NPC 2023
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Rogers is taking a few players from the MLR to Manawatū. Here's another one, a South African lock.
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@Stargazer That photo... poor fluffybunny.
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@Stargazer Atlanta, Palmerston North... same shit.
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2023 PIC Steelers squad
Props: Suetena Asomua (Karaka), Lionel Evans (Patumahoe), Kauvaka Kaivelata (Pukekohe), Ezekiel Lindenmuth (Ardmore Marist), Salesi Tuifua (Karaka), Keran van Staden (Pukekohe).
Hookers: Palu Ale (Patumahoe), Ioane Moananu (Manurewa), Zuriel Togiatama (Papakura), Ian West-Stevens (Pukekohe).
Locks: William Furniss (Patumahoe), Jadin Kingi (Pukekohe), Alex McRobbie (Bombay), James Thompson (Patumahoe), Jimmy Tupou (Patumahoe).
Loose forwards: Samuel Slade (Pukekohe), Adam Brash (Bombay), Thor Manase (Manurewa), Alamanda Motuga (Papakura), Leo Ngatai-Tafau (Pukekohe), Dalton Papali’i (Patumahoe), Sean Reidy (Patumahoe), Hoskins Sotutu (Papakura), Ryan Stewart (Patumahoe), Viliami Taulani (Manurewa), Sam Tuifua (Karaka), Maama Vaipulu (Pukekohe).
Halfbacks: Cohen Brady-Leathem (Patumahoe), Liam Daniela (Patumahoe), Kanavale Helu (Pukekohe), Cam Roigard (Onewhero).
First-fives: Riley Hohepa (Patumahoe), Jamie King (Pukekohe), Josh Penney (Karaka).
Midfield backs: AJ Alatimu (Ardmore Marist), Alex Eruera (Patumahoe), Nikolai Foliaki (Karaka), Nua Soti (Patumahoe), Larenz Tupaea-Thomsen (Manurewa).
Wingers: Esau Filimoehala (Karaka), Joshua Gray (Patumahoe), Blake Makiri (Manurewa), Peniasi Malimali (Karaka), Sione Molia (Karaka), Solomone Naiduki (Manurewa), Toni Pulu (Bombay), Rodney Tongotea (Karaka).
Fullbacks: Etene Nanai-Seturo (Karaka), Tevita Ofa (Manurewa), Ahsee Tuala (Manurewa).
Coaching & Management
Coach – Reon Graham
Assistant Coach – Jimmy Maher
Assistant Coach – Paul Wheeler
Scrum Coach – Pauliasi Manu
Head of S&C – Jed Knox
Analyst – Leaha Dickey
Physio – Jarrod Stevenson
Doctor – Sanjeev Krishna
Manager – Craig Notman
Manager – Dale Tucker -
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14 first time steelers out of club rugby
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Jimmy Tupou, Viliami Taulani and Toni Pulu have come back to the union
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Sione Molia playing 15's for us this year
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Maama Vaipulu was retired but going for another season
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Former Waikato lock James Thompson
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From earlier this year about Blues U20 prop Salesi Tuifua:
Pakuranga United Rugby Club would like to congratulate Salesi Tuifua on his 2023 contract with Counties Manukau.
The premier front rower joined the club while still at St Peters, playing premier rugby while in his final year of high school. A member of the Pakuranga Academy, Tuifua was a member of the Blues Under 20s in 2022.
Director of Rugby Grant ‘Boof’ Henson said his resilience and development has been impressive.
“Sale is a special talent. He’s shown a lot of resilience the past two years, so making Auckland Bs in 2022 was a great reward as is picking up this contract.”
“There was overseas interest in Sale, but he wanted to crack the professional pathway in New Zealand – he wasn’t interested in taking the easy route and now he has his foot in the door which we’re really proud of,” said Boof.
While his provincial union development contract sees him move club affiliations to Counties Manukau, Boof said it is important for the club to celebrate success.
“It’s incredibly important for us as a club to be able to provide pathways for our players, regardless of where those pathways lead. While it would be great to have Sale still playing here at the Ranga, this is an awesome step for him in his rugby journey and one we support and back fully,” said Boof.
Damn, he played prems club rugby while at high school.
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Special agent Boof Henson.
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Yeah, good to see some older players return.
So Blake Makiri is at C-M. He played for the Chiefs Dev team earlier in the year.
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Another son of a former Counties player.
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No Sekope Kepu this year. I think he aggravated his injury in the club final.
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Jimmy Tupou
Very cool to see him back for counties. I met him recently as he's been coaching the Tuakau/Onewhero First XV and I'm involved with a team in the same comp, he had them very well oiled and was a nice dude to yarn to, didn't realise who he was until after haha.
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IIRC the following squads have been announced:
Counties Manukau
Hawke's Bay
Otago
Southland
TaranakiOr did I miss some?
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I'll probably go and watch that again.
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The Mako got Miracle Fai'ilagi. Is he in the Samoa squad?
Edit: yes, he is.
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@Stargazer Strong looking squad. @Chris-B What is the top 23 going to look like?
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Any preseason games streaming this weekend?
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Miracle Fai'ilagi Potentially a replacement for Havilli at the Crusaders.
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@KiwiMurph As a Moana fan and member, I'd be pissed with that.
I can understand Tavatavanawai and Aumua moving on as annoying as it is for us, but to actually develop one of our own from the Islands and then get him poached by a team that certainly doesn't need him, that's just shit, seriously. Defeats the whole purpose of us existing.
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@African-Monkey I kind of agree with you, but at the end of the season there was talk about MP players not wanting to re-sign. There are more sides to a story. That rumour might be true and Miracle might be one of those players.
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@Stargazer That seems unlikely given it was Moana that gave him the opportunity and he got a heap of game time.
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@Chris as much as you want to see him stay at MP , I have a suspicion the Saders don’t muck around when it comes to snapping up talent .
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@KiwiMurph Yeah, but the point is, don't only wave the disapproving finger at the big bad "poaching" NZ franchises. In the end, it's the player's choice where he wants to play.
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@KiwiMurph Agree with this and yes @Stargazer I see what you're saying, but considering he said how proud he and his family were when he joined up with us, especially when they got to see him play live in Apia, I'm gonna say that he was not one of those players.
It was also pointed out that those players were not gonna re sign if Mauger stayed in charge. He has gone now.
Crusaders fans will disagree and say it's fair game and blah blah blah, but they don't need to be taking players from Moana Pasifika. It's a bit low and I really do hope that it doesn't happen.
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@African-Monkey I hope it doesn't happen either, but again, it's his choice. If he has an offer from MP and an offer from the Crusaders, then it's his decision and his only.
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I will add nothing signed as far as Miracle Fai'ilagi goes it might not happen.
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@Stargazer Well yeah I get that, but the Crusaders do not need to be taking talent from MP. They have plenty of talent at their disposal and coming through. They can leave this option alone surely.
But don't worry, once sigings like this are allowed to happen, we'll get the same shit from the same people wondering what the point of MP existing is and why they aren't improving. Well here's part of the answer why.
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PRESEASON GAMES
Friday 21 July 2023 - 4.30pm - Lansdowne Park, Blenheim
Ta$man v ManawatūSaturday 22 July 2023 - Te Awamutu
Chiefs Centurion Cup
11.00am: Waikato v Counties Manukau
12.00pm: Taranaki v Bay of Plenty
1.00pm: Loser game 1 v loser game 2
2.00pm: Winner game 1 v winner game 2Saturday 22 July 2023 - 2.00pm - Te Anau Rugby Club
Southland v North OtagoSunday 23 July - Owen Delany Park(?), Taupo
Hawke's Bay v Auckland
Are there more games? -
I think this was rumoured previously but not sure if it was confirmed until now -
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Anton Lienert-Brown, Luke Jacobson, Samipeni Finau (Waikato), Josh Lord (Taranaki) and Cam Roigard (Counties Manukau) will all feature in the Chiefs Country Centurion Cup competition – a four-team event which also involves Bay of Plenty.
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Miracle Fai'ilagi Potentially a replacement for Havilli at the Crusaders.
Fai'ilagi to the Crusaders would be a crock of shit, and would be a classic example of a player getting terrible advice.
He would get about two games a year down there... stay at MP or go overseas. I strongly doubt it will be the case, I mean Ta$man have been known to independently chuck the cash about, but if he does go to the Saders, you might as well fold up MP right now. They'll never ever be competitive.
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Auckland will take on Waikato in Round 7 of the Bunnings Warehouse NPC at 2:05pm at Pakuranga United Rugby Club.
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@Stargazer said in NPC 2023:
PRESEASON GAMES
Friday 21 July 2023 - 4.30pm - Lansdowne Park, Blenheim
Ta$man v Manawatū -
@Stargazer Strong looking squad. @Chris-B What is the top 23 going to look like?
"Controversial"!!! - When the players tell Fozzie to fuck his World Cup, they've got something to deal with in Wellington before they're getting on any Air France planes.
Actually, big point of interest is whether Fozzie picks Blackadder, Havili and Fainga'anuku. We'll be quite a bit stronger if he doesn't.
We'll need a lot of luck if he does.
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@Chris-B I reckon put all three on a plane to France to carry water. No need for them to visit Wellington this year.
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