Tasman v Taranaki
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<p>a tidy looking Ta$man team!</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Cpt Kumera" data-cid="611253" data-time="1472703571">
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<p>who was it last year...</p>
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<p> </p>
<p>Angus Ta'avao.... got his head repeatedly forced back through his arse by Hames and ended up at the Waratahs this year :)</p> -
<p>Lol Angus Ta'avao is and always will be an awful scrummager. The guy has been smashed around by many props before Kane Hames.</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Don Frye" data-cid="611241" data-time="1472700480">
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<p>Faainganuku on the wing looks promising. Scored a pretty powerful try against Canterbury. Came to NZ as a toddler, father played for Tonga at the 99 world cup.<br><br>
Still only 19 so still some growing to go.<br><br>
I assume he's already signed to the Crusaders?</p>
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<p> </p>
<p>Don't think so.</p>
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<p>He's pretty much in his first year of club rugby this year and picked up from there. Promising for him that he's keeping Lolohea and Tafili on the bench. You'd hope Leon is keeping a pretty tight rein on the scouts from Chiefsville and Dunners now that he's also the Ass Coach for the Crusaders. Tima has a little brother still at school - Leicester - I watched a bit of him on 1st XV rugby - took plenty of stopping as well!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Real lack of lineout firepower in that team - not sure whether Alex Ainley is injured, or they're just picking the battles for him this season.</p> -
<p><strong>Taranaki</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<div>1. Mitchell Graham (24) </div>
<div>2. Rhys Marshall (31)</div>
<div>3. Ryan Cocker (26)</div>
<div>4. Ben Matwijow (2)</div>
<div>5. Leon Power (25)</div>
<div>6. Mitchell Crosswell (33) – Captain</div>
<div>7. Berny Hall (34)</div>
<div>8. Iopu Iopu-Aso (16)</div>
<div>9. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (13)</div>
<div>10. Stephen Perofeta (2)</div>
<div>11. Manasa Mataele (2)</div>
<div>12. Sean Wainui (14)</div>
<div>13. Seta Tamanivalu (38)</div>
<div>14. Beaudein Waaka (13)</div>
<div>15. Marty McKenzie (18) </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Reserves:</div>
<div>16. Sione Lea (40)</div>
<div>17. Reuben O’Neill (4) </div>
<div>18. Mike Kainga (2)</div>
<div>19. Mitchell Brown (17)</div>
<div>20. Toa Halafihi (15)</div>
<div>21. Kylem O’Donnell (17)</div>
<div>22. Johnny Faauli (1)</div>
<div>23. Declan O’Donnell (1)</div>
<div>() = Port Taranaki Bulls caps in brackets</div> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Siam" data-cid="611296" data-time="1472716612">
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<p>Chris how's Strange going?<br><br>
Good big lump of a lad from over the hill. His grandad is always spoken of highly in NZ rugby</p>
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<p> </p>
<p>He went alright against Waikato. </p>
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<p>The forwards got completely stuffed by Canterbury - not surprisingly he had no chance of outjumping Dominic Bird in the line-out and out-powered in the scrums.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There will be other games to better measure him.</p>
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<p>Bird is a hawk among sparrows at NPC level. :)</p> -
<p>Just tuned in to the game and heard the commentators say that James Lowe is not playing because he had broken something and needed an operation? Did I hear that right? Anyone who knows more? I thought he had only just returned from injury? Not much luck that lad.</p>
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<p>Missed most of this game (due to arseing about with other people's bloody cars).</p>
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<p>No real idea about Lowe, except that when they originally signed Zac it was supposedly because Lowe had a long term shoulder injury that might need surgery.</p>
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<p>Pretty nerve-wracking finish including the siren not going when I expected and Guyton bumbling the scrum clearance. Was starting to look like shades of Tom Marshall not hearing the siren and running when he only needed to kick - a big mistake that ultimately cost us home advantage in the final that year.</p>
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<p>Very useful points to have in the bag since we're bound to be contending with both Taranaki and Waikato for a play-off berth.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="611653" data-time="1472870896">
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<p>Just tuned in to the game and heard the commentators say that James Lowe is not playing because he had broken something and needed an operation? Did I hear that right? Anyone who knows more? I thought he had only just returned from injury? Not much luck that lad.</p>
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<p>Broken thumb according to commentators</p>
