North Harbour v Canterbury

[shark]

@Daffy-Jaffy Sevu Reece?

[shark]

Josh McKay, George Bridge, Dallas McLeod, Rameka Poihipi, Manasa Mataele, Brett Cameron, Ere Enari, Cullen Grace, Billy Harmon, Reed Prinsep (c), Sam Whitelock, Luke Romano, Fletcher Newell, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody

Reserves: Shilo Klein, Finlay Brewis, Tamaiti Williams, Mitch Dunshea, Whetukamokamo Douglas, Mitchell Drummond, Richie Mo’unga, Isaiah Punivai.

There are some issues in this side. Green front row reserves and a green starting TH, Cameron starting at 10 (although at least he can be replaced by the AB 10) and we're relatively weak from 12 out.

By my count, missing from last year at this stage or for the season at least are Sam Gilbert (Otago) Ngani Punivai (injured), Brayden Ennor (injured), Tim Bateman (Japan?), Patrick Osborne (Waikato), Tom Sanders (resting?), Tom Christie (resting?), Will Tucker (Otago), DLB (resting?), Oli Jager (resting?) and Brodie McAlister (?). A few to come back which is helpful, but also a lot of holes to fill.

[Daffy Jaffy]

@shark oops i must have been thinking Crusaders. Edit: marking George Bridge.

[Higgins]

@Crucial Obviously not good enough to warrant being granted a contract by the WRFU!

[Crucial]

@Higgins said in North Harbour v Canterbury:

@Crucial Obviously not good enough to warrant being granted a contract by the WRFU!

He has been connected with NH for quite a while though hasn't he? Could well have turned WRFU down. After all NH gave him his chance before them.

[Duluth]

@Crucial

Was he ever available for Wellington? He was with NH last year and Canes contracted players often play in the Wellington comp regardless of where their NPC side is

[Crucial]

@Duluth said in North Harbour v Canterbury:

@Crucial

Was he ever available for Wellington? He was with NH last year and Canes contracted players often play in the Wellington comp regardless of where their NPC side is

Agree. I thought Higgins was implying that the useless WRFU recruiting team had skipped him by.

I thought he went north almost straight after school but on checking I see that he was Welly for one year first

Edit: 10 mins as a sub for Welly 2014. 12 games for NH in 2016 that led to a Super contract.
I know where my loyalties would lie.

[Tim]

@Crucial Taramai is a star at club level (he's been huge for Northcote), and a good player at NPC level, but has been too small and lacking in physicality at Super Rugby level.

[ACT Crusader]

@Crucial said in North Harbour v Canterbury:

@Duluth said in North Harbour v Canterbury:

1 Karl Tui'inukuafe, 2 Lutero Tolai, 3 Sione Mafileo, 4 Gerrard Cowley-Tuioti, 5 Jacob Pearce, 6 Ethan Roots, 7 Dillon Hunt, 8 Murphy Taramai, 9 Bryn Hall, 10 Bryn Gatland, 11 Walter Fifita, 12 Jimmy Little, 13 Asaeli Tikoirotuma 14 Ngarachi McGarvey-Black, 15 Shaun Stevenson

Reserves: 16 Zane Turner, 17 Teague McIlroy, 18 Jimmy Roots, 19 Tim Sail, 20 Tamarau McGahan, 21 Lewis Gjatema, 22 Fini Inisi, 23 Tomas Aoake

That’s a handy side.
Amazing what a difference to the teams with ABs available, players back from abroad and I guess less injuries after a normally long Super season.

It’s Harbour’s to lose tonight...

I’ll be watching out for Ethan Roots who signed with the Saders. Not your biggest loosie but showed good signs last year for Harbour.

[antipodean]

For Aussie based Ferners; this is on Kayo @1700 AEST

[KiwiMurph]

@antipodean also on Fox's channels live.

[mikey07]

@Duluth said in North Harbour v Canterbury:

13 Asaeli Tikoirotuma

That’s interesting wouldn’t pick him to have the physicality or the distribution skills to play 13.

[Bones]

@mikey07 said in North Harbour v Canterbury:

@Duluth said in North Harbour v Canterbury:

13 Asaeli Tikoirotuma

That’s interesting wouldn’t pick him to have the physicality or the distribution skills to play 13.

He's played plenty for the chiefs there I'm sure. Was he the centre when they won?

[mikey07]

@Bones My grainy recollection was he was only played on the wing.

[KiwiMurph]

@Bones He played more wing for Chiefs during that period - Andrew Horrell and Charlie Ngatai played 13. Pretty sure he's played a lot of 13 in recent years though.

[Bones]

@KiwiMurph yeah that's right, they had Aki too. I've definitely seen him playing centre enough that it's no surprise though.

[Bones]

[Tim]

Jacob Pierce has made some powerful carries so far.

[Duluth]

@Tim FAB Pierce

[Tim]

And now a turnover penalty at the ruck from Pierce.