Auckland Rugby 2023
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@Steven-Harris Sam Wye has just been named in the Magpies squad.
Have you seen much of Ngakete George? -
@Daffy-Jaffy I’ve only seen limited minutes of Ngakete George as he’s the understudy to Henry Saker at Varsity , only 19 ex Rotorua Boys.
Looked very comfortable at senior level , with a reasonable pass and running game when he snips , played for the Blues U20 wider training squad earlier in the year in the game of 3 halves against Harbour and Northland
One for the future -
@Tim said in Auckland Rugby 2023:
Hamdahn Tuipulotu - still in Auckland?
Just found out that he Hamdahn Tuipulotu is currently playing club rugby in Western Australia for the Cottesloe club. I wonder if he will return for NPC, or is he having a go at making the western Force Team. Auckland does have a glut of experienced and up and coming props to get past so he may be looking for another avenue to the pro ranks. His younger brother Tito is also a prop in the Auckland NPC 'contenders' group.
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@KiwiMurph It was the game where the Aucklanders (full squad including non-playing players) had brought special winners jerseys with them, which they could throw straight in the bin after their loss.
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@Stargazer Yes it was haha, and yes @KiwiMurph you are also correct.
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Gonna be a busy day -
My Saturday Rugby Schedule:
8:00am: Black Ferns v USA
12:05pm: Auckland Storm v Hawkes Bay Tui
2:45pm: Gallaher Shield Semi-Final
Ponsonby v University
7:05pm: All Blacks v Springboks
9:05pm: All Blacks XV v Japan -
@Daffy-Jaffy Australia vs. Argentina at 9:45 pm too.
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@Duluth here’s a report I put through on the NZ Sport Radio site
Manukau Rovers and Auckland University will meet in the final of the 2023 Gallagher Shield next Saturday at Waitemata Park in West Auckland
Manukau who are the current defending Gallagher shield champions have the opportunity to create some history by going back to back for the first time in their club historyIn the Jubilee Trophy
Papatoetoe will meet Suburbs in next weeks final after Papatoetoe upset Pakuranga and Suburbs held off College RiflesIn the Portola Trophy
Waitemata and Otahuhu will meet in the final
Waitemata qualified having scored the first try despite drawing the game with Eden
Otahuhu progress due to Marist defaultingManukau playing in front of a big home crowd at Williams Park proved far too clinical for the visitors Grammar Tech , despite a light shower which swept across the ground threatening to create handling problems, you could have sworn the home side were wearing velcro gloves with all the passes sticking .
The home-side had first use of handy breeze and it didn’t take Rovers long to get on the board with a series of hard carries which got hooker Oneone Faafou across the line after seven minutes , 2nd five Faletoi Peni adding the extras4 minutes later under rated Rovers centre Amanaki Savieta showed a clean pair of heals when he found a massive hole in the defence to score close to the posts from 30 metres out , Peni adding the extras
Grammar Tech finally managed to get their hands on the ball towards the end of the first quarter forcing Rovers to give away a series of penalties , one which result in Rovers loose forward Ricks Tongatea spending time in the bin.
Jock McKenzie slotted a penalty to get the visitors on the scoreboard
Despite looking likely the G-Tech could not capitalise on the one man advantage and field position ,handling errors and good defence keeping G-Tech at bay .
The final body blow came just before halftime , a long kick from Peni finding its way to the corner and coming off a G-Tech player which gifted the line-out to the home-side , after series of left and right forward charges lock Fano Funaki would have the easy touch down after the visitors simply ran out of defenders.
Peni again adding the conversion for the home-side to go in 21-3 at the breakRovers started where they finished in the first half ,Peni slotted a penalty from 30 metres to increase the home-sides lead
It would take another 20 minutes before Xavier Tito Harris would find himself in space from 30 metres out compliments of a superb 20 metre plus pass from replacement halfback Dayton Iobu , Peni adding the conversionGrammar Tech with 15 minutes to go did show some fight , with 2nd Five Corey Evans picking off an intercept to out sprint the defence from 80 metres and just to keep things interesting busy flanker Ofa Topeni would finish off a good move in the corner after superb Quinten Nichols break one of the few times G-Tech had breached the Rovers defence.
The score had closed up to 31-17 with 10 play , but one thing I do admire about this Manukau Rovers team , they play no matter where they are on the field and it would be replacement Sofia Maka who put the cherry on top with 4 minutes to play touching down after some good ball movement down the flank Peni adding the extras to close out what was a convincing winFor the home-side it was a superb all round effort , with the key drivers Faletoi Peni at 12 and skipper Savelio Ropati to the fore and leading by example ,open side flanker Vaka Makoni was a constant support and hooker Oneone Faafou hit his lineout targets consistently.
For G-Tech skipper Tovo Faleafa was great value always proving hard to stop , and Jock McKenzie at first five always looking for opportunities, just a shame for the visitors we did’nt see more of Evans and Nicols at 12 and 13 , both looked dangerous when the game opened up.
In the 2nd semi final in some what of an upset ,Auckland University travelled to Cornwall Park to take on old foes Ponsonby , given the visitors had been touched up by Ponsonby in the forwards when the 2 teams meet in round 4 it was important that University matched Ponies up front and that’s exactly what they did scrapping for every metre and contesting every breakdown and line out
The visitors lead 14-7 at the halftime break before Cam Church scored the try of the match after a series of sustained carries using the width of the paddock which saw the hard working 7 beat a couple of tackles to find his way to the line from close range
Christian Stenhouse kicking the conversion along with a further penalty to stretch the game out before Ponies came back into the late in the piece
Despite a late opportunity to send the game into overtime , some crossover running which resulted in a penalty would see visitors gleefully kick the ball into touch and take what was a well deserved win.
A massive win based on a superb forward effort , and some very good game management from Henry Saker and Christian Stenhouse
Been a tough year for Ponsonby given the weather events of earlier this year and having to use an unfamiliar venue but I have no doubt they are more than capable of bouncing back.
