Waikato 2023
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Thames Valley and King Country. Not sure if equivalent team or pre Season for Heartland. Counties B. I found the team on the mooloo site and the draw on the harlequins site.
They might be part of the competition run by the northern regions: https://www.sporty.co.nz/northernregionrep/
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Last year the Chiefs Cup was played before the NPC squad was announced so a lot of U20 players and wider training squad players were involved in those pre-season games. That isn't the situation this year.
AFAIK Waikato didn't have a B team in 2022, or at least I never saw a team/fixture list.
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2023 Waikato National Provincial Championship Squad Announced
Waikato Rugby are pleased to annouce their initial 33-man Bunnings Warehouse National Provincial Championship (NPC)...
2023 Waikato Bunnings Warehouse National Provincial Championship Squad
Pita Anae-Ah Sue (9) Hautapu
Hamilton Burr (38) Hautapu
Tepaea Cook-Savage (13) Fraser Tech
Liam Coombes-Fabling (32) Fraser Tech
Mosese Dawai (24) Otorohanga
George Dyer (22) Fraser Tech
Samipeni Finau (28) Hamilton Old Boys
Josh Ioane ( ) United Matamata Sports
Luke Jacobson (28) Hautapu
Mitch Jacobson (72) Hautapu – Co-Captain
Ayden Johnstone (40) Hautapu – Co-Captain
Taha Kemara (5) Te Awamutu Sports
D’Angelo Leuila (21) Fraser Tech
Anton Lienert-Brown (22) University
Rhys Marshall (14)
Patrick McCurran (9) Fraser Tech
Damian McKenzie (37) University
Laghlan McWhannell (30) Hautapu
Cody Nordstrom ( ) Te Awamutu Sports
Ollie Norris (40) Hautapu
Simon Parker (11) Hautapu
Cortez Ratima (31) Otorohanga
Te Rama Reuben (6) University
Gabe Robinson ( ) Hamilton Marist
Xavier Roe (26) Hamilton Old Boys
Daniel Sinkinson (12) Melville
Bailyn Sullivan (55) Hamilton Marist
Samisoni Taukei’aho (44) Fraser Tech
James Tucker (59) Hamilton Marist
Solomone Tukuafu (3) Hamilton Old Boys
Mason Tupaea ( ) Hamilton Marist
Quinn Tupaea (32) Hamilton Old Boys
Gideon Wrampling (18) Hamilton Old Boys -
Last year 38 players were named, compared to only 33 this year so it will be interesting to see which other players are involved in the pre-season games. There will be cover for the ABs and only two halfbacks are listed.
I wonder what Sefo Kautai is up to? I am happy to invest in youth and local players.
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@OleOleOle Agree. One of the things I noticed as well. Burr has played a lot at lock for Waikato.
It will be interesting to see who is used at lock on Sat. Last year Andrew Smith and Zinzan Hansen played at the Chiefs Centurions Cup. The former is really a 6, and still very young. Hansen is also U20 but has height.
The locks in the NZ Harlequins squad are Hansen, Luke White and Josh Coffin. Coffin has some first class experience so might be the obvious choice.
Tom Martin hasn't made the squad and wasn't in the Marist teams during the latter stages of the club season, so may be injured again.
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@Bovidae said in Waikato 2023:
I would think Tucker will be looking overseas soon unless he picks up a SR contract.
both his bros are over in the states so might end up that way.. but was saying that agents etc are all pretty focused on world cup and guys there and what they're doing after so not getting loads of attention
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From the Stuff article:
Waikato coach Ross Filipo said he would run his three All Blacks in the opening game alongside many of the province’s academy and wider-group players, before putting out a mostly contracted squad in the second match.
“We think it’s going to be a great opportunity for those younger guys to be on the pitch with some of our All Blacks,” he said, of what he hopes will be the last time he sees the trio this year, despite the boost they could provide during the provincial season.
I wouldn't be surprised if Finau played at lock to accommodate some of the loose forwards. He actually played at no.8 in this fixture last year. It sounds like Quinn Tupaea is ready to go too.
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From memory these were the teams that started each game:
(vs Counties Manukau)
Mason Tupaea
Sean Ralph
Sosaia Folau - a new name for me
Andrew Smith
Zinzan Hansen
Samipeni Finau
Senita Lauaki
Luke JacobsonTe Aonui Wharawhara-Muriwai
Dominic Clapcott
Waisake Salibiau
Austin Anderson
Tana Tuhakaraina
Cody Nordstrom
Jole Naufahu(vs Taranaki)
Ayden Johnstone
Pita Anae-Ah Sue
Solomone Tukuafu
Hamilton Burr
Tai Cribb
Xavier Saifoloi
Simon Parker
Te Rama ReubenCortez Ratima
Josh Ioane
Daniel Sinkinson
Gideon Wrampling
Quinn Tupaea
Cody Nordstrom
Tepaea Cook-SavageThe lineout had some issues in both games, a combination of overthrows from the hookers and getting picked off at the front. Not having any of the main locks didn't help.
Roe is still not available for a few weeks.
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@OleOleOle said in Waikato 2023:
Sosaia Folau - a new name for me, are you sure this wasn't Sosaia Fale from HOB?
I was relying on the name listed in the programme I was given. I would describe him as a prop carrying some extra weight. If that's him, what is his background/age?
I see McWhannell is not available until week 3 or 4 as well
We need Tucker to be fit from Rd 1 then. As I said I would look at bringing in a more experienced lock like Josh Coffin. Maybe Sam Pou, based on my limited knowledge of the locks in club rugby. The other three locks used were 19/20 yrs old.
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@Bovidae It sounds like him, early to mid 20's, fair to say he is carrying a little extra weight. A big man and a hell of a scrummager.
I think Tucker will be fit for round 1, probably just pulling the veteran card by not playing pre-season haha.
Maybe they bring in coffin as cover, I see they used Cribb & Smith, but they're on the smaller side for a lock. Hansen has potential.
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Smith started the first game but went off injured and was replaced by Cribb. Both are really 6s although Cribb played at no.8 for TA Sports.
Yeah, I first saw Hansen a couple of years back playing for the Waikato Juniors. He's got height, which is always an advantage for a lock. I also thought he played OK for the NZ Barbarians U21s in the U20 tournament after missing selection for the Chiefs U20s.
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@Yeetyaah said in Waikato 2023:
Just confirmed Josh Ioane has a broken arm, that'll pretty much be his season. Pretty gutting.
Bugger.
A lot more pressure on Kemara now. With Leuila now also unavailable, Cook-Savage or Coombes-Fabling might be used as the backup 1st 5.
