2016 Mitre10 Cup

Nepia

Allblacks.com have gone a bit overboard with this headline:
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.allblacks.com/News/29569/mix-of-star-power-and-experience-in-magpies-squad'>http://www.allblacks.com/News/29569/mix-of-star-power-and-experience-in-magpies-squad</a>
 
"mix-of-star-power-and-experience-in-magpies-squad"
 
It's probably our least experienced with less star power than recent years.

? Offline

North Harbour have named a 26-man team for the match tomorrow - so won't be a first-class fixture:
 
1 Nic Mayhew
 
2 James Parsons
3 Sione Mafileo
4 Gerrard Cowley - Tuioti
5 Chris Vui 
6 Dylan Lam
7 Glen Preston
8 Murphy Taramai
 
9 Bryn Hall
10 Matt McGahan
11 Tevita Li
12 Daniel Hilton Jones
13 Matt Vaega
14 Afa Faatau
15 Marty Swart
 
16 Vyron Smith
17 Toketa Fatai
18 Jethro Felemi
19 Connor Collett
20 Kane Jacobsen
21 Dylan Lam
22 Chris Smylie
23 Bryn Gatland
24 Michael Little
25 James Little
26 Mark Telea

Stargazer

Quite a few Blues players already in their starting line-up.

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Last preseason game was lost 14-17 to North Harbour, from being down 0-17 at halftime.
 
Ross Filipo played the first half, Ihaia West played the last 20 minutes.
 
HB got the try of the game when Mason Emerson picked up a loose ball 10 metres from his own line and zig-zagged up the field to the North Harbour 10m line, another three passes and Faalemiga Selesele scored between the posts.
 
Harbour deserved their win, they blew two tries in the last five minutes with a forward pass in the HB 22 and a dropped pass in the HB 22.
 
HB lineout functioned very well in the first half with Trent BW calling them, mainly to Ross Filipo. At halftime Trent BW and Ross Filipo were both subbed off.
 
Scrum seemed okay in the first half with Fahamokioa at tighthead, he went off injured after about two minutes in the second half and the scrum went backwards a bit after that. I liked the look of Marino Mikaele-Tu'u who came on at halftime for Trent BW with Selesele going to 6. He (Tu'u) is a big boy and obviously still learning in just his first year out of High School - one for the future I think the saying is. He turns 19 in November, so is eligible again for the NZ U20 next year.
 
The midfield of Ropiha and Lowe didn't have many attacking opportuniites but there was only one North Harbour break thru the midfield.
 
Shannan Chase is currently unavailable due to concussion concerns.
 
Warren Gatland was there watching, his son Bryn came on in the second half. 
 
Looking forward to getting our Super Rugby players back.

Stockcar86

This photo indicates that Ash Dixon will be captain

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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stockcar86" data-cid="605776" data-time="1471327028">
<div>
This photo indicates that Ash Dixon will be captain
</div>
</blockquote>
 
I'm happy with that choice.

Higgins

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="604143" data-time="1470694912">
<div> At least we're not going into this season with high expectations.
</div>
</blockquote>
The TAB are slightly more optimistic with both Wellington and the Bay being quoted at $1.90 Head to Head at the moment. Bound to be changes in those odds once the teams are declared and the availability of Super Rugby players for the match becomes clear.
TAB odds for the Permiership currently stand at
Canterbury $2.10
Auckland $3.10
 Ta$man $5.50
Taranaki $9.00
Counties $15.00
Hawkes Bay $16.00
Waikato $21.00
These odds are somewhat conservative. Even if I was a completely neutral punter I would not put any money of Counties, in particular, at $15.00. Hell I would not even consider punting them if they were paying $16000.00. In brutal honesty I would have to be earning $250,000.00 per annum to even consider slipping a lazy hundred on the Bay at these odds. I hope I am proved wrong but somehow I can't see it.

Hooroo

Silly TAB. They haven't seen that Super star Stephen Donald is Waikato captain.

Stargazer

One of the least known players in this year's Magpies squad to me is Fa'alemiga Selesele. The only thing that I remember being written about him in the HBT is that he's a Samoan international.
 
After some googling, I found out that he's the captain of the Samoan 7s team. He was the player who scored the winning try in the Paris 7s Cup final against Fiji, he was named the Player of the Final & was in the Paris 7s dream team.
 
Here's an article about him on the World Rugby website: <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.worldrugby.org/sevens-series/news/158883 '>http://www.worldrugby.org/sevens-series/news/158883 </a>

Higgins

Thanks for the infor Stargazer. Despite everything we will have to wait and see if he is any good.

Stargazer

Hugh Renton's story: 

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
Video: Rugby lifeline for Renton 
 By Simon Hampton Monday 29 Aug 2016 11:41 a.m 
 Hugh Renton's more grateful than most for a second chance at rugby. 
 "It's a bit of a shock being 16 or 17 and then being told you'll never play rugby again and you'll need emergency surgery on your neck," said Renton. 
 Why? Well, here's the bizarre part. 
 "Woke up one day at about 4am with just the worst pain down my arm and back. 
 "I'd played a bit of rugby before so you're kind of used to pain, but nothing like this. It was like a hot burning knife being sliced down your back and arm." 
 Nerve damage had led to his back being paralysed and all of a sudden rugby was out of the question. 
 Even everyday activities were a battle. 
 "All my back was paralysed so I couldn't talk on the phone. 
 "I could move it slightly but couldn't get the phone up, couldn't brush my teeth." 
 Hawke's Bay coach Craig Philpott had never come across something like that. 
 "A little bit of the unknown really," admitted Philpott. "He didn't know if he'd ever play rugby again." 
 And it really did take a miracle. Renton was all set for emergency surgery, but still had one question. 
 "I just asked if I'd play rugby again and they said 'nah, you'll never play again'" 
 'I was in shock, I think I just blacked out. Then about twenty minutes later they rushed in, burst through the doors and said it's a miracle. 
 "I don't know what's happened but it's all clear you don't need emergency surgery and then all these doctors and about 20 people all around just cheering. 
 It still meant months and months of recovery but after an event like that, Renton had a new perspective on life. 
 If you're a high school star you can imagine being told you'll never play again is pretty tough, but Renton's a smart guy and is working towards a Bachelor of Science at Massey University. 
 "My parents always taught me it was smart to have a back-up option and at Lindisfarne college they always put academics first, so I've always had that, and my sister's pretty smart so i have to keep up with her." 
 Now he's back starting for the Magpies and it's a testament to his skill and persona that the Hurricanes signed him, even though he was still recovering. 
 He didn't play, but whenever Chris Boyd calls him up for a Super Rugby debut, he'll be happy - and now able - to pick up the phone. 
 Newshub.
</blockquote>
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.newshub.co.nz/sport/video-rugby-lifeline-for-renton-2016082911'>http://www.newshub.co.nz/sport/video-rugby-lifeline-for-renton-2016082911</a>

The Silver Fern

2016 Mitre10 Cup