Tasman vs Wellington (RS)

Canes4life

Starting this thread early as it's arguably the game of the year. Two top sides fighting for the Shield.

Let's hope the ABs are released for this, how good would it be to see these two sides go at on Sunday.

Ta$man: 1. Coxon 2. MacDonald 3. Lomax 4. Strange 5. Shalfoon 6. Blackadder 7. Sail 8. Stewart 9. Christie 10. Havili 11. Springer 12. Havili 13. Aumua 14. Tavatavanawai 15. Jordan

Wellington: 1. Numia 2. Aumua 3. Lauaki 4. Delany 5. Plummer 6. Shields 7. Savea 8. Lakai 9. Perenara 10. Harkin 11. Patafilo 12. Higgins 13. Proctor 14. Clarke 15. Love

Duluth

It would be funny if Ta$man waits this long to get the Shield and then only has it for a week

Chris B.

@Canes4life said in Ta$man vs Wellington (RS):

Starting this thread early as it's arguably the game of the year. Two top sides fighting for the Shield.

Let's hope the ABs are released for this, how good would it be to see these two sides go at on Sunday.

Ta$man: 1. Coxon 2. MacDonald 3. Lomax 4. Strange 5. Shalfoon 6. Hicks 7. Havili Talitui 8. Blackadder 9. Christie 10. Havili 11. Springer 12. Havili 13. Aumua 14. Tavatavanawai 15. Jordan

Some changes to our loose forwards.

Chris B.

@Duluth The last item on my rugby bucket-list has already been ticked off!

A nice-to-have if we beat Wellington, but I won't be surprised or distraught if we don't.

Canes4life

Having won the Shield recently it would be nice to get it back but I wouldn't be distraught if we didn't get it. I'd prefer we won another championship over the Shield this year if I had to choose.

Chris B.

@Canes4life Frankly, me too!

The NPC is much harder to win than the Shield (assuming you actually get given a few challenges) - Chris B. consults his list of teams that have never won the NPC for the purposes of severe mockery!

Winning this game will be a useful step towards winning the NPC though.

Canes4life

@Chris-B yeah I feel like finishing top this year is more important than ever with how close some of the top teams are.

Dan54

I would say I a neutral, but Ta$man need to win this, Naki get a challenge then!!!
Mind you I was cheering for Hawkes Bay for same reason , and that didn't go well did it?

Canes4life

@Dan54 said in Ta$man vs Wellington (RS):

I would say I a neutral, but Ta$man need to win this, Naki get a challenge then!!!
Mind you I was cheering for Hawkes Bay for same reason , and that didn't go well did it?

Both Bays will be backing Wellington, with Bay of Plenty getting the first challenge if Welly can win it, followed by Hawke's Bay (again).

Dan54

Tell you what if it as good as last weeks game will be good.

Canes4life

@Dan54 if it's dry i'd say it will be a rip snorting Shield challenge. Excuse the pun.

cgrant

No way Lomax will be released for this game. He needs a rest after his unusual long period of time on the field against SA.

Canes4life

@cgrant said in Ta$man vs Wellington (RS):

No way Lomax will be released for this game. He needs a rest after his unusual long period of time on the field against SA.

Yeah, it's highly unlikely all the ABs will be released, would be cool if they were though.

It will be interesting to see if any of the ABs are released. Maybe Havili for Ta$man and Proctor/Love for Wellington.

Bovidae

Hotham too.

Chris

Hotham,Havilli,Love and Procter to be released to play along with some others Bell,Tosi maybe Lord to other teams for this weekend is what I am hearing.

Canes4life

@Chris said in Ta$man vs Wellington (RS):

Hotham,Havilli,Love and Procter to be released to play along with some others Bell,Tosi maybe Lord to other teams for this weekend is what I am hearing.

That's probably why Wellington have been slightly delayed naming their team for Otago tomorrow.

Canes4life

Based on the Otago selections I think the Lions team will be something like this. Not sure what way we'll go with some of the selections.

NUMIA
APISAI
LAUAKI
DELANY
PLUMMER
SHIELDS
LAKAI/HALALILO
LAKAI/ROPETI
PRESTON
GARDEN-BACHOP
PATAFILO/CLARKE
HIGGINS/UMAGA-JENSEN
B PROCTOR
CLARKE/SAVEA
LOVE
PRESS
KAMIMORI
SHECK
PAULO/IEREMIA
HALALILO/ROPETI
MURIWAI
HARKIN
HIGGINS/UMAGA-JENSEN/SAVEA

KiwiMurph

According to Stuff

Wellington have been bolstered by the availability of centre Billy Proctor and fullback Ruben Love for their Ranfurly Shield challenge against holders  Ta$man.

 Ta$man will be able to call on the services of midfielder David Havili for their first defence after stunning Hawke’s Bay with a last-second penalty kick last weekend to claim the Shield for the first time.

However, halfback Noah Hotham, has not been released despite his minimal involvement for the All Blacks.

Machpants

@KiwiMurph said in Ta$man vs Wellington (RS):

According to Stuff

Wellington have been bolstered by the availability of centre Billy Proctor and fullback Ruben Love for their Ranfurly Shield challenge against holders  Ta$man.

 Ta$man will be able to call on the services of midfielder David Havili for their first defence after stunning Hawke’s Bay with a last-second penalty kick last weekend to claim the Shield for the first time.

However, halfback Noah Hotham, has not been released despite his minimal involvement for the All Blacks.

So Welly get two positives, Ta$man a downer

foobaNZ

My guess:

NUMIA
APISAI
LAUAKI
DELANY
PLUMMER
SHIELDS
HALALILO
LAKAI
PRESTON
GARDEN-BACHOP (I really hope it's Harkin though).
PATAFILO
HIGGINS (can see them picking PUJ though, but it should be Higgins. PUJ has been good this year however).
B PROCTOR
SAVEA (Clarke unlucky).
LOVE

The Silver Fern

Tasman vs Wellington (RS)