2016 Mitre10 Cup
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<p>North Harbour have named a 26-man team for the match tomorrow - so won't be a first-class fixture:</p>
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<p><span style="color:rgb(69,69,69);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;">1 Nic Mayhew</span></p>
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<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">2 James Parsons</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">3 Sione Mafileo</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">4 Gerrard Cowley - Tuioti</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">5 Chris Vui </p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">6 Dylan Lam</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">7 Glen Preston</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">8 Murphy Taramai</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);"> </p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">9 Bryn Hall</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">10 Matt McGahan</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">11 Tevita Li</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">12 Daniel Hilton Jones</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">13 Matt Vaega</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">14 Afa Faatau</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">15 Marty Swart</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);"> </p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">16 Vyron Smith</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">17 Toketa Fatai</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">18 Jethro Felemi</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">19 Connor Collett</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">20 Kane Jacobsen</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">21 Dylan Lam</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">22 Chris Smylie</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">23 Bryn Gatland</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">24 Michael Little</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">25 James Little</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Helvetica;color:rgb(69,69,69);">26 Mark Telea</p> -
<p>Last preseason game was lost 14-17 to North Harbour, from being down 0-17 at halftime.</p>
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<p>Ross Filipo played the first half, Ihaia West played the last 20 minutes.</p>
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<p>HB got the try of the game when Mason Emerson picked up a loose ball 10 metres from his own line and zig-zagged up the field to the North Harbour 10m line, another three passes and Faalemiga Selesele scored between the posts.</p>
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<p>Harbour deserved their win, they blew two tries in the last five minutes with a forward pass in the HB 22 and a dropped pass in the HB 22.</p>
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<p>HB lineout functioned very well in the first half with Trent BW calling them, mainly to Ross Filipo. At halftime Trent BW and Ross Filipo were both subbed off.</p>
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<p>Scrum seemed okay in the first half with Fahamokioa at tighthead, he went off injured after about two minutes in the second half and the scrum went backwards a bit after that. I liked the look of Marino Mikaele-Tu'u who came on at halftime for Trent BW with Selesele going to 6. He (Tu'u) is a big boy and obviously still learning in just his first year out of High School - one for the future I think the saying is. He turns 19 in November, so is eligible again for the NZ U20 next year.</p>
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<p>The midfield of Ropiha and Lowe didn't have many attacking opportuniites but there was only one North Harbour break thru the midfield.</p>
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<p>Shannan Chase is currently unavailable due to concussion concerns.</p>
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<p>Warren Gatland was there watching, his son Bryn came on in the second half. </p>
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<p>Looking forward to getting our Super Rugby players back.</p> -
This photo indicates that Ash Dixon will be captain
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stockcar86" data-cid="605776" data-time="1471327028">
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<p>This photo indicates that Ash Dixon will be captain</p>
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<p>I'm happy with that choice.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="604143" data-time="1470694912">
<div><br><p>At least we're not going into this season with high expectations.</p>
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<p>The TAB are slightly more optimistic with both Wellington and the Bay being quoted at $1.90 Head to Head at the moment. Bound to be changes in those odds once the teams are declared and the availability of Super Rugby players for the match becomes clear.</p>
<p>TAB odds for the Permiership currently stand at</p>
<p>Canterbury $2.10</p>
<p>Auckland $3.10</p>
<p> Ta$man $5.50</p>
<p>Taranaki $9.00</p>
<p>Counties $15.00</p>
<p>Shield Snorters $16.00</p>
<p>Waikato $21.00</p>
<p>These odds are somewhat conservative. Even if I was a completely neutral punter I would not put any money of Counties, in particular, at $15.00. Hell I would not even consider punting them if they were paying $16000.00. In brutal honesty I would have to be earning $250,000.00 per annum to even consider slipping a lazy hundred on the Bay at these odds. I hope I am proved wrong but somehow I can't see it.</p> -
<p>One of the least known players in this year's Shield Snorters squad to me is Fa'alemiga Selesele. The only thing that I remember being written about him in the HBT is that he's a Samoan international.</p>
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<p>After some googling, I found out that he's the <em>captain </em>of the Samoan 7s team. He was the player who scored the winning try in the Paris 7s Cup final against Fiji, he was named the Player of the Final & was in the Paris 7s dream team.</p>
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<p>Here's an article about him on the World Rugby website: <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.worldrugby.org/sevens-series/news/158883 '>http://www.worldrugby.org/sevens-series/news/158883 </a></p> -
<p>Hugh Renton's story:<br>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
<p><strong><span style="font-size:18px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Video: Rugby lifeline for Renton</span></span></strong><br>
<br><span style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">By Simon Hampton</span></span><br><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Monday 29 Aug 2016 11:41 a.m</span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Hugh Renton's more grateful than most for a second chance at rugby.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">"It's a bit of a shock being 16 or 17 and then being told you'll never play rugby again and you'll need emergency surgery on your neck," said Renton.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Why? Well, here's the bizarre part.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">"Woke up one day at about 4am with just the worst pain down my arm and back.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">"I'd played a bit of rugby before so you're kind of used to pain, but nothing like this. It was like a hot burning knife being sliced down your back and arm."</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Nerve damage had led to his back being paralysed and all of a sudden rugby was out of the question.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Even everyday activities were a battle.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">"All my back was paralysed so I couldn't talk on the phone.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">"I could move it slightly but couldn't get the phone up, couldn't brush my teeth."</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Shield Snorters coach Craig Philpott had never come across something like that.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">"A little bit of the unknown really," admitted Philpott. "He didn't know if he'd ever play rugby again."</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">And it really did take a miracle. Renton was all set for emergency surgery, but still had one question.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">"I just asked if I'd play rugby again and they said 'nah, you'll never play again'"</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">'I was in shock, I think I just blacked out. Then about twenty minutes later they rushed in, burst through the doors and said it's a miracle.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">"I don't know what's happened but it's all clear you don't need emergency surgery and then all these doctors and about 20 people all around just cheering.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">It still meant months and months of recovery but after an event like that, Renton had a new perspective on life.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">If you're a high school star you can imagine being told you'll never play again is pretty tough, but Renton's a smart guy and is working towards a Bachelor of Science at Massey University.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">"My parents always taught me it was smart to have a back-up option and at Lindisfarne college they always put academics first, so I've always had that, and my sister's pretty smart so i have to keep up with her."</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Now he's back starting for the Shield Snorters and it's a testament to his skill and persona that the Hurricanes signed him, even though he was still recovering.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">He didn't play, but whenever Chris Boyd calls him up for a Super Rugby debut, he'll be happy - and now able - to pick up the phone.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Newshub.</span></span></p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.newshub.co.nz/sport/video-rugby-lifeline-for-renton-2016082911'>http://www.newshub.co.nz/sport/video-rugby-lifeline-for-renton-2016082911</a></p> -