NPC - news, injuries etc

SammyC

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="600593" data-time="1469586237">
<div>
Mako$ have apparently signed a Scottish ginga former gymnast as a development player at halfback - a stepping stone to supplanting Drummond?
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/sport/82523852/christchurch-club-rugby-standout-finlay-christie-signs-for-tasman-Mako$'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/sport/82523852/christchurch-club-rugby-standout-finlay-christie-signs-for-tasman-Mako$</a>
 
Seen this guy play, Sammy?
 
Not much other news coming from the Mako$ squad. Earlier they said they'd signed all their current Super players plus Zac Guildford. Since then, however, it sounds like Quentin MacDonald is off before the season starts. Liam Squire is a good chance of being with the ABs, maybe James Lowe could be - there was also talk of him needing shoulder surgery. A few like Halanukonuka, Perry and Geldenhuys on the injured list.
 
Keane usually came up with a few signings from left field, so will be interesting to see whether Leon continues that tradition.
 
There's a heap of defections lining up for next year, so if we're going to win a trophy with this generation of players, it's now or never.
 
First up game is Waikato in Blenheim - give us a Shield Challenge you selfish and cowardly Mooloo fluffybunnys! :)
</div>
</blockquote>
 
I like that signing, if Robertson isn't going to reward club form then I'm glad the Mako$ are.
 
There's a couple more blokes who were up near the top of the Hawkins medal list that deserve a shot too.
 
I actually haven't seen University play this year so can't offer an opinion on him. Pretty sure my old man has though, so I'll ask him.

KiwiPie

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="600346" data-time="1469502933">
<div>
i saw so little last year i forgot we made the semis. With a shit record though? wiki tells me 4 and 6, with some kickings.
 
but only just lost our semi.
 
was last year with the really really dumb, late loss to HB? I remember a game in teh last couple of years where we were in front, and then gave it up with some of the dumbest rugby in history. 
</div>
</blockquote>
No last year was unlucky and slightly contentious although most mid-ranking teams usually combine the sublime and dumb fairly easily. In the Schuler years, we made a habit of dumb defeats on the rare occasions we weren't being humped.
 
So 4-6 last season wasn't great but it was much better than 6-24 for the previous 3 seasons.

taniwharugby

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="cgrant" data-cid="600426" data-time="1469520810">
<div>
Is Josh Larsen related to Blair Larsen ?
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Not sure if related, but dad is Andy and he was born in Canada
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/391628/rugby-former-eel-makes-northland-squad'>http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/391628/rugby-former-eel-makes-northland-squad</a>
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
 
Former Taieri Eels rugby player Josh Larsen is looking forward to pulling on the Cambridge blue jersey of Northland after being selected in its national provincial championship Mitre 10 Cup squad for 2016.
The 22-year-old, who plays lock, played three years for the Eels while studying at the University of Otago from 2012 to 2015. He has since graduated and moved back to his hometown, Paihia.
"I'm very honoured to be picked for Northland,'' Larsen said.
"I grew up here in the province and still remember going to Okara Park as a youngster watching the Cambridge blue. So to be in the squad now is very special.''
Making the squad had taught him that hard work paid off.
"Northland being such a large region, and with my home in Paihia being roughly an hour out of the main area of Whangarei, it has been a lot of work and effort and driving to and from training.
"I was fortunate enough at the start of the year to be involved in the academy up here and then from there really worked on my strength and conditioning as well as my form in club rugby.
"It was all done with huge support from my father, Andy.''
While he hoped to take the field for Northland, he was focused on improving himself and learning from the rest of the squad.
"If I got a game against Otago down south it would be a dream, as I am still very close to the deep South and have some really close friends there.
"But I am just taking it day by day for now.''
His highlights while playing for the Eels were making his premier debut against the Kaikorai Rugby Football Club and being a part of the side's run to the final last year.
The highlights of his rugby career so far were making the Canada Under-20 team - he was born in Canada - and making the Otago B squad last year.
"The main highlight now would be this year with the Northland Mitre 10 Cup squad.''
</blockquote>

Dice

Otago and Southland had a pre-season hit-out on the weekend.
 
Sassanechs(Otago) 41 - 19 Spartans(Southland)
 
Sassanechs scorers: Josh Casey, Dillon Hunt, George Bower, Kyle Harris, Josh Ioane, Jonathan Ruru, Thomas Umaga-Jensen tries; Casey 2 con, Ruru con
<div> </div>
<div>Spartans scorers: DJ Collier, Keanu Kahukura, Tino Mafoe tries; D'Angelo Leuila con, Mafoe con</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Halftime: Sassenachs 19 - 12</div>
 
Match Report: <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/391422/rugby-coach-pleased-performance-sassenachs'>http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/391422/rugby-coach-pleased-performance-sassenachs</a>
 
Line-ups:
Sassenachs(Otago): Mitchell Scott, Fa'asui Fuitai, Michael Collins, Sio Tomkinson, Jack Wilson, Josh Ioane, Josh Walden (captain), Sione Teu, James Lentjes, Adam Knight, Sione Misoli, Tom Rowe, Mike Mata'afa, Sam Sturgess, Craig Miller. Reserves: Angus Williams, Sekonaia Pole, George Bower, Dillon Hunt, Ben Whale, Kyle Harris, Charles Elton, Jonathon Ruru, Josh Casey, Hemaua Semasoni, Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Josh Gordon, Josh Buchan
 
Spartans(Southland): Junior Ngaluafe, Mike Molloy, Dylan Collier, James Schrader, Keanu Kahukura, D'Angelo Leiuila, Ben Brown, Mika Mafi, Phil Halder, Wade McRae, Ben Fotheringham, Tepasu Thomas, Reuben Northover, Ezekiel Sopoaga, Shaun Stodart. Reserves: Josh Leith, George Tuineau, Ben Soper, Jack Capil, Anton Huisman, Josh Brazier, Jaye Thomson Te Muunu, Tino Mafoe, Greg Dyer

Dice

Got two Auckland boys manning the 10 position in that game.
 
Seems Josh Ioane has gone well in club rugby this season. I saw him named in a Club Form XV, but he was listed at 12.
 
Southland coach noted D'angelo Leuila as one of the better players for Southland. It's funny, because he's not even listed in the Mitre 10 Cup team or even the Southland B team. I wonder what's going on there.

Stargazer

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Dice" data-cid="600961" data-time="1469684478">
<div>
Otago and Southland had a pre-season hit-out on the weekend.
 
Sassanechs(Otago) 41 - 19 Spartans(Southland)
 
Sassanechs scorers: Josh Casey, Dillon Hunt, George Bower, Kyle Harris, Josh Ioane, Jonathan Ruru, Thomas Umaga-Jensen tries; Casey 2 con, Ruru con
<div> </div>
<div>Spartans scorers: DJ Collier, Keanu Kahukura, Tino Mafoe tries; D'Angelo Leuila con, Mafoe con</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Halftime: Sassenachs 19 - 12</div>
 
Match Report: <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/391422/rugby-coach-pleased-performance-sassenachs'>http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/391422/rugby-coach-pleased-performance-sassenachs</a>
 
Line-ups:
Sassenachs(Otago): Mitchell Scott, Fa'asui Fuitai, Michael Collins, Sio Tomkinson, Jack Wilson, Josh Ioane, Josh Walden (captain), Sione Teu, James Lentjes, Adam Knight, Sione Misoli, Tom Rowe, Mike Mata'afa, Sam Sturgess, Craig Miller. Reserves: Angus Williams, Sekonaia Pole, George Bower, Dillon Hunt, Ben Whale, Kyle Harris, Charles Elton, Jonathon Ruru, Josh Casey, Hemaua Semasoni, Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Josh Gordon, Josh Buchan
 
Spartans(Southland): Junior Ngaluafe, Mike Molloy, Dylan Collier, James Schrader, Keanu Kahukura, D'Angelo Leiuila, Ben Brown, Mika Mafi, Phil Halder, Wade McRae, Ben Fotheringham, Tepasu Thomas, Reuben Northover, Ezekiel Sopoaga, Shaun Stodart. Reserves: Josh Leith, George Tuineau, Ben Soper, Jack Capil, Anton Huisman, Josh Brazier, Jaye Thomson Te Muunu, Tino Mafoe, Greg Dyer
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Jonathan Ruru? Is that a halfback from Hawke's Bay (last year, the third Magpies hb behind Eaton and Wilson)? Or just someone with the same name?

? Offline

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="600973" data-time="1469686073">
<div>
Jonathan Ruru? Is that a halfback from Hawke's Bay (last year, the third Magpies hb behind Eaton and Wilson)? Or just someone with the same name?
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Yes, the HB squad member of last year, Stargazer.

? Offline

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="KiwiPie" data-cid="600341" data-time="1469501728">
<div>
About time you lot left your borders to put the Real Bay Trophy on the line - we always seem to be going there!
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Actually, Kiwipie, there have been 48 first-class matches between HB and BOP - 24 in each province.
 
The recent dominance of games between the two in HB have actually corrected the imbalance, not created one.

cgrant

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="600767" data-time="1469655832">
<div>
Not sure if related, but dad is Andy and he was born in Canada
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/391628/rugby-former-eel-makes-northland-squad'>http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/391628/rugby-former-eel-makes-northland-squad</a>
</div>
</blockquote>
Thanks !

Chris B.

Line-ups:
Sassenachs(Otago): Mitchell Scott, Fa'asui Fuitai, Michael Collins, Sio Tomkinson, Jack Wilson, Josh Ioane, Josh Walden (captain), Sione Teu, James Lentjes, Adam Knight, Sione Misoli, Tom Rowe, Mike Mata'afa, Sam Sturgess, Craig Miller. Reserves: Angus Williams, Sekonaia Pole, George Bower, Dillon Hunt, Ben Whale, Kyle Harris, Charles Elton, Jonathon Ruru, Josh Casey, Hemaua Semasoni, Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Josh Gordon, Josh Buchan
 
Spartans(Southland): Junior Ngaluafe, Mike Molloy, Dylan Collier, James Schrader, Keanu Kahukura, D'Angelo Leiuila, Ben Brown, Mika Mafi, Phil Halder, Wade McRae, Ben Fotheringham, Tepasu Thomas, Reuben Northover, Ezekiel Sopoaga, Shaun Stodart. Reserves: Josh Leith, George Tuineau, Ben Soper, Jack Capil, Anton Huisman, Josh Brazier, Jaye Thomson Te Muunu, Tino Mafoe, Greg Dyer
 
You can tell the boys born and raised in Otago in those two teams. They're the ones called Josh.

KiwiPie

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Number 10" data-cid="600977" data-time="1469686535">
<div>
Actually, Kiwipie, there have been 48 first-class matches between HB and BOP - 24 in each province.
 
The recent dominance of games between the two in HB have actually corrected the imbalance, not created one.
</div>
</blockquote>
Don't start throwing facts into the debate! Nobody wants to see that ....

JK

Harbour 64 - Northland 10 at Albany this arvo 
Harbour have further warmups vs Auckland and Hawkes bay to come

taniwharugby

Not ideal prep, but our club finals are tomorrow and half our squad unavailable so were a number of players that arent in our squad and a couple of under 20s called in for thier second game yesterday that played that game... <img src="http://m5.i.pbase.com/o3/10/634010/1/87651635.ExdwAP6i.DSC06554_s.jpg" alt="87651635.ExdwAP6i.DSC06554_s.jpg">

Smudge

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Dice" data-cid="600961" data-time="1469684478">
<div>
Otago and Southland had a pre-season hit-out on the weekend.
 
Sassanechs(Otago) 41 - 19 Spartans(Southland)
 
Sassanechs scorers: Josh Casey, Dillon Hunt, George Bower, Kyle Harris, Josh Ioane, Jonathan Ruru, Thomas Umaga-Jensen tries; Casey 2 con, Ruru con
<div> </div>
<div>Spartans scorers: DJ Collier, Keanu Kahukura, Tino Mafoe tries; D'Angelo Leuila con, Mafoe con</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Halftime: Sassenachs 19 - 12</div>
 
Match Report: <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/391422/rugby-coach-pleased-performance-sassenachs'>http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/391422/rugby-coach-pleased-performance-sassenachs</a>
 
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Was at that game and that match report pretty much sums it up. 
 
 
 
 
 
 :whistle:

shark

Oops yeah I saw Apa in action yesterday for waikato and realised my booboo. Hadn't noticed Laulala in the CM squad. Weird that Canterbury would bring these guys into their academy and then after only one season floating about the NPC squad, allow them to go elsewhere. I don't see that Canterbury have such wonderful back depth that they'd feel compelled to move on because of it!

shark

Canterbury vs Auckland on the first Saturday night of the competition is a good way to open it up. We don't play Wellington during the regular season though which is a bit of a shame. We have a torrid stretch in late September and early October where we have Otago, Waikato, Taranaki and Harbour inside 13 days including a tour in the middle to Hamilton and New Plymouth. I say 'tour' but I guess there's every chance due to budgeting that it could be cheaper to fly the team home for a couple of days in-between rather than pay for a team coach and couple of nights' accommodation. But I hope that's not the case because those sorts of tours are often talked-up as galvanising teams and it has to be far less disruptive to keep the group together on the road than fly home and then back up again.

Stargazer

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="shark" data-cid="601796" data-time="1469912912">
<div>
Oops yeah I saw Apa in action yesterday for waikato and realised my booboo. Hadn't noticed Laulala in the CM squad. Weird that Canterbury would bring these guys into their academy and then after only one season floating about the NPC squad, allow them to go elsewhere. I don't see that Canterbury have such wonderful back depth that they'd feel compelled to move on because of it!
</div>
</blockquote>
 
This suggests that Canterbury didn't really have a say in the move:
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
 
Counties Manukau have signed All Blacks prop Nepo Laulala and his former New Zealand Under 20s brother Luteru Laulala from Canterbury.
<div> </div>
<div>It will be a home-coming for the brothers who both went to Wesley College.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Nepo, 24, played 44 games for Canterbury while Luteru, 20, played four.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>They will follow in the footsteps of older brothers Casey and Ray Laulala who also played for Counties Manukau.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Casey played 23 games in 2001 and 2002 before transferring to Canterbury. He played two tests for the All Blacks.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Ray played seven games for Counties Manukau in 2012.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Luteru said the pair's move back to Counties Manukau was spurred on by a desire to be closer to family.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"It was a family decision based on my brother [Nepo] moving back [for the Chiefs]," he said. "My parents wanted me to move back as well."</div>
</blockquote>
 
Full article: <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/78542228/nepo-and-luteru-laulala-sign-with-counties-manukau'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/78542228/nepo-and-luteru-laulala-sign-with-counties-manukau</a>

Bovidae

2016 Waikato Mitre 10 Cup Squad
 
Forwards
Loni Uhila (17) Hamilton Marist
Latu Talakai (22) Fraser Tech
Hame Faiva (23) University
Steven Misa (1) Hamilton Marist
Atu Moli (7) University
Tau Koloamatangi (7) University
Sefo Kautai (1) Hamilton Marist
James Tucker (9) Hamilton Marist
Brian Alainu'uese (9) University
Jacob Skeen (16) University
Leva Fifita () Hamilton Old Boys
Whetu Douglas (25) University
Mitch Jacobson (7) Hautapu
Adam Burn (27) Hamilton Old Boys
Jordan Manihera () Hamilton Old Boys
 
Backs
Tawera Kerr-Barlow (40) Hautapu
Harrison Levien (6) Hamilton Marist
Pele Cowley (1) Hamilton Old Boys
Isaac Boss (53) (Southern United)
Damian McKenzie (20) University
Stephen Donald (59) University
Sam Christie (43) Fraser Tech
Willis Halaholo ()
Tevita Taufui (2) Melville
Nathaniel Apa (1) Fraser Tech
Anton Lienert-Brown (19) University
Iliesa Ratuva Tavuyara (2) Hamilton Old Boys
Sevu Reece (2) Melville
Shaun Stevenson (10) Hamilton Old Boys
Jordan Trainor (2) Fraser Tech
 
Wider Training/Injury Cover
Murray Iti (7) Otorohanga
Jake Ale (1) Melville
 
() = caps for Waikato
 = uncapped
 
(caps as of August 1 after King Country Ranfurly Shield match)
 
More info at <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.mooloo.co.nz/news/2016-waikato-mitre-10-cup-squad-announced/'>http://www.mooloo.co.nz/news/2016-waikato-mitre-10-cup-squad-announced/</a>

Stargazer

Reading on stuff that Warwick Lahmert, after missing out on a spot in the Great Britain Sevens squad for Rio, has returned to NZ (temporarily) and has been named in the Horowhenua-Kapiti Heartland squad: <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/82685705/english-sevens-warwick-lahmert-named-in-horowhenua-kapiti-heartland-squad'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/82685705/english-sevens-warwick-lahmert-named-in-horowhenua-kapiti-heartland-squad</a>

Dice

With the players in that Waikato backline, attack shouldn't be a problem, but like the last couple of years, I have a question mark on the defense and pack.
 
Halaholo is a nice addition for Waikato. He and ALB should be one of the better midfield combos in the comp.

The Silver Fern

NPC - news, injuries etc