Auckland Rugby 2023
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@Tim I saw Edward Annandale on your post from Auckland's Instagram. I hope young Byron Smith will be the 3rd 10. I also think I spotted big Manukau No8 Nela Matakaiongo on that post.
@Daffy-Jaffy I suspect Byron Smith will be the 3rd 10 as I have heard Auckland is trying to push Jock McKenzie to Northland .
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I wonder if Fano Funaki is a chance thought he outplayed Josh Beehre in the semi final , only 2 issues might be his height although he makes up for that with an outstanding vertical leap also I do wonder if he might get selected for Tongan RWC squad
Also Rovers hooker Oneone Faafou who is a dynamic player , and throws good darts , is bigger body than Te Ariki Te Puni
@Steven-Harris interesting seeing Funaki rating so highly, he struggled for a period up here, although IIRC his last season with us he looked great at club and his cameos for Northland.
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@Steven-Harris interesting seeing Funaki rating so highly, he struggled for a period up here, although IIRC his last season with us he looked great at club and his cameos for Northland.
@taniwharugby Fano should have got a lot more game time at the Taniwha ,does his core roles very well
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@Nogusta said in Auckland Rugby 2023:
Reds 3rd stringer. Kalani Thomas I think
I don't understand these type of selections.
Pick the three best halfbacks from Auckland club rugby. Although I presume some club rugby halfbacks will be representing other NPC sides (which goes against the idea of a provincial representative competition)
If there is a huge weakness in a particular position, I can see an argument for bring in an experienced overseas player (I would still be against it). However Kalani Thomas is a young developing Aussie player
Do Auckland get paid by Aussie SR sides when they take people like Thomas, Vest, Pugh etc?
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@Nogusta said in Auckland Rugby 2023:
Reds 3rd stringer. Kalani Thomas I think
I don't understand these type of selections.
Pick the three best halfbacks from Auckland club rugby. Although I presume some club rugby halfbacks will be representing other NPC sides (which goes against the idea of a provincial representative competition)
If there is a huge weakness in a particular position, I can see an argument for bring in an experienced overseas player (I would still be against it). However Kalani Thomas is a young developing Aussie player
Do Auckland get paid by Aussie SR sides when they take people like Thomas, Vest, Pugh etc?
@Duluth the Auckland Union have learnt nothing from having 2 Australians in the squad last year , I am definitely with yourself on this one
This is a situation where you knock on the door of your Blues partners Harbour or Northland if you really feel you haven’t got that position covered and check in to see what they have available. -
@Duluth the Auckland Union have learnt nothing from having 2 Australians in the squad last year , I am definitely with yourself on this one
This is a situation where you knock on the door of your Blues partners Harbour or Northland if you really feel you haven’t got that position covered and check in to see what they have available.@Steven-Harris I agree. The two players who lost out to those Aussie journeymen ended up getting Australian Super gigs and both looked comfortable at that level. (Ekuasi and Kalepu). I will be very grumpy if Riley Williams misses out on the squad. Especially as I already suspect the Japanese HB from Eden may also be in the team. I think maybe they panicked looking for halfbacks after loosing Sam Wye to Hawkes Bay and Manu Paea to the Tongan world cup team. Thomas looks a good player but it's still wrong. NPC's job should be to develop our next group of potential pro players, not Aussies. Next thing we will see the likes of Riley in another super teams academy!
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If Hickey is in the squad I hope it's more as a non-player/bench player. His value at this stage of his career is more on the training paddock. I'm going to be pissed off if he's clogging up minutes at 10 again. Plummer and Zarn should be the 10s with young Byron Smith and/or Jock McKenzie in the wings.
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@Steven-Harris I agree. The two players who lost out to those Aussie journeymen ended up getting Australian Super gigs and both looked comfortable at that level. (Ekuasi and Kalepu). I will be very grumpy if Riley Williams misses out on the squad. Especially as I already suspect the Japanese HB from Eden may also be in the team. I think maybe they panicked looking for halfbacks after loosing Sam Wye to Hawkes Bay and Manu Paea to the Tongan world cup team. Thomas looks a good player but it's still wrong. NPC's job should be to develop our next group of potential pro players, not Aussies. Next thing we will see the likes of Riley in another super teams academy!
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@Steven-Harris I agree. The two players who lost out to those Aussie journeymen ended up getting Australian Super gigs and both looked comfortable at that level. (Ekuasi and Kalepu). I will be very grumpy if Riley Williams misses out on the squad. Especially as I already suspect the Japanese HB from Eden may also be in the team. I think maybe they panicked looking for halfbacks after loosing Sam Wye to Hawkes Bay and Manu Paea to the Tongan world cup team. Thomas looks a good player but it's still wrong. NPC's job should be to develop our next group of potential pro players, not Aussies. Next thing we will see the likes of Riley in another super teams academy!
@Daffy-Jaffy spot with your last coms re the halfbacks
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Photosport has a few of the profile pics
photosport.nz/gallery/230717-Auckland-NPC-Players/G0000SEGzw5al0tw/C00001CrGsILaomM
Confirmation of Kalani Thomas & Edward Annandale
Leka Tu'unagafasi another new addition
Ta'avao
James Lay
Fusitua
Renata
Ahio
L Tu'unagafasiVikena
Annandale
Tuipulotu
Dalzell
BeehreGibson
Jones
Peita
EkuasiFunaki
ThomasMcKenzie
Evans
RTS
Tele'aCobb
RayasiSullivan
Probably another ~10 names to be added? (Plummer, Choat, Ioane, Heem, Lam etc)
Also I think previous years they took profile pics of people who were not in the full squad
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This post is deleted!
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@Tim Warning - Check the Edit to my last post.
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@Daffy-Jaffy yeah, looks dodgy, and no mention of it on Auckland Rugby social media.
@Tim The link is on Varsity Facebook but in the comments. I think i will remove it from here. Auckland facebook has streamed the final the last few seasons but there is no info on their page right now.
