NPC - news, injuries etc

Nepia

https://www.tab.co.nz/sports/competition/15658/rugby-union%2Fnew-zealand%2Fnew-zealand-npc/outrights

Grand Final Winner-New Zealand NPC Premiership 2021

Ta$man
4.00

Auckland
4.50

Canterbury
4.50

Wellington
6.00

Bay of Plenty
8.00

Waikato
8.00

Hawke's Bay
10.00

I thought we'd at least be at $8 considering we knocked over two of the three Div 1 teams we played last year.

Stargazer

@nepia Wasn't it last year that they didn't even see us make the semi-finals?

Steven Harris

@stargazer I find that a little strange, no way on gods earth were Hawkes Bay ever going to be ranked behind Northland ,Manawatu and Southland last year ,based on that alone that would have put them in the top 4..

Steven Harris

@nepia it’s about right , better to go in under the radar , magpies are the little fish in the big pond now ,not the other way round ..the surprise for me is given all the turmoil Auckland have had with coaches and players leaving is their $4.50 price tag and given that BOP seem to have a stronger squad than last year , I am surprised they are at $8

Crucial

$9 for Counties in the Premiership is pretty generous especially if they get some ABs back.

Steven Harris

Northland with a couple of injuries after yesterday’s game ..already looking for a 3rd halfback with Wil Grant taking a knock and Corey Taylor who replaced Grant looking likely to be out for the rest of the season , bad luck for Taylor who apparently looked very good
possible replacements within the union were both hampered with injures, Jordon Kemp recovering from surgery and ilai Arona has injury at the minute so I suspect Northland will go outside the union .

My options would be to see if Sonatane Takalua can be released for a few weeks , I know there’s some stuff going on behind the scenes..
Other option for me is to look at an experienced 9 , and a player that fits the bill and plays for Papatoetoe in Auckland and was outstanding for Samoa against the NZ Maori in the 2nd test is Auvasa Falealii , highly experienced would be a perfect foil for Sam Nock .

However there is some really awesome news for Taniwha fans ..Sam Caird will be joining the Taniwha from next week but will not be joining the squad until the Wellington game having to go through MIQ for a couple of weeks ..
The other good bit of news was the genuine power and ball carrying ability of Tavita Kautafa, very physical player who could turn into a Jackson Hemapo type player and really a surprising turnout in the number 7 jersey from Rob Rush who got several turnovers at breakdown..could be a chip off the ole block ..

Steven Harris

Also heard that the signing of both Jack Debreczini and Waisake Naholo is attributed to an arrangement that Canterbury have with the Red Hino Dolphins in Japan which probably means we are unlikely to see him in a Crusaders jersey .

taniwharugby

@steven-harris jeez, Takalua would be a big one, would really put the heat on Nock!!

Stargazer

The Ta$man Mako squad has just been named:

Stargazer

There seems to be a clear trend, which I guess comes from NZR:

a category "inside backs" instead of naming halfbacks and first five-eighths separately :thumbs_down_medium_skin_tone:
development players explicitly named

Canes4life

This post is deleted!

Stargazer

@canes4life Look under "All Blacks"

Canes4life

@stargazer just deleted my comment after seeing that haha.

Bovidae

Is Squire fit for the NPC?

Stargazer

@bovidae Good question. His knee problems stopped him from playing SR; haven't read anything about where he's at.

Kiwiwomble

@stargazer said in NPC - news, injuries etc:

@canes4life Look under "All Blacks"

That’s threw me too

It is getting a bit ridiculous when they just name their abs completely seperate from the main squad

Stargazer

@kiwiwomble I guess they do that because they don't expect them to play (which may change, obviously).

Stargazer

@bovidae said in NPC - news, injuries etc:

Is Squire fit for the NPC?

Unfortunately, no answer in this article either.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/125846830/tasman-mako-announce-squad-for-provincial-rugby--defence

ARHS

Have seen news and squads for 13 teams here. Has Waikato withdrawn? Does anyone know what is going on there? Why no information regarding NPC squad?

Bovidae

@arhs said in NPC - news, injuries etc:

Have seen news and squads for 13 teams here. Has Waikato withdrawn? Does anyone know what is going on there? Why no information regarding NPC squad?

Same as usual.

Squad to be announced this week I think. Other provinces haven't released squads yet either.

The Silver Fern

NPC - news, injuries etc