NPC - news, injuries etc

[antipodean]

Good luck to him. I always thought the experience of having his dad die in the stands watching him play would be something very difficult to cope with. Alcoholism, like any drug dependency, is ruinous.

[Tim]

I wonder if Fekitoa will actually play for Auckland this year?

[Stargazer]

@Tim Depends on whether he has an out-clause, in case he's going overseas. If he's not going overseas, he will have to play Mitre 10 Cup. I don't see why he wouldn't if he's not in the AB squad. In previous years, even players like Coltman, Sopoaga, TKB etc who were in the squad but didn't get much game time, played several games for their province. Whether Auckland will get a motivated player is another question though.

[Duluth]

@Tim said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:

I wonder if Fekitoa will actually play for Auckland this year?

Is Aso still with Auckland?

If the All Black selections stay the same we'll have a lot of SR midfielders: TJ Faiane, Moala, R Ioane, Fekitoa and Aso

[Tim]

@Duluth Yeah, pretty sure Aso is.

[KiwiMurph]

@Duluth said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:

@Tim said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:

I wonder if Fekitoa will actually play for Auckland this year?

Is Aso still with Auckland?

If the All Black selections stay the same we'll have a lot of SR midfielders: TJ Faiane, Moala, R Ioane, Fekitoa and Aso

Auckland's wings aren't great. I'd have Rieko, Moala and Aso playing on the wing. Factor in the short turnarounds so giving guys a break then all 5 should see plenty of gametime (and it depends on how much Rieko is available if he makes TRC ABs squad).

[Tim]

11. Aso
12. Faiane
13. Moala
14. Nanai/Trainor
15. Nanai/Trainor

Looks pretty good to me.

[Duluth]

@Tim said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:

11. Aso
12. Faiane
13. Moala
14. Nanai/Trainor
15. Nanai/Trainor

Looks pretty good to me.

There's plenty of good options from 4-8 and 11-15

A back five of the scrum (assuming current AB selections) could be:
Scrafton/Tuipulotu
Gibson/Ioane/Seu

We'll need more out of the young props this year. A fit GPT will help that too

Then there is the 9 & 10.. A question for anyone who has watched Grammar TEC this season - how have Milo-Harris and Plummer gone? Are they ready to be the 9 & 10 combo at NPC level?

[Tim]

@Duluth Harry Plummer has been named in the wider squad for the Auckland U19 team, so I'd imagine that he won't be playing much Mitre 10 Cup.

Wiseguy Faiane, Caleb Clarke, and Rob Cobb were also named.

http://www.aucklandrugby.co.nz/newsarticle/49371

[KiwiMurph]

Honestly with Nick White as coach avoiding relegation should again be the target for Auckland.

You really have to wonder how a union who hasn't had a decent halfback for yonks doesn't sign up one as good as Enari - a kid whose uncles are Eroni Clarke and Michael Jones.

[Tim]

White had the Auckland forwards playing well in 2015, so I have no idea what happened last year.

[Tim]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/93924529/iopu-iopuaso-signs-twoyear-japan-contract

Meanwhile, Collins confirmed there were "four or five" contracts still left for Taranaki squad as they prepare for the Mitre 10 Cup and they would be decided in the next two to three weeks.

The Taranaki squad will be relatively settled with Mitchell Graham, Sione Lea, Mike Kainga, Reuben O'Neill, Leon Power, Mitchell Brown, Lachlan Boshier, Mitchell Crosswell, Toa Halafihi, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Kylem O'Donnell, Marty McKenzie, Seta Tamanivalu, Charlie Ngatai, Johnny Fa'auli, Sean Wainui, Manasa Mataele, Declan O'Donnell, Latu Vaeno, Beaudein Waka and Stephen Perofeta all contracted.

New signings include halfback Logan Crowley and Hurricanes hooker Ricky Ricatelli while Chiefs academy players Tom Florence, Bradley Slater and Ciarahn Matoe are also contracted to Taranaki.

Hurricanes loose forward Blade Thomson will miss the Mitre 10 Cup because he required further surgery on his shoulder while it's doubtful All Blacks Beauden, Scott and Jordie Barrett, as well as Waisake Naholo, will see much Mitre 10 Cup action.

A number of club players will be in line for contracts, including 56-game wing Jackson Ormond, props Jared Proffit, Ryan Cocker and Asa Sorovaki, hooker Donald Maka and No 8 Pita Sowakula.

[Duluth]

@Tim said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:

White had the Auckland forwards playing well in 2015, so I have no idea what happened last year.

See any of his comments prior to the 2016 season about how thought the experimental laws would impact the game. He couldn't have been more wrong. The selection and tactics followed from there

[Wurzel]

Isn't it great to be talking about NPC rugby in June the way God intended it. Some Mickey Mouse Super Rugby comp will be back for a few weeks to disrupt the flow from club rugby to provincial footy.

[Stargazer]

North Harbour have signed Ben Volavola.

http://www.harbourrugby.co.nz/news/qbe-north-harbour-sign-fiji-and-rebels-ben-volavola/

[Nepia]

@Stargazer said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:

North Harbour have signed Ben Volavola.

http://www.harbourrugby.co.nz/news/qbe-north-harbour-sign-fiji-and-rebels-ben-volavola/

Why the fudge is NZ rugby insisting on wasting money on this guy?

[Duluth]

Thats a strange signing

You'd assume Gatland would be the starting 10 and the back three would be Li/Duffie/Stevenson.

Depth? They would be better off picking a young local..

[Stargazer]

@Duluth Yeah, I assume they've signed him to replace Matt McGahan but surely there must have been better players available? Even if local and inexperienced?

[African Monkey]

@Duluth Our front row stocks have been weak for a while now. Marcel Renata seems like the only one who has any sort of promise. McHugh and Isi Tu'ungafasi are shocking.

We were all at sea with those experimental laws last season. I don't expect us to be as bad this season under the normal rules.

[booboo]

Again with signing an ordinary overseas player!

Surely there's plenty of talent out there who have not yet played NPC wanting a start.