Magpies - 2019 Mitre 10 Cup
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There is mention a a HB (Saracens?) match against someone on Wednesday in the last paragraph of the article about p[ouri Rakete-Stones. Is this the one that is supposed to be against Ta$man somewhere down here in Wellington? If so hopefully there will be a bit of publicity about venue and kick off times as I have got my Magpies jersey out of the draw and ready to go in with tomorrows laundry in readiness.
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@Higgins We would be most receptive to an on-the-spot, eye-witness report on the encounter. Eye-patch is necessary as well as your Magpies jersey, the word Ta$man not requiring any mention at all in your report, particularly if Ta$man win.
We need informative, accurate, and perceptive analysis on the Hawke's Bay hopefuls. Harsh, even derisory, comments on player failure are permitted in the report so we can put a line through those players' names when discussing future selection.
But like all opinion and analysis on these boards, it counts for nothing as the world does not change because of it. In which case, don't bother going.
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According to the HBT, this is the line-up for tomorrow's game against Ta$man in Wellington. If the HBRU posts another line-up, I'll post that one, too:
1 Jason Long (c)
2 Jacob Devery
3 Josiah Tavita-Metcalfe
4 Elijah Martin
5 Geoff Cridge
6 Josh Kaifa
7 Iakopu Mapu
8 Hannon Brighouse
9 Humphrey Sheild
10 Lincoln McClutchie
11 Mason Emerson
12 Neria Fomai
13 Timo Vaiusu
14 Ollie Sapsford
15 Saia PaeseReserves
Forwards: Matt Morrison, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Tim Farrell, Donovan Mataira, Eru Wano, Solomone Funaki.
Backs: Trent Hape, Kodie Drury-Hawkins, Lester Maulolo, Penikolo Latu, Michael Buckley..
It's quite telling that Cridge has been released by the Canes to play this game. I doubt they would do that if he was still in the frame for the Canes' trip to South Africa.
What many of us have been waiting to hear!
With four contracted locks who have spent plenty of time in Super Rugby environments, the Hurricanes trio of Isaia Walker-Leawere, who has signed a three-year deal with the Magpies, Geoff Cridge and Tom Parsons and Michael Allardice of the Chiefs ranked ahead of him Martin may struggle to secure a Mitre 10 Cup contract this season but Ozich said he could prove useful in the future.
Tomorrow's game will be played over the regulation two 40 minutes halves with the Magpies intending to use 26 players. "Last year we took 30 guys and tried to use two teams but it was too hard. With 26 we can make changes at halftime and give everyone plenty of game time. The younger guys who are on the bench will get a start against Wairarapa Bush on Queen's Birthday Monday," Magpies head coach Mark Ozich said. Eight of his starting XV players have yet to play first class rugby for the Magpies. They are Paese, Taradale winger Ollie Sapsford, the Hastings Rugby and Sports midfield combination of second five-eighth Neria Fomai and Timo Vaiusu, Taradale halfback Humphrey Sheild, Brighouse, Taradale flanker Iakopo Mapu and Napier Technical lock Elijah Martin.https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503460&objectid=12230679
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I like the idea of Paese at fullback - he has been playing centre for NOB
M, and was a little small for that really (same sort of build as Mason Emerson) -
@Stargazer said in Magpies - 2019 Mitre 10 Cup:
It's quite telling that Cridge has been released by the Canes to play this game. I doubt they would do that if he was still in the frame for the Canes' trip to South Africa.
They won't be leaving for that trip for another two weeks as they have the bye next week. I think this is more of an indication that he won't be playing against the Jaguares on Friday.
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@Canes4life Oh, okay, I had forgotten about the bye.
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@Stockcar86 said in Magpies - 2019 Mitre 10 Cup:
I like the idea of Paese at fullback - he has been playing centre for NOB
M, and was a little small for that really (same sort of build as Mason Emerson)He is out of St. Pats College so therefore he comes for the
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@Stockcar86 How is Hannon Brighouse's form? I've only seen NOBM once this year (against Central) and he didn't stand out to me.
I watched Iakopu Mapu for Taradale against Hastings RS and I thought he did stand out at number eight.
For the game tomorrow Brighouse is at 8 and Mapu is at 7.
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Brighouse has stepped up his physical presence for NOB over the past few games. I've been suprised that NOB have been playing him at 8 and Gardner at 6, as they seem more natural the other way round. Brighouse is more a Luke Whitelock type player, than a Mikaele-Tu'u type.
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By the way, only thinking about that now, a notable absence in the team is Danny Toala.
He's not named in the NZ U20 squad, and his Canes' contract is officially from next season. So this can - probably - mean two things (if he's not injured): either the Canes have already included him in the squad (as injury cover) and he trains with them and has to be available for this weekend's game (just in case); or, he is training with the NZ U20s.
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The Bay had the northerly wind in the first half but it was Ta$man that had the initial ascendency with most of the possession after HB kicked the initial kick off back to them. The eventually scored a try that came from a back of the lineout willyaway that they eventually drove the scorer over about 13 metres in from the left hand corner. The kick missed
5 Mins HB 00-05 Ta$manHB struck back after winning a lineout inside ther Ta$man 25 from a penalty. A beautiful long cut out pass from Lincoln McClutchie to Ollie Sapsford on the right saw the winger makie good ground and after a couple of steps off his right foot he unloaded to nice pass to the fullback Saia Paese who ran the last twenty odd metres to score untouched about 15 metres in from the right hand corner. McClutchie missed the kick.
12 Min HB 05 - 05 Ta$manThe Bay were next to score as they were gaining the ascendency and it came from a scrum won on about the ten metre line where halfback Humphrey Shield finally got his passing right (after a very Chris Eaton like start where he flung out a couple of bounce passes and a few about knee height to stifle things too much for my liking). The pass was both long and reasonably fast and right close to the gainline where McClutchie ran beautifully onto the ball at speed before flicking out a pass to winger Sapsford in as the extra man from the blind side outside him. Sapsford took the ball up and made the crucial distance over the advantage line and with the go forward ball we had a couple of quick recycles all the while heading left before I think it was the openside flanker Iakopo Mapu (but it might not have been - the HB jerseys had almost unreadable numbers on them) came round the right hand side of the ruck and went in for the try ten metres to the left of the posts. McClutchie converted.
20 Mins HB 12 - 05 Ta$man27 Mins Pouri Rakete-Stones came on for Josiah Tevita-Metcalfe, the first of two changes in the first half but one of about 60 changes made during the entirety of the game.
The Bay were the next to add to the scoreline when a lineout about six or seven metres from the left hand corner was thrown to near the back for the first time where Josh Kaifa did the honours and got the ball very quickly into the hands of supporting players after his initial mini drive for what looked like the number 8 Hannon Brighouse (but it might have been someone else!) driving over about ten metres to the left of the posts. McClutchie converted.
33 Mins HB 19 - 05 Ta$manMystery Morrison was spotted at this point sitting in the grandstand not far from me. What he was doing intruding in a private HB affair was not known but at least he showed he was there for the enjoyment of the game of rugby. There are not many midweek afternoon matches of any significance these days so you have to take advantage of them when you can I suppose! Anyway if you are reading this Mystery, I hope you enjoyed the game.
35 Mins Mason Emerson retired after soldiering on for about the last five minutes suffering some sort of injury sustained during a nice thirty metre run he made down the left hand wing, twice stepping off his left foot before getting nailed. He was slow to get up and after initial consultation with the medical staff carried on until this point. Pretty sure that was the last we saw of him for the afternoon.
Halftime HB 19 - 05 Ta$man
The second half got underway with both sides making a couple of changes but from that point on they become too numerous and regular for me to keep up with so won't be able to give a break down about those. I would only be guessing about who the players were anyway as a lot of our bench guys did not appear to be wearing the jersey numbers declared in the press. Captain and, just for you Stockcar 86, NZ Superstock Champion, Jason Long was one that was subbed around this time and I can only assume it was Tim Farrell that came on for him. It was a guy wearing headgear anyway.
The Bay continued on where they left off in the first half and were in again after a penalty saw us advance the resulting lineout to inside the Ta$man 22. A number of strong drives saw us march to within 6 metres of the Ta$man line before a couple of pick and goes saw another unidentified player over about seven metres to the right of the posts. The try was converted .
46 Mins HB 26 - 05 Ta$man.From the restart came probably the best backline attack in the match where a surging run by possibly 2nd five Neria Fomai and a couple of other players and it looked like a try was about to be scored but from a tackle situation about fifteen metres out from the Ta$man goalline we conceded a penalty. It was at that point that I noted a replacement first five was on in the 22 jersey. Slightly taller than McClutchie and rather slim of build he was if anyone can put a name to him. He seemed to run a bit more than McClutchie anyway but that could have been under coaches instructions rather than any other reason.
Ta$man were next to score after the replacement HB right wing wearing bright orange boots (yuck anything resembling or reminding us of those awful days of orange jerseys should be completely and utterly banned) rushed up in a midfield position to try and snuff out a Ta$man thrust only to see them recycle the ball and hoof it back big time into the spot he should have been in. It was initially dealt to nicely by covering replacement left winger Michael Buckley but he was outnumbered at least two to one and the inevitable happened with a turnover and Ta$man resorting to one off runnings to eventually go over for the try twelve metres in from the left hand corner. The kick missed.
53 Mins HB 26 - 10 Ta$manThere was a heartwarming moment when a replacement prop was on for Rakete-Stones and we utterly destroyed the Ta$man scrum. Sadly replacement first five 22 missed touch and Ta$man attacked strongly from the error.
By this stage Ta$man had the majority of possession since half time and shortly after four replacement players had come on en masse for the Bay we somehow got hold of possession right on our goal line and attempted to run it out from there. The guy playing centre at that stage attempted to bat the ball on to his outside player in the same motion as he received it with not unexpected consequences. He stuffed it up badly and Ta$man strolled in for the converted try about five metres to the right of the posts. I had to restrain myself at that point remembering it was a preseason game but there was much gnashing of my teeth and under breath cursing going on believe me!
66 Mins HB 26 - 17 Ta$man.Another Ta$man try came about after Sapsford missed a tackle and number 22 scored a converted try ten metres to the right of the posts. Things were getting a bit nervous in my vicinity at that point but we always looked to be slightly the better team overall.
71 Mins HB 26 - 24 Ta$manHB regained control about this point and with McClutchie back on to close the game out he came good with an absolutely brilliant kick pass that previous villan wearing the orange boots took on the full at good pace and ran about 35 metres to score very close to touch in the right hand corner to great hooping and hollering from at least one spectator who had been somewhat restrained prior to that point!!!! McClutchie narrowly missed the conversion into and across the northerly wind
80 Mins HB 31 - 24 Ta$manIf someone posts a video of the match on YouTube I hope my description above is reasonably close to what happened. There was a lady sitting about ten yards to my right filming the math on her iPhone so it might eventual be Youtubed.
Will give a bit of thought to my impressions on how some of the players went and post those later on tonight. Suffice to say it did become rather difficult to keep track of the comings and goings, especially during the second half.
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@Nepia What?
I'm being summoned to the bloody Magpies forum? La gazza ladra!
I have only one contribution to make....
http://allblacks.com/Video/Viewer/31055/round-9-highlights-tasman-v-hawkes-bay-2018
All you need to listen to is Lose's final sentence. "Scoreline reads Ta$man twenty nine, Hawkes Bay nil"!
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Hawke's Bay Magpies 31 (Iakopo Mapu 2, Saia Paese, Solomone Funaki, Penikolo Latu tries; Lincoln McClutchie 3 cons), Ta$man Mako 24 (Mike Vaeno, Jamie Spowart, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Sam Briggs tries; Briggs 2 cons)
HT: 19-5.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503460&objectid=12231304
