NPC 2022
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I really hope they're not going for the North-South split. Provinces being in one pool with the same other provinces every year is boring. If they want two pools, split them based on table position at the end of the round robin of the previous year: 1, 3, 5 etc in one division pool, 2, 4, 6 etc in the other.
I'd also like to see an equivalent to the Lochore Cup in the Heartland comp, so that the provinces that will realistically never make the Cup semi-finals, still have a piece of silverware to play for. Or make it Cup, Plate & Bowl, like in sevens.
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@machpants said in NPC - news, injuries etc:
I just want them to extend the comp, why the fuck not? Only needs one more week, and don't have finals, just base it on the leaderboard. Alternate home and aways every two years
I really like the idea of a full round robin, but wouldn't like a comp without a final. It's a pity there's no space in the rugby calendar for two weeks more (14-week competition).
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As the article says a full competition needs to be 15 weeks but there is only a 12-week window. If we avoid midweek games the NPC would need to start earlier (and clash more with club rugby) as the NZRPA won't want to extend the competition into Nov and reduce the player's off-season.
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@bovidae said in NPC - news, injuries etc:
As the article says a full competition needs to be 15 weeks but there is only a 12-week window.
I don't read that in the article at all. It just says that before the current premiership-championship split, there was a 15-week window available. The comp doesn't have to include semi-finals.
If we avoid midweek games the NPC would need to start earlier (and clash more with club rugby) as the NZRPA won't want to extend the competition into Nov and reduce the player's off-season.
Just an impression, but it seems some provinces have ridiculously long club rugby competitions. Maybe provinces should have a look at that.
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Anyway, I'd rather have a competition of one division where teams play 11 of the 13 other provinces and then a Final in week 12, than a competition with two divisions where teams play the 6 provinces of their division and 4 cross-over games, followed by a Semi-final and a Final.
The first format is much simpler. They just need to avoid that teams miss out on playing each other every year. The provinces you don't play should be different every year. Preferably one of those provinces finished in the top 7 the previous year, and the other in the bottom 7.
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@tim said in NPC - news, injuries etc:
@tim said in NPC - news, injuries etc:
Seen the light thank Fuck,Maybe Canterbury can go forward with the right Coach.
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Fortunate to be part of the bubble on the on outer ground at North Harbour Stadium
The North Harbour Knights were made up of mostly their development and academy players with a couple of Harbour players mixed in Tim Sail and Kade Banks were a couple of names to mentionThe starting NZ Babas team was made up a lot of Auckland club players , the odd CM player with a couple of excess players thrown in .literally..!
Experienced veteran hooker Joe Royal skippered the team , other notable players were Harrison Mataele who debuted for Tonga last year and Brumbies and Counties Manukau outside back Nigel Ah WongHarbour who had first use of the wind dominated field position and on the back of a dominant scrum created many opportunities but were only up by 2 tries to one at the break ..the best try coming from 60 metres out after a slick backline move put speedy Harbour fullback Kade Banks into space , he expertly drew the last 2 x defenders and put the very impressive Lemeki Namoa in from 25 metres out .
Banks and Lemeki showing up strongly for Harbour .
Harbour always had the edge in the forwards with Tim Sail,former Ngati Porou East loose forward Hone Haerewa and number 8 Karl Ruzich from Helensville super impressive
Ruzich has something about ,devastating speed for a big fella , looks around 6’3 ..his bother Ben who was in the front row was just as impressive, ticked all the boxes at scrum time and powerful with ball in hand , along with Sam Davis and hooker Coleman in the front row provided a rock solid front row ..Not much to right home about the NZ Babas but that was to be expected given they have had only one training run , and several players had been rung during the week
Could not fault their tenacity ,given Harbour Knights had all the ball, they defended reasonably well and when they did have some ball Ah Wong especially was always a handful ,Sam Wye was elusive behind the base of the scrum , both locks Harrison Mataele and Jackson Wiggins tried hard ..
An interesting player to watch was Victor Ola’agia from Waitemata looks a real genuine athlete , with foot work to match , I actually thought he was a back ..may need to lift his work rate moving forward .
Overall an enjoyable game played with plenty of physicality and even the odd bit of niggleNext week as part of the Blues cup
Which will be over the next 3 x weekends
NZ Babas play the Blues U20 and Northland Futures play North Harbour Knights ..
Will keep you all posted for times , but if you can’t make it will send a report
12 Feb North Harbour Stadium
19 Feb North Harbour Stadium
24 Feb Whangarei Venue TBC
