Hawke's Bay v Ngāti Porou East Coast (RS)
-
@stargazer I wonder if this is a pointer that Toala might get some runs at fullback this year?
Thankfully, it looks like we're not going to bring Kurt Koro Baker this year.
-
-
-
@nepia Kurt Baker is at the Olympics; fingers crossed that means indeed that he won't come back.
I think Toala will cover fullback as injury cover, with both Falcon and Makene apparently still not fit. A few months ago, they said that Makene was expected to be available from round 2-3. Don't know about Falcon.
Lolagi Visinia plays fullback, too, so fortunately there's more cover. I'm more worried about 10 cover; probably also Toala and Ili.
-
@stargazer said in Hawke's Bay v Ngāti Porou East Coast (RS):
@bovidae Their ground is too small, I think. They're expecting a crowd of 3 to 5k. I also don't know what state the pitch is in after the recent rainfall.
They'd fit that number of people in. Just don't expect to be seated.
-
@stargazer said in Hawke's Bay v Ngāti Porou East Coast (RS):
@nepia Kurt Baker is at the Olympics; fingers crossed that means indeed that he won't come back.
I think Toala will cover fullback as injury cover, with both Falcon and Makene apparently still not fit. A few months ago, they said that Makene was expected to be available from round 2-3. Don't know about Falcon.
Lolagi Visinia plays fullback, too, so fortunately there's more cover. I'm more worried about 10 cover; probably also Toala and Ili.
Worry no more. I am up home at the moment and will be taking my boots (and mouthguard) to the game with me just in case of a late call up!
-
Being so excited about today I could hardly sleep last night with excitement and woke very early this morning. Higgins' first ever appearance at a home Shield defence as was simply too young to be taken to those of the 1960s (was old enough to be at the 1971 HB v British Lions game though). Kind of like Christmas as a young 6 year old kid and being allowed to stay overnight at your girlfriends place for the first time when you were 17 all wrapped up in one!!!!!!!
It's pretty chilly here in Napier this morning and very cloudy so if anyone is coming from out of town for the game they had better bring proper winter warm clothing and not just HB winter warm clothing.
-
Match highlight already - great simultaneous Haka with NPEC on the charge to set the tone. Go the Coast !
-
I'm liking Enari's pass so far
-
The Bay going at a run a minute but the Coast just scored a try. Give them the shield now!
-
-
@nepia Its live on sky 52 now!
-
@stockcar86 said in Hawke's Bay v Ngāti Porou East Coast (RS):
I'm liking Enari's pass so far
I second that. Also an elusive runner. A big step up from McLeod.
-
@daffy-jaffy said in Hawke's Bay v Ngāti Porou East Coast (RS):
@nepia Its live on sky 52 now!
Even though my TV has decided my Apple TV is Sky NZ (it's very strange), we don't actually get Sky in Oz.
If I could watch it on Sky I'd be at the ground.
-
FT: Magpies 93 - 5 Ngāti Porou East Coast
Some awesome tries scored in this game. I know it's only East Coast, but passes still have to stick. I loved that try from Pouri Rakete-Stones after Gareth Evans made that break, offloaded to Jonah Lowe, who offloaded in the tackle to Rakete-Stones, who then showed he has good speed for a big man.
Our starting locks were great, Gareth Evans looks very, very keen, Enari - as said earlier in the thread - looking good, Tuitavuki being a pest for the opposition on the left wing. While McClutchie forgot to put on his goal kicking boots in the first half, he had a very good game; good game management and - apart from one missed touch finder - a good kicking game. Kereru-Symes's line-out throwing was excellent and shows he's really formed in the Dixon mould with his line-out mauls.
I was a bit disappointed that Dennis Tapusoa didn't get to score a try at the end. If I wanted one man to score on debut, it's him (for those not in the know: his young daughter passed away, last month).
One more preseason game to go, next week. IIRC against Counties Manukau.
Can't say much about the NPEC players, as I don't know know them, apart from one. Former Magpies hooker Jorian Tangaere scored the only try for the East Coasters. Still a great player, who strangely enough hung up his boots a few years ago due to continuing eye problems (he risked getting blind if he continued playing), but laced up the boots again last year, when he debuted for East Coast after a season for Clive.
