The Silver Fern

@taniwharugby said in Championship Semi: Otago v Northland:

@Steven-Harris yeah most of our props are the weak links in our pack, in that thier fitness leaves alot to be desired which affects thier decision making and execution (penalties, defensive lapses, hands)

A problem endemic to NZ rugby at the moment.

@kev think thats a good thing too!!

I think Waikato has been training with Wellington on how to derail your season wow what a slide...

@taniwharugby agree. On the cusp.

@Chiefy07 I am not sure we would have won with Hawkins. We would have won with a first five eight that kicks well and leads the team around the park. Hawkins kicks have no length, he takes ages to wind up and kick and has been charged down this year because of it. I prefer Wiseguy to him because he carries at the line better. However that said Wiseguy and Johnny also need to work on their kicking games. I think thy both have more upside.

@taniwharugby we just want to see a sign that the team has a plan, executes and gets better. Bryce Woodward teams did that. We didn’t win competitions but they were teams that competed and at times played some wonderful rugby with the players they had. We need to get better and we have some exciting young talent so let’s make use of it.

After Otago: Robinson 3, Matich & Pryor 2 each

Updated:
Tom Robinson 16
Sam Nock 8
Kara Pryor 7
Matt Matich 4
Wiseguy Faiane 3
Josh Goodhue 3
Jordan Olsen 2
Rene Ranger 2
Scott Gregory 1

Jeez naki and southland losing handed northland a lifeline for a top 4...we could still crawl in with no additional points with Southland needing to win both games to get past us (we are unlikely to get any v Auckland) but ideally picking some up in Kaikohe would be a great boost before heading south to a semi.

Dont forget to vote for your motm

https://www.forum.thesilverfern.com/topic/4272/northland-motm-v-nh

Usuals (Red, Kara) plus Kalani Going for me. Going looks solid and dependable. Nothing flash but has good hands and solid defence. Lock him in the 12 shirt I say.

Like to see a change around this week. Gregory needs to come into 13 in place of Ranger. If Hyland is fit, get him in there. Brady Rush looks interesting, give him a nudge at FB maybe?

Johnny Cooper needs a start at 10. Hawkins still plays way too much behind the advantage line and stymies our attack.

Have guys like Ranger and Hawkins on the bench, you may see a change in attitude when they come on.

The pack is going good, wouldn’t change anything up there..

@Duluth yup, not gonna be easy, made tougher by the limp performance on Friday.

Otago have a tough run in too, Cant (A) SOuthland (A) Ta$man (H)
Reckon Southland have probably the best run in, Manawatu (A) Otago (H), Counties (H)
Depending on naki's result today, they finish with Counties (H) Manawatu (A) HB (H)

Potentially be tight for 2nd-5th (although Otago in the box seat for 2nd) with HB pretty much sealed as top

@Gunner saw Tyla Nathan-Wong last week standing outside the stadium, she is tiny!

They have been good to watch too, play with a great spirit!

Nock, Rene and Red for me.

Goodhue not far behind.

Liking Leliua this year, just finding it frustrating how we fail to get good clean ball across to him, Macilai and Hyland etc. Do that and we’ll start splitting teams open. A lot of this stems from 10 and 12 in my opinion. Changes need to happen here. Give Cooper a crack for starters.

Just read on the HBRU Facebook page that there was a 8,388 crowd at the game, yesterday. That's the biggest crowd they've had since 2015. Good times.

@taniwharugby said in Northland v Southland:

Oh, I will add, if we did win the shield and lost the other 4 games, I could live with that too.

😈

@taniwharugby yeah, but such a great team player for us. Made the comment in post match that he wanted to start. Really saw that in his performance.

@J77 said in Northland v Taranaki:

@Gunner it’s the same play list from over 10 years ago I think!!

My son pointed that out, I said you have to pay to play songs, so maybe they're cheaper or they've already paid for those ones, keep using them

@taniwharugby said in Northland MOTM v Counties:

plenty of contendors today, but I reckon the work and go forward of Goodhue, Robinson and Olsen was key.

Kara Pryor was good over the ball again, probably in some of his best form, Nock is starting to look the part, although would like him to run a bit more and keep his hands off the ball until he knows what he is upto, Ross Wright looked good when he came on too

That last 30 was one of the better periods of rugby we have put together for a long while...

4 away wins from 31 now

Bang on. If a I could have voted for four Ross would have picked it up. Not sure if it was just him, but after the Ranger intercept it was great see our scrum and forwards take control of the game.

@taniwharugby Gregory needs to play in the midfield I reckon. Lots of contact, build his confidence.