Heartland Championship - news

[ARHS]

@Stargazer Any idea which of these matches will be granted first-class status by NZRU - or have been?

[Stargazer]

@ARHS From what I've read on the websites/FB pages of these provinces, most matches against other Heartland provinces were first-class games, while those against development or academy teams were not. There may be some exceptions though.

[Bovidae]

Highlights of the Ngāti Porou East Coast vs Northland Development game was on Sky last night (Mainfreight Rugby). Replayed again tonight at 6 pm.

[mikey07]

@Bovidae I love Mainfreight Rugby it’s really awesome how they go around the Heartland Provinces and show highlights of their games which otherwise aren’t shown.

[Stargazer]

This was the Poverty Bay squad that played, today. IWL's younger brother in the starting line-up.

---

I was hoping they'd upload a highlights video on YT because this game was televised, but so far, nothing. Maybe the highlights will first be shown on Mainfreight Rugby.

Anyway, it was a game of two halves. The final score was

:::

Poverty Bay 38 - 41 Wanganui

:::

[ARHS]

@Stargazer great thanks

[Stargazer]

Two Queen's Birthday matches have been announced. There may be more.

• Ngati Porou East Coast v Poverty Bay - Saturday 5 June 2021, k/o 2pm, Whakarua Park, Ruatoria
• Wairarapa Bush v Hawke's Bay Saracens - Monday 7 June 2021, k/o 2pm, Memorial Park, Masterton

The three Heartland provinces have announced their Queen's Birthday squads (to be reduced to a matchday squad):

[mikey07]

@stargazer I notice Guildfords in the bush squad

[Machpants]

You know your old when the coaches were in your year at college

[Stargazer]

@mikey07 Yes, he's back playing for Greytown, the old club and province his dad and uncle played for. Zac also played for Greytown and Wai-Bush in 2016.

[mikey07]

@stargazer yeah I know I remember watching him on main freight rugby.

[Higgins]

I notice Tolo Fahamokioa who has had runs for both Hawkes Bay and Wellington is down amongst the unavailable list for Bush.

[mikey07]

@higgins I saw that aswell well his stocks have fallen.

[Higgins]

@mikey07 He also turned out for Waikato last season as well so perhaps going to the Bush is not such a large falling of stocks as first appears!

[mikey07]

@higgins or maybe he’s working his way around the country to have a stockpile of jerseys

[Stargazer]

@higgins Fahamokioa is also playing for Greytown, like Guildford.

[Yeetyaah]

Poor form signing Guildford again. I believe people deserve second chances and can change but his behaviour hasn't.

[Stargazer]

@yeetyaah You can also look at this from another angle. He has been doing really good work for the community (mental health & suicide prevention), esp for Maori men. Playing for Wai-Bush is another way for him to give back to the community he's part of. He's still a good player and he'll be good for the team. They'll be getting more out of this, than he does.

[Yeetyaah]

@stargazer cool and I'm glad to see that. But rugby obviously isn't doing favours for his mental health. He's had chances and wasted them. No way he deserves to represent a region in rugby.

[Stargazer]

@yeetyaah I think it's wrong to discus someone's personal mental health problems on this forum, so I won't respond to that, but I think the people at Wai-Bush will be at a better position to judge whether he deserves to represent them, than we do.