NPC 2023

[Yeetyaah]

@mikedogz said in NPC 2023:

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.

[Stargazer]

IIRC the following squads have been announced:

Counties Manukau
Hawke's Bay
Otago
Southland
Taranaki

Or did I miss some?

[mikedogz]

[Bovidae]

I'll probably go and watch that again.

[Stargazer]

[Stargazer]

The Mako got Miracle Fai'ilagi. Is he in the Samoa squad?

Edit: yes, he is.

[Tim]

@Stargazer Strong looking squad. @Chris-B What is the top 23 going to look like?

[Tim]

Any preseason games streaming this weekend?

[Chris]

Miracle Fai'ilagi Potentially a replacement for Havilli at the Crusaders.

[KiwiMurph]

@Chris that would be taking the piss

[African Monkey]

@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.

[Stargazer]

@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.

[KiwiMurph]

@Stargazer That seems unlikely given it was Moana that gave him the opportunity and he got a heap of game time.

[Steven Harris]

@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 .

[Stargazer]

@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.

[African Monkey]

@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.

[Stargazer]

@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.

[Chris]

I will add nothing signed as far as Miracle Fai'ilagi goes it might not happen.

[African Monkey]

@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.

[Stargazer]

PRESEASON GAMES

Friday 21 July 2023 - 4.30pm - Lansdowne Park, Blenheim
Ta$man v Manawatū

Saturday 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 2

Saturday 22 July 2023 - 2.00pm - Te Anau Rugby Club
Southland v North Otago

Sunday 23 July - Owen Delany Park(?), Taupo
Hawke's Bay v Auckland

Are there more games?