NPC - news, injuries etc
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Ta$man Mako$ snap up former Canterbury schoolboy star Will Jordan
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The 2017 Mitre10 Cup draw has been released. Otago gets the first Ranfurly Shield Challenge of the season (not including the Heartland teams).
http://files.allblacks.com/competitions/draws/2017_Mitre10Cup_Draw.pdf
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If they can shift the June Test window to July - as reports seem to indicate is getting to be a greater possibility - which will allow Super Rugby to finish end June instead of end July as now, you will be able to expand the Mitre 10 Cup to a full 13-round robin comp (as we had 2009-2010) by starting earlier and scrap the premiership and championship divisions.
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@Number-10 Hmm, I'd rather use the extra time to rest the Super Rugby players and then give them a proper preseason with their provincial team. I don't like how SR players only join the team preps for NPC in the week before the Mitre10 Cup kicks off. That's way too late.
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while I like the crossover games, if they only had 3 instead of 4, you wouldn't need that 3 games in 8 days every team gets.
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Leo Crowley is the Ta$man Mako$' new assistant rugby coach.
He will be joined by former All Blacks prop Greg Somerville as Ta$man's new set piece assistant coach and ex-Northland strength and conditioning coach James Holden. -
Chris Eves returns to Harbour.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11825544
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Antonio Kiri Kiri has re-signed with the Turbos:
http://www.turbosrugby.co.nz/news/246-kiri-kiri-is-a-2017-turbo
Heiden Bedwell-Curtis has been confirmed as the Manawatu Turbos' captain for 2017
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Thinking about the Blues region teams this year. North Harbour should have a pretty solid XV:
- Mayhew/Eves
- Parsons
- Mafileo
- Nansen (injury?)
- Cowley-Tuioti
- Vui
- Jacobson/Taramai
- Moala-Liava'a/Taramai
- Hall
- Gatland
- Li
- Ahki (is Little available at all?)
- Vaega
- Stevenson
- Duffy
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Auckland's XV will be interesting, with a few good young prospects coming through. Any one know when Luatua is off?
- Hodgman (injured?)
- GPT
- O. Tu'ungafasi
- Fatialofa (injured?) - two locks in the NZ U20, Nee Nee, Moli, Seu
- Scrafton - Pat T should get some rotation time here too
- Seu/Papali'i
- Gibson
- A. Ioane
- Fukofuka/Milo-Harris
- Wiseguy Faiane/D’Angelo Leuila/Fonoti/Fosita - anyone else available? (Harry Plummer won't be ready/available until next year.)
- B. Lam/Caleb Clarke
- T.J. Faiane
- Aso - Moala and R. Ioane should get some game time in the midfield too.
- Trainor/Caleb Clarke
- Nanai
9 & 10 the big issues (as always). Frontrow depth also a concern.
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@Tim said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:
Auckland's XV will be interesting, with a few good young prospects coming through. Any one know when Luatua is off?
- Hodgman (injured?)
- GPT
- O. Tu'ungafasi
- Fatialofa (injured?) - two locks in the NZ U20, Nee Nee, Moli, Seu
- Scrafton - Pat T should get some rotation time here too
- Seu/Papali'i
- Gibson
- A. Ioane
- Fukofuka/Milo-Harris
- Wiseguy Faiane/D’Angelo Leuila/Fonoti/Fosita - anyone else available? (Harry Plummer won't be ready/available until next year.)
- B. Lam/Caleb Clarke
- T.J. Faiane
- Aso - Moala and R. Ioane should get some game time in the midfield too.
- Trainor/Caleb Clarke
- Nanai
9 & 10 the big issues (as always). Frontrow depth also a concern.
Ben Lam has signed for Wellington hasn't he? I'm assuming Hodgman is still with Canterbury as well. Hope to see Wiseguy Faiane at 10 as well
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@African-Monkey said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:
Ben Lam
I thought Hodgman had signed with Auckland too, but I may well be wrong. Can't recall anything about Lam signing with Wellington.