The Silver Fern

Someone give Tom Parsons a Super Rugby contract. He bloody well deserves one.

@canes4life Personally I'm bloody happy McClutchie got a contract, he deserves one. I also hope Tom Parsons, and Geoff Cridge pick one up as well. Loves a good player no doubt, but I honestly believe the Hurricanes missed a trick in not signing these 3 players.

@Duluth How has Brewis made this team ahead of Hodgman. Bryce Heem? A retirement gift maybe, but I'm sorry I don't agree with either of those two. And to be honest I don't agree with Dane Coles making the All Blacks for the Northern tour. I would of thought Aumua would have been a better pick, and either Thompson or Eklund being taken for the All Blacks XV. Just my opinion.

A famous leader once said I came I saw I conquered. The Magpies went to Invercargill with the same idea. What happened quite simply was that they got out played out thought, and appeared to have no plan B. Admittedly they made basic errors from the driving mail, but that's no excuse given the last 2 years theve been marsters at it. Some say the Weather?. Please there big boys playing with a very grippy synthetic ball. What happened was they got out passioned by a Southland team not willing to accept second best. For some reason whenever we play a side with a class prop in the opposition we struggle. Our back play was pedestrian, predictable, and stamped out by Southland who tackled there hearts out, and good on them. Acceptable to Magpies fans? NO. Work to be done before facing Counties? You bet there is.

@Stargazer A very good backline building here. Hopefully Sam can stay injury free because he adds depth and strength to it.

Generally speaking I don't like hangovers, but this one I'm strangely enjoying. That game last night was something special, not just because Hawkes Bay won it but because it had a bit of everything. Hawkes Bay started well, moved Canterbury around and kept the attacking mindset. The set piece namely the scrum was strong, and out wide Visinia and Lowe were on fire. Toala looked full of running and Baker at the back looked very assured. Fokatava played well, but too many inside flick passes. Canterbury as per usual after halftime came out full of fire, and looked to be pulling away towards the 70 minute mark, but for me the best part of this game was that Hawkes Bay stayed tough, stayed in the fight and never gave in. Devan Flanders, Ash Dixon, Tom Parsons, Joe Apikitoa take a bow, you were all simply brilliant. Brendan O'Connor likewise at the breakdown. Jason Long magnificent last scrum, and good to see he like the rest of the pack never gave in and conceded. 1982 seems a long time ago, and is but this Hawkes Bay effort showed everything you want to see in players in the Black and White jersey. Great game, great effort, and for once an enjoyable hangover. Well done boys.

@chimoaus You simply give him what he wants. The All Blacks, and the set up is a mess. Razors more than capable of sorting it out, but give him what, and who he wants.

@Higgins. It isn't bad when you can still field what is basically a Super Rugby Side to defend, or re win the Shield. However what must be remembered is that Southland have taken on very good Hawkes Bay sides before in Napier and won. They are the kind of side that can sneak up on you and do what there no supposed to. Southland I think will attempt to play a territory based game, on the back of Marty Banks. They will also play a slow type of game and attempt to frustrate Hawkes Bay into giving away silly penalties through poor discipline. Hawkes Bay need to play an up tempo game, back there skills, and when given the chance apply authority up front, Scrums, Lineout drives and quick clean outs at ruck time. Southland won't bugger off easily. Get off to the right start, and do not take the foot off the throat. Keep these guys in the game, and Invercargill may have a new visitor. However after weighing every thing up, and the individual clashes it's reasonable to think Hawkes Bay will prevail. At least as a Bay fan, I hope so.

@KiwiPie Well the battle of the Bays has been and gone. And I have to say the better team won, and deserved the win at that. For Hawkes Bay it's placed them in a tricky situation. They simply HAVE to return to Napier and beat Ta$man with a bonus point. Ranfurly Shield hangover? No. The battle of the Bays is motivation enough. Now it's going to be interesting to see how many All Blacks are released to play. Fakatava, and Frizzell are near certainties I would imagine. Ta$man looked good against Northland. For Hawkes Bay it's do or die. Throw the shackles off, and play what your capable of. Either way, should be a ripper of a game.

@Stargazer It's definitely not Sona. I spoke with him the other day about the reports he was coming back, and he said he knows nothing about it. He said he wished it was true, but it's not.

This year's Hawkes Bay team looks a very strong one. They kick there campaign off this Sunday in Invercargill against a Southland side led by ex Bay player Tony Lamborn. Most people would suggest an easy victory for the Bay, but let's hope the Bay players don't think that. On paper yes you would think so, but Southland are a dogged team especially in Invercargill. Where this could be won is whether Southland can continually turn back the pressure this Bay team will apply to them. Southland by all reports played well in there pre season game against Otago, but you can't judge a team on that. This is the real deal. Hawkes Bay will field effectively a Super Rugby side, and while I would expect Southland to be all fire and brimstone early on, I would also expect the Bay to over power them, especially in the second half with the impact the Bay have off the bench. I never predict scores, but a Bay win that shakes off the rust with so many different franchise players coming back together, and a performance that befits the quality of player they have would be sufficient for now.

@KiwiMurph Very Sneaky Sona.

• So on Friday Counties Manakau come to town looking to take the Shield home, and not for the first time. Looking at there performance against Otago, these guys are not going to roll over and die.Hawkes Bay's effort against Waikato was bloody good, but defensively there's work to be done, which no doubt the Coaching staff will address. Attacking wise the Bay were really good, but I think a bit more accuracy might have brought more points. To beat a team like Counties Manakau the Bay need to be tight up front, and accurate at the breakdown. Give these guys a chance in broken play and you'll pay the penalty. If the weather's good, and the field dry this should be a great game. Oh and look out for the Bay to use the rolling maul and drive a lot more.

@Stargazer He might be 35, but all that experience would be very valuable. Can't see Bryn turning down the chance to play a season with Gareth. Adds hugely to the locking stocks.

@FakatavaAllBlack Well done Otago, you thoroughly deserved that win. Hawkes Bay need to remember that because you currently hold the Ranfurly Shield, does Not mean any other team will roll over and die. Halftime lately is the Bays problem, that and stupid basic errors. Yes it's the Storm week, but that's no excuse, every team goes through it. I would suggest Tom and Josh have a bloody stern word to these guys and quickly. Yes I know it wasn't the top team, but even they have shown the second half Blues. Do that against North Harbour and the Shield may very well have a new home. Oh but one thing how did the Ref manage to find a knock on off someone's boot and disallow the try.

What a season, what a team, and what a leader. Things didn't look good earlier on in the season, with the loss to Southland, but as Tom Parsons said that was the kick in the arse they needed. After that this team just grew, and to be honest have become one of the best in the country. Mark Ozich, and Josh Symes quickly realized that with the campaign being a long one, they needed depth in critical positions, and this is exactly what they built up. The players they bought in all contributed bloody well, and made competition within the squad for starting spots very competitive. Seriously how many teams can afford to have players like Gareth Evans, Isia Walker Leaware, Calab Makene, on there bench, and players like Danny Toala, and Bryn Evans left out all together. Of course there were flat patches such as the hiding from North Harbour, but that was always going to happen given the length and schedule of the season. Mark Ozich is a very clever coach, and clearly has the ability to turn any team he coaches into a formidable side. Hastings Boys High, and now Hawkes Bay are proof of that. This team has been rewarded for there efforts, with the Ranfurly Shield locked away, and now the Championship as well. Individual players have been rewarded with New Zealand Maori and Moana Pasifica selection, and to be honest more should follow with Super Rugby selection, Tom Parsons, and Joe Apikitoa are two examples of this. With victories over Counties Manakau, Otago, Manawatu, Wellington, Canterbury, Taranaki twice, Northland twice, this has been a season to remember. No doubt the squad will be bolstered even further next year, and course some may move on, and in the professional era that's the way it is, but all you can say is well done Hawkes Bay, your a bloody good side and have earnt all the rewards that have come your way. Oh and Ash when you do retire, and hopefully that won't be any time soon,write a book. I'd guarantee it would be a best seller in Hawkes Bay.

@nepia Crusaders of the NRL sums it up nicely, they get away with murder these buggers. And of course at least one pathetic decision has to go against the Warriors. Tom Curran put in the bin and for what. It was a simple accidental head clash, nothing more, but no Curran gets put in the bin. Even the Aussie commentators were blowing up about that one.

@stargazer Bloody happy he's coming back. He's very under rated. Better lock than James Blackwell in my opinion. Can cover lock and blindside. Definitely a Super Rugby player who for some reason has been ignored. Would add bloody good value to any side.

@number-10 I don't know who the other candidates are, but I hope Josh gets it, or at the very least is kept in the mix. He's done a hell of a good job.

@Stargazer I don't think he's a Kurt Baker kind of signing. He doesn't give away stupid penalties, and doest react when provoked. I actually think he would add a lot to that backline.