Auckland vs Counties

mikedogz

Steelers team to face Auckland:

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  Sean Bagshaw
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  Gafatasi Su’a
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  Kalolo Tuiloma
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  Viliame Rarasea
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  Jimmy Tupou ©
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  Matt Vaai
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  Jordan Taufua
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  Sootala Fa’aso’o
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  Augustine Pulu ©
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Piers Francis
Sherwin Stowers
Cardiff Vaega
Sam Vaka
Sione Fifita
Luteru Laulala
Sione Aenga’aelangi
Sean Paranihi
Sione Faletau
Matiaha Martin
Onosa’i Auva’a
Jonathan Taumateine
Joe Reynolds
Sione Molia

Stargazer

Just posted by Auckland Rugby on Twitter:

George Moala has been pulled from the match today, his injury is still niggly. Rieko Ioane will start at 13, Liam Steel debuts on the wing

African Monkey

Another debutant to start out wide for us this season. I'm assuming Ravouvou will now come on to the bench.

KiwiMurph

Typical Auckland looking rubbish. This coach...

African Monkey

We look disorganised and disinterested. Counties should be out of sight.....

Tim

Did Gibson go off due to injury?

African Monkey

yup shoulder. seriously what a rabble we are.

African Monkey

Would have gone for touch there.

KiwiMurph

Yep. Fatialofa looked seriously injured too.

African Monkey

Oh ffs I give up on this mob

KiwiMurph

This Auckland team is seriously mud. Well done Counties - deserved winners.

Hooroo

How can Auckland be so poo? I think Taranaki will pump Waikato next and that will show really how bad Auckland are.

It just doesn't make sense

KiwiMurph

@Hooroo Simple. Coaching. And also lacking firepower in the backs this season - Hickey and the back 3 are tiny.

African Monkey

Fucken useless what the fuck was Jono Hickey doing on that last try. Pack of fucken plodders shit coach shit attitudes can't believe how far backwards we have gone this year. Augustine Pulu had a fucken field day out there and our forwards played like they didn't want to get dirty for the first 60 mins, Gibson injured yet again, Vince Aso playing like he's more interested in making a highlights reel and Fukofuka seriously lacks direction with his play although it's hard when the forwards go backwards most of the time. Don't know who's worse out of him and Jono Hickey.

I seriously would be shocked if we win another game this year our players are disinterested and our coach is one of our worst ever.

nzzp

Well, the match report from the ground.

Counties supporters outnumbered us.

We were shit. Poor option taking, poor execution, poor physicality and poor tackling. Aside from that, the beer was cold and the day wasn't.

Hira Bhana gave everyone a sack of spuds to take home. This is a literal statement, not a comment to be misinterpreted.

Hooroo

@nzzp whats a game of rugby without a sack of spuds?

That really is quite brilliant

Chris B.

Man - that was terrible play by the last Auckland defender. You've got to come forward a bit and force Pulu to go on your outside.

I can recall getting a bollocking from Keith Clifton for letting someone cut inside me like that playing U16s.

Stargazer

Pulu looked in a pretty bad state after his try. Was spewing the content of his stomach in the in-goal area.

African Monkey

@Stargazer said in Auckland vs Counties:

Pulu looked in a pretty bad state after his try. Was spewing the content of his stomach in the in-goal area.

Didn't suprise me to see him in that state with the game he had. The guy was in full sprint mode throughout the game and I hope to see him playing like that for the Blues next season.

Crucial

I've only seen the highlights but you lot make it sound like Auckland were absolute tripe when according to the scoreboard they must have either done something right or CM were almost absolute tripe too.

Anyway two moments of brilliance (and I'm sure more moments of fail) from Augie to get that deserved win. First time at EP since 1977! Got to love watching a guy willing to try things with the skills to back it up. That try to Fifita was a great chance taken yet the commentary made it sound all like a mistake.

Well done Steelers. Impressed with Suasua's coaching this year.

The Silver Fern

Auckland vs Counties