The Silver Fern

@rapido said in Canterbury vs. North Harbour:

Watched highlights only. My takeaway is gee Hoeata is undisciplined.

You seem surprised that a Hoeata is undisciplined ...

As mentioned in another thread, I very much doubt that Li will reach an AB jersey. Very surprised the Sevens team haven't snapped him up though, they certainly need that pace.
Maybe an offer was rejected? I guess that he can still build a reasonable highlights reel in XVs to command some good pounds or Euros in a couple of years.

Imgur

@chris-b said in Ta$man vs North Harbour:

@crucial you're replying to Stargazer's point. I'm not comparing it to anything - including contesting high kicks - except other stupid refereeing decisions.

I'm trying to reply to two points really. Yours about the 'victim' putting themselves in a dangerous position and @Stargazer s one about being similar to BBBR.

Looks like Falcon got a bit of his mojo back which is good

@act-crusader No doubt he was showing some irresistible form early doors, his form dropping off a cliff was rather disappointing. If he gets that back and is consistent then he won't be able to be ignored. Reminds me of Tom Marshall, just a tad more electric.

@dogmeat it was funny watching the number of scrums that were just static with barely any movement from either side, no one able to establish any dominance, except that crucial 1 near the end 🙄

Will be interesting to see how NH go against Canterbury though, you guys have a pretty good roster of players, cos right now it looks like there is the Canterbury Division, The Premiership & the Championship.

Good win for Harbour. Loving how they are playing this season.

Counties discipline was shocking. A number of off the ball penalties as well as some holding back that wasn't picked up.

TNW a class above and Laulala at fullback continues to improve. But Harbour forwards were dominant and they link well with a solid 9/10 combo.

Volavola was due.....

@Stockcar86 said in Harbour vs Auckland:

Happy to do a straight swap with Craig Philpott

I retract that offer

@ACT-Crusader Gatland has been pretty sharp. Good distance on his kicking has put the opposition on the back foot.

@Duluth Yeah, he has a bit of a Ben Tameifuna physique. Could be good 30 minute player.

Awesome stuff Harbour. It is excellent for NZ rugby that Harbour are once again a force.

Very happy the Blues have signed up coach Steve Jackson.

Haters.

@ACT-Crusader said in North Harbour v Ta$man:

I'd say the result is a fair reflection of where both teams are at this season.

Annoyingly, Ta$man has beaten all the Premiership teams, except Canterbury - but has only picked up seven points from three crossover games. On the other hand, I don't think we've had any comfortable victories - one or two where we've jumped away to comfortable leads and then let the opposition back in - maybe against Auckland ended up semi comfortable?

Concerning seeing Havili limp off and Banks hobbling around at the end - if Marty isn't fit, I don't think even beating Southland is in the bag. Need Samu and Christie back, as well.

32 unanswered points to finish the game. Shield stays home for the summer 🙂

Was bloody cold at the game, but a great atmosphere. Reckon we get the best crowds in the comp.

Scott Barrett was my MOM

Wouldn't mind seeing Matt Vaega have a go at wing.

@African-Monkey said in North Harbour v Manawatu:

Great win for Harbour. They're looking good for a semi final spot.

19 points has been the 4th spot in most years

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="African Monkey" data-cid="611700" data-time="1472887103">
<div>
<p>That would <strike>have to</strike> be <strike>contender fo</strike>r the worst game of the year.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>I was at the game and concur with most of the above. The first half was all stop start with practically no phase going above one or two before someone made a mistake or a penalty was awarded. I don't know how players like Brad Shields and Vaea Fifita can go from looking like real decent players to the "who the hell are these guys" that we have seen in the last two Wellington matches. They certainly are nowhere near the standard they played at during the Super Rugby season. Whether it is because they are still a little fatigued from that or whether they played well above themselves or whether  the game plan employed by Coach Va'a is wrong for their strengths I don't know but they are streets away from where they were just a month back. At least Fifita still won all his lineouts with contemptuous ease, pity Wellington didn't call every lineout for him though.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The new tall kid Walker-Leawere is hard to get a handle on as I thought he was supposedly the next big thing but all I have really seen from him is sort of a lumbering carthorse type player when he has the ball in hand. Probably being a bit unfair on him but he just looks a bit ponderous to me at this stage. Even Peter Umaga-Jenssen was quiet tonight and he is a kid I have seen play really well at club level but was not able to show up tonight. In fact you could say that about the entire Wellington side if being brutally honest, doing nothing of note but certainly plenty of forgettable things. That they did not manage to score a try pretty much sums up everything. There was someone in the midfield who stone cold dropped perfectly catchable passes twice when under no pressure at all, maybe Sean Treeby by a process of elimination but whoever was responsible it was something a paid professional player should not be doing. The scrum immediately started going Harbours way once Alex Fidow was wheeled on with about ten minutes to go, no more needs to be said there. Don't get me started on Sam Lousi!!!!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>On the other side Harbour weren't exactly looking likely to run away with the match, despite Wellington doing their best to encourage them to win so they too must have their supporters tearing their hair out (if they have any left after these last few seaons!). All in all it was one of the dreariest, disjointed, penalty infested, error ridden games of rugby played at an unbelievably slow pace I have had to endure. One wonders how many of the paltry attendence of three thousand and a few will be back for another serving of that slop.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Despite everything written above there is still a team worse than the two on display tonight believe it or not. I shudder what to think Auckland will do to my mob come Wednesday night so shite are the Bay's displays so far.</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="African Monkey" data-cid="609492" data-time="1472274879">
<div>
<p>He's only 23 so he's still relatively young. Got a few games for the Blues a couple of seasons back iirc.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh wow.  Yes I remember he was in the Blues about 3 years ago so he has time to develop.</p>

<p>I thought Harbour looked a little bit better than Counties in this one. The stats seem to back that up too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If August Pulu played this game, I think Counties get the W. Judd was just really bad and held the team back(Vaka didn't help either). I would've brought on Taumateine a lot earlier.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Li is just all comedy these days.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>TJ  was doing his best Nisbo impersonation with how many times he got player names wrong.</p>