The Silver Fern

@Lancaster-Park said in Auckland v Canterbury:

Admittedly only saw the highlights but given the strongly held views by many in Auck that Akira is a beast but we just dont appreciate it I would have thought he would be playing like a man against boys at this level.
Did anyone at the game or seeing it all see him as a step above the rest?

As @KiwiMurph said, he's on the way out and I'm surprised he's actually playing here before heading to Japan. He's just going through the motions and who can blame him when there's the Japanese season waiting for him.

He probably just doesn't wanna risk injury, it's not as if he has anything to play for here, similar to Jack Goodhue at Northland last year.

Fletcher Anderson has bulked up. I remember watching him play really well at openside in the NZ Schools trial.

I’ve just watched those highlights, totally bloody robbed with the forward pass call, and not going upstairs for the ‘held up’ try.

Forward pass call can sort of be forgiven, tight calls happen in games, but the non review of the other one is pure incompetence and not good enough.

@booboo said in SF - Taranaki v Canterbury:

@Canes4life said in SF - Taranaki v Canterbury:

This Jacomb guys looks like a talent.

Ffs Ricky

Haven't watched much NPC, but what is Jacomb's story.

Has he been playing like this all year, or was last night a one off?

He usurped Potroz?

Yep he's been good all year really, and kept improving, really looks the goods to me, and can see a super team looking at him. He's only 22 I think and was MOTM from what I saw at game. @Canes4life yep has well and truly surpassed Protoz, and Perofeta at 19 in my mind. We in fairly good position at 10 in the Naki, none of them poor players .

@Stargazer said in QF - Canterbury v Auckland:

Arguably the worst high tackle to go unpunished was just last week, when Auckland wing AJ Lam knocked the snot out of Canterbury replacement Blair Murray in Christchurch.

Bourke was amongst those puzzled referee Nick Briant didn’t show Lam a card, despite Murray going on to score a try.

It turns out Lam, who scored a try shortly after knocking Murray’s block off, has since been cited after it was deemed the hit met the red card threshold, and Briant later called Bourke.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/300987505/npc-talking-points-why-tmos-in-provincial-rugby-have-less-power

A Ranfurly Shield rematch

Yes, the Log o’ Wood isn’t on the line, but Saturday night’s semifinal between Wellington and Hawke’s Bay is a beaut match-up nonetheless.

Logs

@cgrant said in Waikato v Canterbury:

Parker has really stepped up this year as well. Next year, he could be the starting Nr.8 with the Chiefs.

I think Parker will take over the PGS role and play 6/8 off the bench. Jacobson is the starting no.8.

@booboo said in Canterbury v Ta$man:

But fuck how forward was that pass?

you could be watching any number of games from the last week...

What happened to Alex Harford?

@Chris My comment was a bit of a pisstake, of course there are younger players there, Auckland have a few themselves like Heem, Royal etc. but it seems like Canterbury have a lot more older players than in previous years like Heinz, Crotty, Funnell, Moody, Romano mixed with guys like Lienert Brown, Drummond, Dunshea, Harmon, Prinsep and Jager either 30 or approaching 30. For an NPC side, it is fairly old.

Top entertainment, cards made it a contest in the final quarter.

Taranaki would have felt right at home in Rangoon, it is just like Hawera.

@ACT-Crusader said in Canterbury vs Wellington:

Exciting game.

Did Umaga-Jensen release the ball in that tackle after his break? Looked pretty suss to me, even on the replay.

On the front on replay it didn't actually look like PUJ was held - so therefore didn't have to release. A lot of refs would have pinged him though.

Cantabs bench provided some good spark.

Burke had a mare with the boot.

Harbour play a decent style.

Lack of execution in the first half really came back to bite. Maybe if we had gone in up at halftime like we should have been, the pressure might have told on Canterbury.

Agree about swapping midfielders. Goodhue has always been better at centre but think injuries and how much he has bulked up probably means he's more of a 12 now. Can potentially play as a second playmaker too. Probably good to have him defending closer in too.

Personally I think that injury to Craig may make it hard for him to make it back into the team. I thought we looked better with Hallam Eames extra size and physicality. Sweetman to come in plays similar to LHE so can see Craig dropping down the pecking order for me.

Reihana will come good but certainly didn't hit the level last night that he was playing at last year. Will also be good to get Moorby back and push Murray back to the wing.

@cgrant alt text

@KiwiMurph said in SF - Canterbury vs BOP:

It's a shame Poihipi isn't a starting 12 in Super. Class player.

@ACT-Crusader said in QF - Canterbury vs Northland:

@Canes4life said in QF - Canterbury vs Northland:

So close Northland. Canterbury are definitely beatable.

I think what this season has highlighted are that there are certain teams that play a way that trouble others.

I don’t think there is too much between the 8 teams that made the playoffs.

Yeah it feels like any of the top 8 can knock one another off on their day, it's about timing your run to the finals and making sure your players aren't gassed when they get there.