Auckland Rugby 2020

[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

---

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)

[nzzp]

@KiwiMurph cheers

On the screen this morning it looked pale blue. Hopefully looks good in real life

[NateHill74]

With Sione Tuipulotu, there's also a loose forward that's been with Manawatu for a while. He's not in their squad this year and he was a loose forward so I'm not too sure about which one it is

[NateHill74]

He's also 21 so he's a young prospect too that played for NZ U20's

[Daffy Jaffy]

@Tim On further searching I think Sione Tuipulotu will be the young Counties then Manawatu loosie mentioned above by NateHill74 . He was listed as playing number 8 for the Eden club in recent weeks just before level 3 happened. The Rebels player signed with Yamaha at the end of 2019.

[Daffy Jaffy]

Auckland Rugby Head Coach Alama Ieremia has drawn from his player’s Super Rugby Aotearoa experience and strong Auckland Rugby pedigree for his 2020 Mitre 10 Cup squad.

Ieremia has the luxury of 16 of the 40-man squad having been involved in the Super Rugby Aotearoa season. 13 of those from The Blues who impressed their New Zealand critics with an impressive record during the Super Rugby Aotearoa competition Head Coach, Alama Ieremia was impressed by the level in which the Super Rugby competition was played at. “Every match was played at a high level, and that is all credit to the players and their preparation especially during the COVID-19 interruptions. We have a good number of players coming into the team from various Super Rugby camps, so it will be exciting to have their energy around the camp”.

For a squad that's relatives could equate to almost 400 Auckland Rugby games. The wealth of Auckland Rugby pedigree does not get much richer than lock, Jack Whetton. Son of Auckland Rugby legend Gary Whetton who played 180 games for the Blue and Whites and uncle, Alan Whetton who played for the flagship Auckland team for 12 years. The Grammar TEC Club member will join the Mitre 10 Cup squad for his fifth campaign with the team.

Whetton has come from the deep south after a campaign with The Highlanders in Super Rugby Aotearoa. The 28-year old will be adding to his 36 appearances when he turns out for the Mitre 10 Cup this year.

The Auckland Rugby squad has the benefit of being spearheaded by some experienced leaders. TJ Faiane will captain the team for his second season while having former 2018 Co-Captain, Blake Gibson, in the camp as well. Captain of The Blues and the North Island side for the North V South fixture, Patrick Tuipulotu, will offer plenty of knowledge while Angus Ta’avao, Ofa Tu’ungafasi and Reiko Ioane all have All Blacks experience to lean on as well.

The leadership will all be overseen by one of New Zealand Rugby’s greatest leaders, Sir Graham Henry. Sir Graham will join the team in a mentoring role. A role that he has taken on in previous campaigns with the union. The Former All Black and Auckland coach will be highly valuable for a group that has a vast amount of experience across the board.

Six players are set to make their 50th appearance for the Blue and Whites this season. Angus Ta’avao, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Simon Hickey, TJ Faiane, Akira Ioane and Marcel Renata are all in line to accomplish the milestone throughout the season.

It will be a long-awaited milestone for Dilworth College old boy, Angus Ta’avao. Making his debut for Auckland in 2010, Ta’avao has been involved in campaigns throughout New Zealand and Australia and earned himself a spot in the All Blacks squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. After a long break due to a rare quad injury, the Eden Rugby Club front rower made his return to Super Rugby for the Chiefs against the Crusaders in week 8 of Super Rugby Aotearoa. Ta’avao’s knowledge and experience up front will be welcomed into the squad for the Mitre 10 Cup season.

Five of Ieremia’s new signings this season are products of the Auckland Rugby Academy Program. Simon Hickey and AJ Lam are past members of the academy and Soane Vikena, Taufa Funaki and Zarn Sullivan were members of the Unions 2019 program. Vikena was also named Development Player of the Year at the 2020 Blues Awards.

The Auckland Rugby Mitre 10 Cup campaign begins with Otago at Forsyth Barr Stadium on September 12. The 17-time provincial champions will host Wellington, Manawatu, Ta$man, Waikato and Northland at Eden Park with a potential Ranfurly Shield Challenge against Canterbury in the last game of the round-robin.

Auckland will be travelling North for the Battle of The Bridge against North Harbour on October 24, the 2019 meeting saw the bridge split down the middle with a 28-28 draw. Auckland will no doubt be looking to bring the trophy back to the home of rugby.

Beaten semi-finalists in the 2019 season to eventual winner Ta$man. The 23 returning players will have their sights set on a finals appearance to top off an impressive year for homegrown rugby in New Zealand. Coach Ieremia said his team will be ready for Otago in the opening round of the Mitre 10 Cup.

“We have an experienced squad this season, and it will be up to the players and management to lead from within the group, to get the best out of our preparation. We haven’t had an ideal pre-season like other teams, but that’s not going to stop us from being excited and coming out firing for opening round”.

2020 Auckland Mitre 10 Cup Squad

Forwards

Alex Hodgeman (Suburbs)

Jarred Adams (Suburbs)

Leni Apisai (Ponsonby)

Mike Sosene (Marist)

Soane Vikena (Ponsonby)

Joe Royal (Ponsonby)

Ofa Tu’ungafasi (Grammar TEC)

Fatogia Paea (Pakuranga)

Angus Ta’avao (Eden)

Marcel Renata (University)

Marco Fepulea’i (Ponsonby)

James Lay (University)

Scott Scrafton (Grammar TEC)

Hamish Dalzell (College Rifles)

Patrick Tuipulotu (Ponsonby)

Jack Whetton (Grammar TEC)

Liam Hallam-Eames (Grammar TEC)

Sione Tuipulotu (Eden)

Waimana Reidlinger-Kapa (Ponsonby)

Blake Gibson (Ponsonby)

Niko Jones (Waitemata)

Adrian Choat (Waitemata)

Hoskins Sotutu (Marist)

Akira Ioane (Ponsonby)

Backs

Jonathan Ruru (University)

Taufa Funaki (Marist)

Danny Tusitala (Ponsonby)

Simon Hickey (Grammar TEC)

Zarn Sullivan (College Rifles)

TJ Faiane (Ponsonby)

Harry Plummer (Grammar TEC)

Tumua Manu (College Rifles)

Inga Finau (Grammar TEC)

Tanielu Tele’a (Marist)

Rieko Ioane (Ponsonby)

Joel Cobb (Ponsonby)

Caleb Clarke (Suburbs)

Salesi Rayasi (Marist)

AJ Lam (Grammar TEC)

Jordan Trainor (Ponsonby)