Super Rugby Aupiki 2023
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@Stargazer said in Super Rugby Aupiki 2023:
Matatū claim 'fan experience' reason for huge Aupiki venue downsize
Following the huge success of the Rugby World Cup, the South Island Super Rugby Aupiki franchise believes a smaller venue - not a bigger one - is the right call.
Orangetheory Stadium, which is the home of the Crusaders and also hosted the Black Ferns earlier this year in their build-up to the World Cup, has a capacity of 18,000 people.
In contrast, Ngā Puna Wai is much, much smaller with just 550 people able to be seated in the complex's grandstand which until now has been used predominantly by Canterbury Rugby League.
A Matatū spokesperson told 1News the embankments at the venue would also be used and "other options" were being explored as they target 3500 fans for the match.I wonder what those "other options" are. Temporary stands?
Other options =standing on grass
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Not surprised to see Brent Kaua involved. They usually work together.
https://www.chiefs.co.nz/news-item/assistant-coaches-named-for-waitomo-chiefs-manawa
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@Bovidae Great that they have singled out kicking and counterattack as an area that needs develoment. Strange that it is Brent that is leading it as the Volcanix seemed to have no idea in this area during FPC. I will give him the benefit of the doubt that that area was identified in post season review as needing focus and they have also looked at what other teams are doing.
I had heard that he told the players not to kick until they were out of the 22 but it backfired at times. Idea was to compensate for lack of a decent clearing boot by gaining distance on the ground first then kicking down field.
Manawa team is light in the area of 10s and 15s. Needs Tubic to run the game so might need Wickliffe to play 15. At least she is a good talker/organiser.Edit: forgot that Mererangi Paul is a 10 at FPC but named as an outside back in Manawa. She is likely earmarked as 15.
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Grass embankments and maybe temp stands. They might well be thinking (although I’m only speculating here) of turning Nga Puna Wai into some sort of permanent home base for training and games??? The changing rooms might well be quite flash and modern too.
I hope they get the festival tents out and the Childen’s rides and turn it into a day out experience.
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Still no confirmation of the WTG but some other changes to the squad.
https://www.chiefs.co.nz/news-item/league-and-sevens-stars-sign-with-waitomo-chiefs-manawa
They join the squad as replacement players for Renee Wickliffe (retiring), Pia Tapsell (ACL injury), Chelsea Semple (maternity leave) and Merania Paraone (playing overseas).
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@Bovidae A quick google search tells me that Merania Paraone plays for UAS Universitario de Sevilla CR - Cocodrilas Rugby (nick name: Corteva Cocos) in Spain. In that same team are Manawatū's Ngano Tavake, former Counties Manukau player Lavinia Tauhalaliku and Northlands' Justice Karena. The Corteva Cocos play in the Liga Iberdrola de Rugby, the top women's rugby competition in Spain, and are the reigning champions.
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Harono Te Iringa
A lock. So replacement for Tapsell (who was listed as a lock/loosie
Tenika Willison
Willison's strength is setting up others, so replacing Semple (Midfield)
Abigail Roache
Listed in league as a 'playmaker'. Roache is likely a bit of a utility, replacing either Wickliffe (outside back) or Paraone (Wing)
Apii Nicholls-Pualau
A league Fullback so replacing either Wickliffe (outside back) or Paraone (Wing)
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@Bovidae said in Super Rugby Aupiki 2023:
@Stargazer Spain? Interesting. It will be just like Kihikihi.
@Crucial Willison is more a 1st 5/fullback. She was the fullback when Waikato won the FPC. There looks to be plenty of utility options in the backs.
I just thought that given Semple being unavailable and the specific mention of Willison's distribution skills, she may be being considered for the midfield.
Yep, most of the backs have had experience in different roles and the WTG contains more options too should injuries happen. -
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@Yeetyaah said in Super Rugby Aupiki 2023:
Harono is a great player I was surprised she wasn't in the initial squad
Yes, I was surprised too, and had thought that she had made herself unavailable for selection. Getting a current BF lock (Bremner), a former BF lock (Smith), along with Wills, meant they didn't need many other specialist locks.
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@Crucial said in Super Rugby Aupiki 2023:
Harono Te Iringa
A lock. So replacement for Tapsell (who was listed as a lock/loosie
Tenika Willison
Willison's strength is setting up others, so replacing Semple (Midfield)
Abigail Roache
Listed in league as a 'playmaker'. Roache is likely a bit of a utility, replacing either Wickliffe (outside back) or Paraone (Wing)
Apii Nicholls-Pualau
A league Fullback so replacing either Wickliffe (outside back) or Paraone (Wing)
Roache has been added to the Team page as a first-five
Te Iringa listed as a lock
Nicholls as a centre
Willison as a wingNicholls is the surprise there. A league fullback/union centre?
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Black Ferns wing won't play in Super Rugby Aupiki this season as she considers her next career move.
Tui, 31, will not be available for the start of Super Rugby Aupiki, which starts next month, as she has yet to decide what is next in her career.
She will instead commentate for Sky Sports, a role she has fulfilled in the past.
In November, Tui was listed as a “to be confirmed” when the Chiefs Manawa squad was named, and a New Zealand Rugby spokesperson has confirmed that she will not feature in Super Rugby Aupiki after doing so in last year’s inaugural competition.
And her manager, Dan Sing, told Stuff no “key decisions” had been made on her future and that she was “super excited” about returning to commentary.New Zealand Rugby’s general manager of professional rugby and performance Chris Lendrum said in November of Tui's involvement in Super Rugby: “we’re giving her some time post a pretty hectic year in the Rugby World Cup to determine what she wants to do in the future."
Asked whether that meant a possible return to sevens, he replied: “She’s taking time to think about what the right next step is for her career. That could be sevens, that could be obviously 15s still." -
Chiefs have redone their team page with new photos. Langi Veainu is no longer listed in the outside backs. Not sure of the reasons she has pulled out but I do know who her replacement is (not officially listed yet but seen in socials at training).
Will wait for Chiefs to break news before posting. -
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@Bovidae said in Super Rugby Aupiki 2023:
I would hope Willison isn't going to be used on the wing. If the Chiefs needed a winger they should have asked for Teneti.
Looking at the squad list now (only three midfielders) makes me still wonder if Willison is going to get a run in the centres.
