BOP 2022
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I see we have also signed Luke Donaldson
Rest of squad announced July 25
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I heard today that "a BOP team" will be playing in a preseason game in the Chiefs Centurion Cup held in Te Kuiti on Saturday 23rd July (I assume against all the other Chiefs Unions) and then one pre-season game on Saturday 30th July away in Takapuna (Game of Three Halves vs Northland and North Harbour).
Also theres some NPC players training on the BOP Rugby facebook page. How many faces can anyone recognise ?
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The Chiefs Country Centurion Cup is a quadrangular 1-day tournament. Last year it was played early (March) at the Hautapu Rugby Club. I went along to watch, and from memory they played 20-min halves. The winners play winners, and the losers play the losers from the first games.
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@Snollygoster 1. James Dobie from Glasgow, halfback. 2. Nikora Broughton. 3. Benot Kumeroa with TTT, Kapeli, Herbert, Lasaqa. Ham Marist shirt, maybe Quade Tapsell? 4. Kapeli 5. Herbert with maybe Van Den Hoven in the background?
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@Snollygoster Taylor Haugh & Gillies Kaka in latest video.
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@Snollygoster Vaipulu is up in Northland.
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@Snollygoster Skipwith-Garland has gone back to Australia. He's playing for Easts (Tigers) in Queensland.
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@Stargazer matty is playing club rugby thete with his bro
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@Cpt-Kumera Yeah, that's under the 2nd FB link I posted.
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Apparently the team is announced tomorrow and I'm guessing its widely known in rugby circles who is selected. Given photos from social media and who was listed in yesterdays pre season game we could already make a guess for all its worth .
Hookers :- Ekland
Rangi
Souchon
I assume Kurty will be back and Souchon and Rangi played yesterday. Souchon has been around the team for a while and Anaru Rangi ,I'm guessing, is a new signing. Apparently he is NZ born and spent the last few years playing for The Rebels in Super rugby.Props :- Ross
Kumeroa
Mafileo
Tosi
Thwaites
Bartlett
Hetet
Not 100% sure on this one. Thwaites and Hetet (from last year) never played yesterday being replaced by Matt Wallace. Wallace is 37 and played NPC many years ago so I'm unsure if he was just a fill-in.Locks :- Ah Kuoi
Selby Rickett
Sangster
All playing well.Loose Forwards :- Cane
Norris
Kapelli
Broughton
Collier
Lasaqa
Karpik
Karpik didn't play yesterday either but have been told he's been seen about so fingers crossed.Halfbacks :- T.T.T.
Dobie
Donaldson
Dobie (the Scottish international) is a class act and will be a great acquisition.Inside backs :- Cashmore
Trask
Hawera
Trask is now the elder statesman I guess but Cashmore looks better every time I see him play. Hawera has had stints a for Waikato, Southland and the BrumbiesOutside backs ;- Finau
Lalomilo
Narawa
Haugh
Kaka
Lasaqa
Walton
Quite a few selection unknowns here also and I'm assuming one or two additions to this area also. Joey Walton was an Australian age group player whose been playing for the Warratahs. He looked good yesterday.Okay , has anyone got any other additions or found mistakes that I've made. Last year they announced a wider training group also who were called on for injuries. Does anyone know much about Jericho Yorke, Axil Hohneck and Seamous Bardoul ? They all played yesterday so maybe are in the team but I know little about them.
And finally does anyone know of any injuries ? Someone went off with what looked like a bad arm injury and Triple T played half a game on the wing so I'm assuming theres some.
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@Snollygoster According to google, Anaru Rangi is from Upper Hutt. It may be true, because he has played club rugby for Upper Hutt Rams (team photo from 2010).
I don't know exactly when he moved to Perth, but he played for Perth Spirit first, then the Western Force (2016-2017). When the Force were cut from SR, he was one of the players to be picked up by the Rebels. The last two years, he has played in Japan for the Shining Arcs Tokyo-Bay Urayasu, but he has re-signed with the Rebels for 2023 and 2024.
Edit: his place of birth may actually be Whakatane, but I'm not sure about that. His iwi is Ngāi Tūhoe.
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@Snollygoster Is the new hooker the player with long hair wearing the headgear?
Jericho Yorke is a winger/outside back who played at RBHS. He was a good player at that level and for Chiefs age-group teams.
Speaking of young wingers, I heard the CM physio say that the CM no.14 that played against BOP is only 18.
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Yeah it's Anaru Rangi, girlfriend is from Opotiki so suits him well to play here before heading back to Melbourne. Tight 5 looks very solid, flankers look weak. Maybe they'll play Ah Kuoi at 6? Abundance of depth at 10 with very little in centres, surely one of the 3 moves to 12 or 15. Thought Reon Paul was outstanding in the club final yesterday at 12 but broke his hand early unfortunately. Axel is the Whaka captain & Seamus standout 12 at TGA Sports. Delany giving club players a shot which is what clubs generally ask for, will see if they're up to the standard.
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@trooa I tend to agree with pretty much all you say but I shouldn't pass judgement till I know who exactly who is selected.
The starting loose forwards however hopefully won't be too bad....Kapelli is a beast, Norris is pretty solid and hopefully an inform Karpik is great but depth will be an issue.
The backs are stacked with speed at least and, judging by yesterday's game, Delany has made it clear how he wants the game played. The Taranaki game (BOP racked up 50 points) was impressive with the backs running it from everywhere but to be fair Taranaki didn't look flash. The team playing against Counties didn't have it their own way however.
Like has been said here before, don't read too much into pre season games.
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I guess there is still time, but no surprise that BoP rugby said they would announce full squad today, but nothing online as yet lol?
I can only hope that means they are hoping for some last minute poach lol
Anyone seen the squad yet?
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@bayimports said in BOP 2022:
I guess there is still time, but no surprise that BoP rugby said they would announce full squad today, but nothing online as yet lol?
I can only hope that means they are hoping for some last minute poach lol
Anyone seen the squad yet?
union confirmed pushed to 4pm tomorrow