Auckland Rugby 2020

[Tim]

Interesting to see Tumua Manu in there. When is he off to France?

Assume that Whetton is stuck in Dunedin.

[NateHill74]

@Tim He's probably signed but yeah. couldn't get back into Auckland cause of COVID. He or Auckland put a video of him training in Dunedin for Auckland

[NateHill74]

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[Bovidae]

Joe Royal was at Counties last year wasn't he?

[KiwiMurph]

Some interesting young names there in addition to the more known young names of Sullivan, Funaki and Vikena.

Felix Kalapu - 2019 Blues U20 lock
Joel Cobb - 2018 MAGs winger. RedBull Ignite 7s
Leweni Mocevakaca - 2019 Auckland U19 winger
Manu Paea - 2020 Blues U20 halfback
Terrell Peita - 2020 Blues U20 No.8
Vaiolini Ekuasi - 2020 Blues A loosie
Fatongia Paea - former Auckland U19 prop

[Tim]

Probable team is shaping up:

1 Hodgman
2 Sosene
3 Ta'avao
4 Whetton
5 Scrafton
6 Gibson
7 Choat
8 Riedlinger-Kapa
9 Ruru
10 Plummer
11 Rayasi
12 Faiane
13 Tele'a
14 AJ Lam
15 Trainor

16 Apisai
17 Adams
18 Renata
19 Hallam-Eames/Dalzell
20 Lot of rookies here
21 Tuistala
22 Sullivan but will they go with Hickey?
23 Manu

Loose forwards lack a big ball carrier.

[Tim]

@KiwiMurph said in Auckland Rugby 2020:

Joel Cobb - 2020 MAGs winger. RedBull Ignite 7s

I think Cobb has played for Ponsonby the last two seasons. NZ U20 trialist this year, IIRC.

[Daffy Jaffy]

@Tim Re: lacking a big ball carrying looseforward. He is only 19 y/o but check out Vaiolini Ekuasi below. Terrell Peita is also a very good ball carrying 8 but also very young -

Also if its the same Sione Tuipulotu he is also a number 8 who played for Manawatu last year or he could be the former Melbourne rebels centre by the same name.

[Daffy Jaffy]

Fatongia Paea is quite small for a Loosehead prop but crazy mobile. His best future may be at hooker -

[NateHill74]

@Tim There's A Ioane, and Sotutu, Tu'ungafasi, Ta'avao, R Ioane, Clarke, Tuipulotu also from North vs South

[KiwiMurph]

Fa'atiga Lemalu is back in the country I think - I wonder if he might get named in the squad.

[Tim]

@KiwiMurph What a difference he made to our maul in 2018!

[Daffy Jaffy]

There must be a new jersey sponsor/supplier this year. Paladin replacing Canterbury. Looks like the hoops have gone again.

[nzzp]

@Daffy-Jaffy is it really so hard to jus have blue and white hoops?

I'm a traditionalist for rugby jerseys. You build recognition and consitency, and see them everywhere. That jersey looks like the Waratahs FFS.

hat tip to the iconic Waikato jersey that seemed to show up at Twickers, teh tour de France, etc...

[Daffy Jaffy]

Looking for video to have a look at Liam Hallam-Eames, all I found was him knocking out James Tucker in 2018.

[Daffy Jaffy]

@KiwiMurph I doubt they will use Lemalu unless injurys strike badly. There are 7 locks in the squad now, unless Tufaga has been picked as a loose forward. He plays 8 and 6 sometimes for Ponies. Hallam-Eames and Dalzell are promising pickups. Both over 2m tall and 25/24 years old so plenty of rugby left in them if we can keep them. Rare for an Auckland squad to have at least 5 2m tall locks.

[KiwiMurph]

The hoops haven't gone.

They are still there.

You can see in this photo.

[Duluth]

Not sure if I'm remembering the right player but didn't Dalzell struggle a bit at Canterbury? They had high hopes but didn't quite kick on?

He's still young for a lock though

[Duluth]

@Bovidae said in Auckland Rugby 2020:

Joe Royal was at Counties last year wasn't he?

He was. He's been playing club rugby for Ponsonby for years though

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I assume some of these names are not in the full squad

There's four Hookers for instance:
Sosene
Apisai
Vikena
Royal

[Tim]

Possible extended squad by position.

Loosehead Prop

Jared Adams
Fatongia Paea
Alex Hodgman

Tighthead Prop

Marcel Renata (covers both sides)
James Lay (covers both sides)
Marco Fepulea'i
Angus Ta'avao
Ofa Tu'ungafasi

Hooker

Mike Sosene
Leni Apisai
Joe Royal
Soane Vikena

Lock

Jack Whetton
Liam Hallam-Eames
Hamish Dalzell
Felix Kalapu
Presley Tufuga
Scott Scrafton
Patrick Tuipulotu

Loose Forward

Blake Gibson (7/6)
Adrian Choat (7/6)
Niko Jones (7)
Waimana Riedlinger-Kapa (6/8)
Vaiolini Ekuasi (8)
Terrell Peita (8)
Akira Ioane (8/6)
Hoskins Sotutu (8)

Halfbacks

Johnathan Ruru
Danny Tuistala
Manu Paea
Taufa Funaki

First Fives

Harry Plummer (10/12)
Simon Hickey
Zarn Sullivan (10/15)

Midfield

TJ Faiane (12/13)
Inga Finau (12)
Tanielu Telea (13/wing)
Sione Tuipulotu (13/wing, photo looks like Melbourne Rebels player)
AJ Lam (13/wing)
Tumua Manu (13/wing)
Rieko Ioane (13/wing)

Back Three

Salesi Rayasi (wing/15)
Leweni Mocevakaca (wing)
Joel Cobb (wing)
Jordan Trainor (15)
Caleb Clarke (wing)