Auckland v Counties Manukau

[KiwiMurph]

@stargazer has everything to do with it. Would have been 23-14 Auckland...

[Stargazer]

@kiwimurph I was talking about Counties playing better, not Auckland playing worse.

[KiwiMurph]

@stargazer playing so much better they would have been trailing by more....

[Stargazer]

@kiwimurph You're thinking Auckland centric. I'm a neutral. I see an improvement in Counties play since the break. I wasn't talking about the score, but about the way they play.

[KiwiMurph]

@stargazer you neutral when it comes to Auckland/Blues. Yeah right. Pull the other one.

[Stargazer]

@kiwimurph Yes, I'm neutral and not anti-Auckland (or anti-Blues).

[KiwiMurph]

Prattley winning a scrum penalty. Is this bizzaro world?

[Dice]

I think it's been back and forth in the forwards, but our backs have thoroughly outplayed theirs. Have the Counties backs done anything in this game?

[KiwiMurph]

Then normal service resumes next scrum.

[Stargazer]

@dice Agreed, haven't seen much of the Counties backs. Auckland needs more possession to get their backline firing.

[Stargazer]

And then Plummer kicks possession away.

[KiwiMurph]

Ruru has been seriously shit already. Cripes.

[mimic]

For some strange reason, I have a feeling Dalton will be an all black before Akira

[Stargazer]

@mimic How tall is he? Or does he need an appointment with Ardie's hairdresser?

[mimic]

@Stargazer Dalton's 193cm tall and weighs 113kg

[Dice]

So TJ gave 3 points for Papalii, 2 for Kalolo Tuiloma and 1 for Salesi Rayasi.

I think Trainor and Gibson should've got in before Rayasi. Rayasi only had that one play.

[African Monkey]

Plenty of work to do but good to start off with a win against a bogey side (who isn't haha). Fukofuka was far better than Ruru who was awful, Papali'i, Gibson and Sotutu were very good as was Manu, Trainor and Rayasi. The scrum worries me as I would like to see Renata come back and I feel that a power lock is needed whether it's Tuipulotu or Lemalu if Tuipulotu isn't available. We're still a work in progress but good to see them showing a bit of ticker which was sadly lacking last year.

Oh, and please improve your goalkicking Harry Plummer haha.

[Tim]

Papali'i best player on the field. Fukofuka good too.

Renata, Tuipulotu, and Fatialofa will improve the pack. Olmstead to start at lock next week?

[KiwiMurph]

Good to beat Counties after losing them the previous two outings.

Backs looked promising.

Auckland look at least improved this year which is nice.

[Dice]

@tim Forgot about Fukofuka. He was very good. His kicking in particular was exceptional. It wasn't that easy for him at the ruck either, and he dealt with it well being a bigger halfback.