Waikato v Auckland

[Stargazer]

@DrivingMaul Ah, I see Waikato have a former Hawke's Bay rep in Renee Holmes (Poverty Bay born). Super talented player at school age (in several sports); I wondered where she had ended up (I assume she's studying at Waikato Uni). At the time, they predicted that she would be a Black Fern one day.

It will be interesting to see how Auckland Storm goes this year, after a very bad 2018 season - despite being stacked with Black Ferns. They even got relegated and are only in the Premiership division again, because Northland have entered a team for the first time, which obviously has to start in the Championship division. Still a lot of BFs in the squad, so they are clear favourites for this game (or should be).

[DrivingMaul]

@Stargazer Sure Auckland have 5 Black Ferns in their matchday squad but they also have 11 players making their debut with 8 in the start 15!
Waikato only have 5 debutants so even if Chelsea Alley is their only Black Fern they are more experienced at this level across the team.

[Bovidae]

Interesting that Toka Natua is only on the bench, as a starting Black Ferns prop.

[Yeetyaah]

Waikato take on Auckland at FMG Stadium Waikato on Saturday night, kick-off is at 7.35pm:

1. Ollie Norris (Hautapu)

2. Samisoni Taukei’aho (Fraser Tech)

3. Sefo Kautai (Hamilton Marist)

4. Api Naikatini (Taupiri)*

5. James Tucker (Hamilton Marist)

6. Samipeni Finau (Hamilton Old Boys)*

7. Mitch Jacobson (Hautapu)

8. Murray Iti (Otorohanga)

9. Jack Stratton (Hautapu)

10. Fletcher Smith (University)

11. Bailyn Sullivan (Hamilton Marist)

12. Dwayne Sweeney (Morrinsville Sports) - Captain

13. Quinn Tupaea (Hamilton Old Boys)

14. Declan O’Donnell (Melville)

15. Rivez Reihana (Melville)

16. Sekope Lopeti-Moli (Hautapu)

17. Haereiti Hetet (Otorohanga)

18. Josh Iosefa-Scott (Melville)

19. Antonio Shalfoon (Te Awamutu Sports)

20. Hamilton Burr (Hautapu)

21. Carlos Price (Hamilton Marist)*

22. Louis Rogers (University)/Matty Lansdown (Fraser Tech)

23. Brandon Mudzekenyedzi (Hautapu)*

• = Waikato debut

Unavailable for selection

Solomon Alaimalo, Jahrome Brown, Tyler Campbell, Luke Jacobson, Ayden Johnstone, Anton Lienert-Brown, Damian McKenzie, Laghlan McWhannell, Sevu Reece, Taleni Seu, Toby Smith

Waikato team named for the Battle of the Bombay’s clash with Auckland

Waikato returns home to FMG Stadium Waikato to face Auckland, in the Battle of the Bombay s this Saturday night in week ...

[Bovidae]

@DrivingMaul Have Waikato been training at Ruakura not Fred Jones/Beetham?

[DrivingMaul]

@Bovidae Yes because Beetham is being keptoff so it's perfect for the All Blacks when they come to play Tonga

[Dice]

Looking forward to the Tele'a vs Tupaea match-up.

[DrivingMaul]

looking forward to the double header today

[Yeetyaah]

Up the fucking Mooloos

[Stockcar86]

3 clear knockons in that series of plays and the officials did not see any of them WTF

[KiwiMurph]

Gibson is a bit of a gronk skills wise.

[African Monkey]

AJ Lam has had a shocking start.

[KiwiMurph]

Starting to see why Leuila hasn't kicked on haha.

[African Monkey]

We look a bit flat out there. Think we need to take some of those penalties and look to crawl our way back into the game.

[Yeetyaah]

Waikato defence on fire.

[African Monkey]

WTF take the points!

[KiwiMurph]

This Auckland team ain't a patch on last year's team.

Crazy that Stratton has not been playing Super.

[African Monkey]

@KiwiMurph Yeah our backline is horribly unbalanced. Lemalu is also a massive loss in our tight 5.

[African Monkey]

Our handling has also been awful so far.

[Dice]

Get that backrower in the number 9 jersey off.