Hawkes Bay v Counties Manukau

Stargazer

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Higgins" data-cid="611349" data-time="1472723463">
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Not exactly true as I read an article somewhere that the HB teachers have formed a team and beat their teaching counterparts from another part of the country, obviously Mr. Philpot had no involvement!
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If you're considering them a rep team, then you're definitely right! There's also a HB Samoan team now, so maybe they'll win, too! Don't think Philpot has anything to do with them either.

Higgins

Hell we are really clutching at straws aren't we! Does the Hawkes Bay Deaf Society field a team (a NZ Deaf Blacks team does exist by the way) as that could be another outlet for a possible victory?

? Offline

Just got home from the match.
 
It was obvious from a long way we weren't going to win.
 
Putting subs on in the 70th and 74th minutes seemed an absolute waste of time when you're 20-41 down with ten minutes to go. 
 
Tackling again was an issue - but was very noticeable when the teams were doing their warmups that CM were physically a lot bigger (taller and wider). 
 
I don't see the point in persisting with Selesele and Fruean now. They wil be gone after this year regardless.
 
Even as we head now towards the Championship, I say give these guys like Mikaele Tu'u (he is a big boy for 18 years) a go for the rest of the year. They will be around next year and the experience this year will be good for next year.
 
Stargazer mentioned the captaincy. There was an injury break where Dixon was talking to the referee for a whole minute. Even as the teams were coming off the field at halftime Dixon and the referee were the last off the field with Dixon having whatever conversation he had with him. Dixon didnt appear to be reluctant and reticent to say something.
 
Dont understand the slim young Tiaan Falcon coming on as a replacement for the bigger Ropiha at second five particuarly against a bigger opposition.

Higgins

Believe it or not but I have just had a visit from the tennant in the flat upstairs checking to see if I am alright. Said they were concerned at my wellbeing (they had been watching the match as well) and when an ambulance went past they did the good neighbourly thing and came to check, just in case!!!!! Effing Ta$man supporters.........................

Stargazer

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Number 10" data-cid="611354" data-time="1472724425">
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Just got home from the match.
 
It was obvious from a long way we weren't going to win.
 
Putting subs on in the 70th and 74th minutes seemed an absolute waste of time when you're 20-41 down with ten minutes to go. 
 
Tackling again was an issue - but was very noticeable when the teams were doing their warmups that CM were physically a lot bigger (taller and wider). 
 
I don't see the point in persisting with Selesele and Fruean now. They wil be gone after this year regardless.
 
Even as we head now towards the Championship, I say give these guys like Mikaele Tu'u (he is a big boy for 18 years) a go for the rest of the year. They will be around next year and the experience this year will be good for next year.
 
Stargazer mentioned the captaincy. There was an injury break where Dixon was talking to the referee for a whole minute. Even as the teams were coming off the field at halftime Dixon and the referee were the last off the field with Dixon having whatever conversation he had with him. Dixon didnt appear to be reluctant and reticent to say something.
 
Dont understand the slim young Tiaan Falcon coming on as a replacement for the bigger Ropiha at second five particuarly against a bigger opposition.
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I meant talking to the team, not the referee. I think he has been doing that very well.
 
 
It's funny. Last year, over and over again, people on FB (in comments on the Magpies page) were complaining about there being too many players from other regions and our local, young boys not getting a chance. This year, they mostly replaced injured players - and players who've left - with local, young players. And we're losing big time. 
 
Last year, we were in the Championship & playing more of the weaker teams, but we beat Taranaki, Wellington and Counties. Now, we're in the Premiership and we lost to these teams.
 
Can't say I've answers. It's clear we have lost too many players of last year's team and somehow this team doesn't seem to gel. At least on the field. Who was the glue in the team and isn't there anymore? Was it O'Connor as a captain? Horrell?
Not sure how to fix that. Someone needs to step up. That should be the captain, but not just him. Who in the backline? Ihaia?
 
If we somehow survive Auckland and don't lose by more than 50 points, then we will still be butchered by Canterbury. Hopefully that won't go into 3 digits. Shit. I need drink.

Stargazer

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Higgins" data-cid="611355" data-time="1472724595">
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Believe it or not but I have just had a visit from the tennant in the flat upstairs checking to see if I am alright. Said they were concerned at my wellbeing (they had been watching the match as well) and when an ambulance went past they did the good neighbourly thing and came to check, just in case!!!!! Effing Ta$man supporters.........................
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Ah, you have good neighbours. Mine would just laugh. Wellington supporters.
 
My partner just said that if I don't calm down she'll slip something in my drink. Don't worry, just a tranquilliser. ...... I hope.

Higgins

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Number 10" data-cid="611354" data-time="1472724425">
<div> 
I don't see the point in persisting with Selesele and Fruean now. They wil be gone after this year regardless.
 
Even as we head now towards the Championship, I say give these guys like Mikaele Tu'u (he is a big boy for 18 years) a go for the rest of the year. They will be around next year and the experience this year will be good for next year.
 
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It was certainly a mystery why we had to go overseas to sign a loose forward, and a sevens player too boot. He doesn't appear to have a lot to offer from the little I have seen of him, height included. You would have thought there would have been a suitable player somewhere in NZ that would do a reasonable job.. Perhaps there are but they might not want to have anything to do with a team being coached by by this lot.
 
I am in two minds about giving our youngsters a go at this stage. Sure the experience they gain might be good for them in the long term but that has to be weighed against being part of a team that is getting soundly demolished. Knock a kids confidence and it could take a long time for them to recover and we don't want that to happen.

Nepia

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="611356" data-time="1472724731">
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I meant talking to the team, not the referee. I think he has been doing that very well.
 
 
It's funny. Last year, over and over again, people on FB (in comments on the Magpies page) were complaining about there being too many players from other regions and our local, young boys not getting a chance. This year, they mostly replaced injured players - and players who've left - with local, young players. And we're losing big time. 
 
Last year, we were in the Championship & playing more of the weaker teams, but we beat Taranaki, Wellington and Counties. Now, we're in the Premiership and we lost to these teams.
 
Can't say I've answers. It's clear we have lost too many players of last year's team and somehow this team doesn't seem to gel. At least on the field. Who was the glue in the team and isn't there anymore? Was it O'Connor as a captain? Horrell?
Not sure how to fix that. Someone needs to step up. That should be the captain, but not just him. Who in the backline? Ihaia?
 
If we somehow survive Auckland and don't lose by more than 50 points, then we will still be butchered by Canterbury. Hopefully that won't go into 3 digits. Shit. I need drink.
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I'm all for local players, but there's something just not right about the team at the moment. Having the injured players back would make a huge difference but I wonder why Buckman would bugger off to Japan just as he's secured a Super spot and could have been in line for an AB spot. Why would a proud Magpie bugger off at this stage?
 
At any rate, our young locals aren't really the issue, Riccitelli, Lowe and Emerson have been travelling ok. And it's never been about only locals, but the practice of bringing in average imports from other area's club competitions - bringing in a few decent 1st class players is fine. I assume we're doing it tight moneywise at the moment and that's why we've only had the cash to bring in Filipo and May.
 
In fact it's really hard to put a finger on what is going wrong. We're not accurate, we can't build phases - we've finally got a decent half to go with our 10 but they're getting served up cabbage. 
 
The only good thing about tonights game was that TBW got a good 70 odd minutes gametime.

Crucial

Nepes you must have loved watching hungus Pulu tear your guys a new one. All that greedy sniping.......

Stargazer

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="611368" data-time="1472729170">
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I'm all for local players, but there's something just not right about the team at the moment. Having the injured players back would make a huge difference but I wonder why Buckman would bugger off to Japan just as he's secured a Super spot and could have been in line for an AB spot. Why would a proud Magpie bugger off at this stage?
 
At any rate, our young locals aren't really the issue, Riccitelli, Lowe and Emerson have been travelling ok. And it's never been about only locals, but the practice of bringing in average imports from other area's club competitions - bringing in a few decent 1st class players is fine. I assume we're doing it tight moneywise at the moment and that's why we've only had the cash to bring in Filipo and May.
 
In fact it's really hard to put a finger on what is going wrong. We're not accurate, we can't build phases - we've finally got a decent half to go with our 10 but they're getting served up cabbage. 
 
The only good thing about tonights game was that TBW got a good 70 odd minutes gametime.
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I've been wondering about that, too. I'm not going to speculate on a public forum, but I can think of a management decision that may have played a role ... (just guessing).
And is it coincidence that Grant Dearns has left as well?
 
Probably unrelated, but isn't there a new team manager, too?
 
Last year, they had a team camp in Taupo with all sorts of team bonding activities. Did they do something like that this year?
 
By the way, did you read this? I so hoped he'd bugger off early ...
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/83766432/hawkes-bay-coach-craig-philpott-not-interested-in-crusaders-assistants-role'>Hawke's Bay coach Craig Philpott not interested in Crusaders' assistant's role</a>

Stockcar86

At least one positive out of the game. Hopefully that means that Philpott can't drop him
 
<img src="https://scontent.fakl1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14222236_1299786276728777_7365755276282196611_n.png?oh=85c8c1465a32f76b9398b6705c5bd0db&oe=583C10D3" alt="14222236_1299786276728777_73657552762821">

Nepia

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="611370" data-time="1472729670">
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Nepes you must have loved watching hungus Pulu tear your guys a new one. All that greedy sniping.......
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Grrr! I was too hungry to do the Hungus count.

Stockcar86

With regard to the fitness down in the last 20 minutes, could that be a result of Grant Dearns heading off to Japan to hook up again with Peter Russell. Who is the new fitness/conditioning coach?

Stargazer

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stockcar86" data-cid="611670" data-time="1472878915">
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With regard to the fitness down in the last 20 minutes, could that be a result of Grant Dearns heading off to Japan to hook up again with Peter Russell. Who is the new fitness/conditioning coach?
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His name is Luke Stephenson.
 
More about him: <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://m.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503460&objectid=11639061'>http://m.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503460&objectid=11639061</a>

Higgins

The article mentions strength and conditioning but is fitness training part and parcel of that description? I always thought Grant Dearns was called theTrainer but the article specifically refers to him being Dearns' replacement so I guess it must be.

Stargazer

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Higgins" data-cid="611825" data-time="1472903214">
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The article mentions strength and conditioning but is fitness training part and parcel of that description? I always thought Grant Dearns was called theTrainer but the article specifically refers to him being Dearns' replacement so I guess it must be.
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Found the programme of the preseason game v N Harbour in the recycling bin and there he's referred to as "trainer".

Crucial

Aerobic fitness is all part of 'conditioning'.

The Silver Fern

Hawkes Bay v Counties Manukau