Auckland v Wellington
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To be fair the NPC is basically a development comp for Super these days with ABs playing the odd game here and there. Definitely not what it used to be but I enjoy watching the talent coming through nevertheless.
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@Canes4life yea, it's completely different. "Old" NPC is very nostalgic for me though as someone in their mid 30s!
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@Canes4life said in Auckland v Wellington:
To be fair the NPC is basically a development comp for Super these days
The very point Neil Barnes was making.
“I'm adamant that NPC is there to develop players from clubs, and give them an opportunity in a semi-professional environment to show their worth and be able to train like a professional for 34 months of the year and display their talents to the Super Rugby clubs.”
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@Bovidae said in Auckland v Wellington:
@Canes4life said in Auckland v Wellington:
To be fair the NPC is basically a development comp for Super these days
The very point Neil Barnes was making.
“I'm adamant that NPC is there to develop players from clubs, and give them an opportunity in a semi-professional environment to show their worth and be able to train like a professional for 34 months of the year and display their talents to the Super Rugby clubs.”
I guess it’s a mix of Super players pushing for ABs and club players pushing for Super contracts. Whereas before some of those NPC were just as strong as Super sides.
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@Canes4life said in Auckland v Wellington:
with ABs playing the odd game here and there for Ta$man
Yes
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With the Wellington campaign just around the corner and no more Aumua, Proctor and Love, what does our best 23 look like? I'd go with the below personally but I can see Soakai selecting something different based on pre season selections.
This squad is obviously not as strong as previous seasons but hoping they go well.
- X Numia
- J O'Reilly
- P Sheck
- C Delany
- H Plummer
- B Shields
- D Kirifi
- P Lakai
- K Preston
- J Garden-Bachop
- P Patafilo
- R Higgins
- P Umaga-Jensen
- M Proctor
- T Clarke
- H Press
- B Chrichton
- S Lauaki
- A Ieremia
- D Ropeti
- M McLeod
- C Harkin
- J Savea
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@Canes4life said in Auckland v Wellington:
With the Wellington campaign just around the corner and no more Aumua, Proctor and Love, what does our best 23 look like? I'd go with the below personally but I can see Soakai selecting something different based on pre season selections.
This squad is obviously not as strong as previous seasons but hoping they go well.
- X Numia
- J O'Reilly
- P Sheck
- C Delany
- H Plummer
- B Shields
- D Kirifi
- P Lakai
- K Preston
- J Garden-Bachop
- P Patafilo
- R Higgins
- P Umaga-Jensen
- M Proctor
- T Clarke
- H Press
- B Chrichton
- S Lauaki
- A Ieremia
- D Ropeti
- M McLeod
- C Harkin
- J Savea
Ive almost given up on PUJ now. He just can't or won't pass. To the extent I would sooner have Savea at 2nd and Higgins at center as an option. It would also give Higgins experince at center
Your team is not as strong as last year except for the HB, 1st and 2nd combo. This is miles better so overall I think I prefer this team to the one Ellison and co mostly picked last year
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@Winger said in Auckland v Wellington:
@Canes4life said in Auckland v Wellington:
With the Wellington campaign just around the corner and no more Aumua, Proctor and Love, what does our best 23 look like? I'd go with the below personally but I can see Soakai selecting something different based on pre season selections.
This squad is obviously not as strong as previous seasons but hoping they go well.
- X Numia
- J O'Reilly
- P Sheck
- C Delany
- H Plummer
- B Shields
- D Kirifi
- P Lakai
- K Preston
- J Garden-Bachop
- P Patafilo
- R Higgins
- P Umaga-Jensen
- M Proctor
- T Clarke
- H Press
- B Chrichton
- S Lauaki
- A Ieremia
- D Ropeti
- M McLeod
- C Harkin
- J Savea
Ive almost given up on PUJ now. He just can't or won't pass. To the extent I would sooner have Savea at 2nd and Higgins at center as an option. It would also give Higgins experince at center
Your team is not as strong as last year except for the HB, 1st and 2nd combo. This is miles better so overall I think I prefer this team to the one Ellison and co mostly picked last year
Yeah it will just be interesting to see how much we've lost in terms of performance with three of last year's squad now in the ABs (four if you include Perenara).
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@Nogusta said in Auckland v Wellington:
Coach McGrath
It'll be interesting to see how well he does this year. Auckland was disappointing last year and it was hard to understand what they were trying to do. Even the defence, his speciality, wasn't great
Hopefully he's learnt a lot working alongside Cotter
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@Nogusta said in Auckland v Wellington:
@Bones said in Auckland v Wellington:
@Nogusta interesting switch for Lam and Telea.
Coach McGrath giving AJ a full NPC campaign at 13 ahead of SR next year I'd say
I.e. Rieko will be on sabbatical next Super season
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@Duluth lol how does Visinia beat Sullivan to the punch? Is Sullivan nursing an injury or something?
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@Canes4life not sure if he played in the preseason, might be his first game back
Plummer missing and him having to cover ten probably a factor too
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15 Lolagi Visinia
14 Caleb Tangitau
13 AJ Lam
12 Tanielu Tele'a
11 Nigel Ah Wong
10 Alex Harford
9 Taufa Funaki1 Josh Fusitu'a
2 Soane Vikena
3 Marcel Renata
4 Josh Beehre
5 Tuaina Taii Tualima
6 Adrian Choat
7 Anton Segner
8 Akira Ioane16 Sama Malolo
17 Jordan Lay
18 Angus Ta'avao
19 Michael Curry
20 Ola Tauelangi
21 Kemara Hauiti-Parapara
22 Zarn Sullivan
23 Xavi TaeleSilly team order comes from the official NPC site
