Auckland Rugby 2019
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@nzzp said in Auckland Rugby 2019:
Thoughts on the season so far? At least we're unbeaten - but I think that's probably the main positive. The team doesn't seem as effective as last year; still mentally tough in hanging in there, but some of the errors on Saturday night were abysmal.
The forwards are mostly going ok, a couple of issues in the backs are putting us under massive pressure
Rayasi has a huge boot but not that accurate. We are basically playing without quality kicking option in the back 3.
Plummer is missed at ten, his kicking from hand was a work in progress, but it was considerably better than DL.The 9 and 10 are also struggling to get quality ball to the midfield. Ruru/Plummer worked last year and the backline was humming.
I think part of that was Plummer's fast hands made up for Ruru's slow service.. this year Ruru has gone backwards as he is getting more and more frustrated.
I would start Tusitala and Kirkpatrick.The forwards and scramble defence is keeping us in matches
However the 2nd row pairing reminds me of the first half of the Blues season. A good lock at this level (Whetton in the NPC and Tuipulotu at SR) partnered with a physical non-entity.
Compare that to last year: Lemalu did a great job, Whetton, cameos from Tuipulotu & Fatialofa and cover was provided by Olmstead. It's a big step down.Canterbury are big favourites but it's hard to judge where they are at. The season's have been similar apart from the results. Three poor performances and running up a score against one of the worst sides.
I doubt Canterbury will have Franks
The season from here is about limiting damage until people come back from injury and get back in form. Still, we are second and unbeaten despite the injuries and mixed form.
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@Duluth said in Auckland Rugby 2019:
@nzzp said in Auckland Rugby 2019:
Canterbury are big favourites but it's hard to judge where they are at. The season's have been similar apart from the results. Three poor performances and running up a score against one of the worst sides.
Really? I don't think they are favourites at all. The last sentence of this quote says it all. IMO Auckland are easily the favourites for this game, especially because they're playing at home.
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@Duluth said in Auckland Rugby 2019:
However the 2nd row pairing reminds me of the first half of the Blues season. A good lock at this level (Whetton in the NPC and Tuipulotu at SR) partnered with a physical non-entity.
I saw this graphic before the Waikato-Auckland game. Sums up Lane around the field.
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@Bovidae A lock making eight tackles a game? Is he coming off the bench?
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@antipodean Lane starts but often gets replaced in the 2nd half. After watching him live on Sat night he's really only there for his ability in the lineout.
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@Bovidae said in Auckland Rugby 2019:
Lane starts but often gets replaced in the 2nd half. After watching him live on Sat night he's really only there for his ability in the lineout.
Correct
The Scrafton broken jaw has meant he needs to start. I suspect this year he was meant to pick up a handful of minutes and try to add some bulk.
He’s not good enough to start. We should consider moving a loosie
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@nzzp Yeah we've been pretty average despite being unbeaten. Our backline is all over the place and Ruru and Leuila there means that our outside backs which is full of wingers barely see the thing. Plummer, Trainor and Manu have been badly missed so far as well as Lemalu and Olmstead.
At this rate I'd take a semi final spot and feel we're due a wake up call which I feel could come this Sunday against Canterbury.
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@African-Monkey yep. I'm just catching up on the Waikato game. Forwards did go well, but Ruru and Leiua don't seem a good combo at this level.
Also, last year we kicked all over the backline adn tore teams apart with it - really smart, well weighted kicks. This year it seems so predictable and only 10 and sometimes 9 getting into it. Generally a step backwards regrettably.
Still, if we click, Akira ramps up and we get some players back from injury we could threaten to finish second. I'd take that this season based on our form so far. Setting the bar low, eh
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@nzzp Yeah will be good to have Akira back. Redlinger-Kapa hasn't been great imo and with Papali'i due to come back as well, we should be back at full strength in the back row.
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@African-Monkey said in Auckland Rugby 2019:
@nzzp Yeah will be good to have Akira back. Redlinger-Kapa hasn't been great imo and with Papali'i due to come back as well, we should be back at full strength in the back row.
The pack went pretty well against Waikato - with those two coming back, will be an improvement.
Was going to say, if our fatties focus, we have the forward pack to challenge any side, and possibly even win the thing. If we focus and show up, and stop dropping pill, losing lineouts, and being stupid.
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@African-Monkey said in Auckland Rugby 2019:
@nzzp And if the ball gets past D'Angelo Leuila.
This has been one of most frustrating things the last two weeks. Leuila and Ruru need to understand the talent they have outside them.
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@Dice said in Auckland Rugby 2019:
@African-Monkey said in Auckland Rugby 2019:
@nzzp And if the ball gets past D'Angelo Leuila.
This has been one of most frustrating things the last two weeks. Leuila and Ruru need to understand the talent they have outside them.
Leuila looked a million bucks against us, what happened?
Oh hang on, it was against us..yep, we make a lot of average players look the goods.
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@African-Monkey said in Auckland Rugby 2019:
@nzzp Yeah will be good to have Akira back. Redlinger-Kapa hasn't been great imo and with Papali'i due to come back as well, we should be back at full strength in the back row.
Could we see a Akira, Papali'i and Sotutu backrow at some point? That might be a backrow worth trying out in one of the games. I'm sure we'll get doses of it to end games.
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Auckland B team to play North Harbour (7/09/19):
Note: Trainor on the bench, maybe he did not make the start last week as expected. Plus Suafua at lock.
1.Ezekiel lindenmuth (Suburbs)
2.Mike Sosene-Feagai (Marist)
3.Marco Fepulea'i (Ponsonby)
4.Presley Tufuga (Ponsonby)
5.Cameron Suafoa (College Rifles)
6.Waimana Riedlinger-Kapa (Ponsonby)
7.Aleks Dabek (Ponsonby)
8.Dylan Lam(Grammar TEC)
9.Rilloy Suesue (Ponsonby)
10.Johnny Cooper (Ponsonby)
11.AJ Lam (Grammar TEC)
12.Paul Roache (Ponsonby)
13.Ma'ake Taulahi (College Rifles)
14.Freedom Vaha'akolo (Ponsonby)
15.Matt Storm (Grammar TEC)
16.Michael Lea (Marist)
17.Leka Tu'ungafasi (Grammar TEC)
18.Hau Paea (Mt Wellington)
19.Isi Manu (College Rifles)
20.Brad Moyer (Suburbs)
21.D'Angelo Leuila (Papatoetoe)
22.Jordan Trainor (Ponsonby) -
@Daffy-Jaffy That's a seriously good front row for a B team!
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@Tim ,this team would clean up the Heartland division
we would gladly take Waimana Reidlinger Kapa ,Johnny Cooper and Matt Storm back in a heart beat..I just hope all 3 don’t get lost in the Auckland system.,all hearty Northland Boys..I wonder where Auckland see Waimana, ..?,because when you have Sotutu,Papalii,Ioane,Gibson,Choat and Dunshea in your loose forward mix..I don’t see an opportunity anytime soon..
Same for Johnny Cooper and Matt Storm..ah bugger it, I will just message them and get in their ear..
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