?
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@Bones said in Wellington Lions 2024:
@Canes4life am I being blind or is there zero mention of his position?
Loose-head prop. Played in the 1 jersey for the Under 20s today and scrummed really well even though it was only Spain. Don’t expect him to play much this year if at all but he’s one for the future like many of these initial signings.
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@Canes4life was referring to Stanley Solomon
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@Bones said in Wellington Lions 2024:
@Canes4life was referring to Stanley Solomon
Can play 10, wing and fullback. Likely he’ll play wing going forward though. Will be interesting to see how far he goes. He’ll be one of the quickest in NZ but he’s obviously not very big at all which may prevent him from succeeding.
A few highlights of his play at school and club rugby below.
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Not surprised by this one. Harry Press from HIBS and HOBM signs for the Lions.
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From ClubRugby.co.nz
Jackson Garden-Bachop was back in Norths colours on Saturday, in his first game since the sudden passing of his younger brother Connor. We were asked how he could play, given he hasn’t met the required minimum of three games to be eligible for playing in the playoffs; our own Scott MacLean – who perhaps knows the eligibility rules better than most clubs – points out the possibilities: A ‘one-off’ allowance granted by WRFU that no one would argue with, or that he has a Lions contract for the NPC. If the latter, it would be a remarkable return.
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Be interesting if he was back for NPC. If so - I'd hope they stick with Clarke but having him in the squad would be good.
Musta been a lot of emotions for him suiting up in him and his Bros club colours. Good on him.
On a slight tangent, does anyone who follows club footy closely know why Norths are so terrible at the moment? Every time I check club scores they're getting trounced.
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@foobaNZ So my vague understanding was the Coach that one so much left to go coach Paramata-Plimerton he also took some of the players with him. Now what I was told those players left because when Norths won the Jubilee Cup those players that had played all season were pushed out by the likes of JGB, Perenara etc in the final and rightfully so pissed off about so left with the coach.
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@Canes4life said in Wellington Lions 2024:
From ClubRugby.co.nz
Jackson Garden-Bachop was back in Norths colours on Saturday, in his first game since the sudden passing of his younger brother Connor. We were asked how he could play, given he hasn’t met the required minimum of three games to be eligible for playing in the playoffs; our own Scott MacLean – who perhaps knows the eligibility rules better than most clubs – points out the possibilities: A ‘one-off’ allowance granted by WRFU that no one would argue with, or that he has a Lions contract for the NPC. If the latter, it would be a remarkable return.
I was also wondering how he got to play when he hasn’t played a game all year when I saw the team list.
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@mikey07 said in Wellington Lions 2024:
@foobaNZ So my vague understanding was the Coach that one so much left to go coach Paramata-Plimerton he also took some of the players with him. Now what I was told those players left because when Norths won the Jubilee Cup those players that had played all season were pushed out by the likes of JGB, Perenara etc in the final and rightfully so pissed off about so left with the coach.
Wouldn't the coach be in charge of selection?
