NPC - news, injuries etc

[Tim]

Have Ta$man signed Sione Havili for this season?

[Bovidae]

Confirmation that Noah Hotham is in Ta$man.

[Stargazer]

@tim said in NPC - news, injuries etc:

Have Ta$man signed Sione Havili for this season?

Yes, see this instagram post:

[Tim]

@stargazer Is Makalio going to be able to play this season?

[Stargazer]

@tim Don't know. All the publicity about his injury said he'd miss the entire Super Rugby season, but nothing about NPC.

I've seen clips on social media of him (and some other injured Crusaders, like Jack Goodhue, Quinten Strange and Tom Christie) training in the gym, but that doesn't mean he'll be able to play.

[Bovidae]

No Coxon or Salmon in that Ta$man team either. That's not to say either won't be in the official squad.

[Stargazer]

It looks like this is the whole list of games for this weekend:

Fri 23 July 2021 - 1.30pm - Hanmer Springs Domain
Canterbury v Ta$man
delayed stream from 5pm: https://sideline.live/play/15117 and Canterbury Rugby Facebook page

Fri 23 July 2021 - 2.05pm - Cooks Gardens, Whanganui
Wellington v Taranaki

Fri 23 July 2021 - 2.05pm - Eastern RFC
Otago v Southland

Fri 23 July 2021 - 2.05pm - Owen Delany Park, Taupo
Pre-season game of three halves:
Manawatu v Auckland v Waikato

Sat 24 July 2021 - 1.30pm - Arnold Rae Park, Kaitaia
Northland v North Harbour

RANFURLY SHIELD GAME
Sat 24 July 2021 - 3.05pm - McLean Park, Napier - LIVE on Sky Sport 2
Hawke's Bay v Ngāti Porou East Coast

Or does there happen to be a Counties Manukau v Bay of Plenty game, too?

[Stargazer]

Manawatu (Evergreens) squad for the game of three halves, tomorrow:

https://www.turbosrugby.co.nz/news/team-named-for-preseason-game-of-three-halves

[Canes4life]

Those in the Wellington Centurions squad have obviously missed out on the Lions squad which should be named shortly. This means Under 20 players like Peter Lakai, Riley Higgins should make the top team along with the already established Aiden Morgan and Ruben Love.

[Stargazer]

Soutland (extended) squad for the preseason game against Otago:

[Yeetyaah]

@stargazer there's Milo-Harris

[Stargazer]

Taranaki team to play Wellington:

It looks like this game will be livestreamed on the Taranaki YouTube channel (TRFU Ch 1).

[mikey07]

@canes4life Luca Rees has been outstanding for Norths this year was kind of hoping he’d get a call up to the big time be interesting to see who the loosies are as Fifita left today for England according to his Instagram.

[bobily2]

Presumably most of those not in the Centurions squad who are playing here will be in the Lions squad.

[mikey07]

@bobily2 Interesting names on that list a lot of players playing out of position, also a couple of new faces, weird how some of the clubs still involved in finals have some players missing but can’t see Kemara Hauiti-Parapara in that team list or even the centurions squad.

[Machpants]

Photo of James Blackwell and Dominic Bird

[Canes4life]

@bobily2 @mikey07 a few notable omissions are Billy Proctor, Naitoa Ah Koui, Taine Plumtree, Teariki Ben-Nicholas, Alex Fidow & Tyrone Thompson. Also add in the NZ under 20 players of Morgan, Love, Higgins and Lakai.

[Canes4life]

@mikey07 I'm picking the following loose forwards - Kirifi, Smith, Delany, Savea (All Blacks), Whitman, Lakai, Halalilo, Ropeti and Ben-Nicholas (if he hasn't left NZ already).

If I had to pick a top Wellington XV right now minus All Blacks you are probably looking at something like this:

1. Numia
2. Thompson
3. Fidow
4. Blackwell
5. Bird
6. Delany
7. Kirifi
8. Ben-Nicholas
9. Judd
10. Morgan
11. Goosen
12. Umaga-Jensen
13. Proctor
14. Savea
15. Love

[Tim]

Ta$man squad will be named at 3pm on Sunday.

[Tim]