Taranaki v Hawke's Bay

Higgins

There was also the try that Taranaki scored after we got pinged fpr an obstruction about the 22metre line on the far side of the field that I am unhappy about (not having reviewed it to see if my unhappiness is justified). There is also the fact that our guys had to try an dplay catch up rugby which probably alos contirbute to the final result.
 
Having said that we are kidding ourselves if we thought we were anything other than comprehensively and deservedly spanked big time.

Stargazer

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Higgins" data-cid="609548" data-time="1472281367">
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There was also the try that Taranaki scored after we got pinged fpr an obstruction about the 22metre line on the far side of the field that I am unhappy about (not having reviewed it to see if my unhappiness is justified). There is also the fact that our guys had to try an dplay catch up rugby which probably alos contirbute to the final result.
 
Having said that we are kidding ourselves if we thought we were anything other than comprehensively and deservedly spanked big time.
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I agree, but I rather lose 42-48 than 28-55. 
 
At least, we got another bp.

Higgins

Bonus points are really only useful when challenging for championships. In our case only wins will help us stave off the wooden spoon, and frankly that looks to be a bit of a long shot after watching the first two matches. Admittedly Taranaki are a pretty useful side buts that's no consolation. It will probably come down to which out of us Counties and Waikato can scramble the most points from matches against Championship Division sides.
 
Has anyone got the score from the Bs game against Manawatu yestersday? I heard our Under 19s got towled up in a big way against the same opponents which is not a good sign. We have been traditional strong at the age group level up until the last five or six years so trends like this are very worrying. Is the HB Academy still in existence?

Nepia

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Higgins" data-cid="609996" data-time="1472342888">
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Bonus points are really only useful when challenging for championships. In our case only wins will help us stave off the wooden spoon, and frankly that looks to be a bit of a long shot after watching the first two matches. Admittedly Taranaki are a pretty useful side buts that's no consolation. It will probably come down to which out of us Counties and Waikato can scramble the most points from matches against Championship Division sides.
 
Has anyone got the score from the Bs game against Manawatu yestersday? I heard our Under 19s got towled up in a big way against the same opponents which is not a good sign. We have been traditional strong at the age group level up until the last five or six years so trends like this are very worrying. Is the HB Academy still in existence?
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Hopefully the comp continues after the Top 4 final and the Hastings Boys team can play the rest of the matches.

Nepia

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="609558" data-time="1472283581">
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I agree, but I rather lose 42-48 than 28-55. 
 
At least, we got another bp.
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It's not too bad mate, your 'A' team won well this afternoon. :fishing:

? Offline

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Higgins" data-cid="609996" data-time="1472342888">
<div>
Bonus points are really only useful when challenging for championships. In our case only wins will help us stave off the wooden spoon, and frankly that looks to be a bit of a long shot after watching the first two matches. Admittedly Taranaki are a pretty useful side buts that's no consolation. It will probably come down to which out of us Counties and Waikato can scramble the most points from matches against Championship Division sides.
 
Has anyone got the score from the Bs game against Manawatu yestersday? I heard our Under 19s got towled up in a big way against the same opponents which is not a good sign. We have been traditional strong at the age group level up until the last five or six years so trends like this are very worrying. Is the HB Academy still in existence?
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</blockquote>
 
The Dev team (Saracens) lost 62-31 to the Manawatu Dev team. A positive - Robbie Fruean played the whole 80 minutes.

Higgins

Alarm bells must be ringing really loud up there then. Are these results reflective of the standard of club rugby up there or are there capable players not prepared to commit to playing for the B Team? The premier age group (under 19?) results are even more worrying as that used to be a strength of the Bay back in the days before loads of the talent headed off to varsity. Since the inception of the Jock Hobbs Memorial Tournament played annually in Taupo we have not exactly sent any jewellers scurrying off the check whether there is an apostrophy in our name should they be required to engrave in on any sort of trophy such is the poor level of results returned.
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.sporty.co.nz/hbrugby/Community-Development/Player-Development'>http://www.sporty.co.nz/hbrugby/Community-Development/Player-Development</a>
When are we going to start seeing the fruits of this?

? Offline

You already are seeing the fruits of this.
 
2015 Academy team/Under 19 team - Mason Emerson, Jonah Lowe played for Magpies 2015 and 2016
2016 Academy team - Mason Kean, Tiaan Falcon, Marino Mikaele Tu'u - are in this year's Magpies squad
 
Emerson, Lowe and Kean have/will turn 20 this year, Falcon and Mikaele Tu'u have/will turn 19 this year.

Higgins

Oh silly me, I should have read the stated aims of the Academy a bit more closely. Had I done so I would have noticed there is no mention of preparing the players to compete successfully against other provinces Under 19 age group teams. It seems to me that they are hell bent of propelling players into the Mitre 10 Cup team as soon as possible and paying little heed to developing a competitive Under 19 team, unless of course that is somehow captured in the catch all term "ProZone" (Players that complete Year 12 in the Academy are then invited into the 'ProZone' which transitions players from school rugby to ITM Cup Rugby). Somewhere along the line more attention needs to be paid to fielding a competitive team at this Under 19 level given the importance attached to it (it - the Jock Hobbs Memorial Tournament - is televised live as well as being attended by scouts from places near and far).

? Offline

Of last year's 25-man Under 19 team at the Nationals - only two are in the 2016 Magpies squad: Mason Kean and Mason Emerson. Jonah Lowe played for the Under 19 team last year but not in the Nationals, so that is three of 26 in last year's Under 19 squad in this year's Magpies squad. I don't consider 3/26 (11%) to be a strategy of "propelling players into the Mitre 10 Cup team as soon as possible".
 
If the player talent level isn't/can't be the cause for the results of the last two years - the cause must rest entirely with some or all of the Union, the Board and the Academy. Then, precisely how have the Union, or Board, or Academy not been placing enough importance on the Under 19 team?

Higgins

They could well be propelling them into Mitre 10 Cup level as soon as possible, one of their stated aims, but being hamstrung by a paucity of raw material to start with. Quite simply judging by the last couple of years results at the Jock Hobbs Memorial most of the players are not yet ready to be playing NPC, maybe they never will be. I don't suppose a list of players attached to the HBRFU Academy will be available for perusal on any public forum so might have to direct any enquiry to the Union through the club captain of my Club seeking an answer to that.

? Offline

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The Silver Fern

Taranaki v Hawke&#39;s Bay

Taranaki v Hawke's Bay