Auckland 2018
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@snowy imagine the level of 'disrespect' he'd receive on here - we cant even spell Messim right!
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@crazy-horse said in Auckland 2018:
we cant even spell Messim right!
Or Reid, shit Read.
That bloke that captains the All Blacks anyway.I think I will call Mr Lagitofaoletalalelei, Albert. Possibly even Al.
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@tim said in Auckland 2018:
Looks like Auckland will be without Scrafton and Tuipulotu this season. Have also lost Nee Nee, Pierce, and Ulufonua to other provinces. Fatialofa and Seu for the starting locks?
That looks like the go, with Slade as the bench lock.
With Seu going to lock and Akira a good chance to be an AB, we could be fielding a very young but exciting looking backrow of Havili(6), Gibson(7) and Papali'i(8).
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PONSONBY CLAIM 2018 WAKA NATHAN CHALLENGE CUP
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Waka Nathan Challenge Cup Final:
Eden 30 - 34 Ponsonby
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Premier Pre-Season Results:
College Rifles 37 - 21 University
Mt Wellington 17 - 33 East Tamaki
Manukau 12 - 39 Grammar TEC
Pakuranga 60 - 14 Te Papapa
Papatoetoe 38 - 24 Otahuhu -
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@tim said in Auckland 2018:
England under 20 player Jacob Umaga (son of Mike Umaga) is playing for Eden.
It would be nice if we could steal one back.
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@dice said in Auckland 2018:
@tim said in Auckland 2018:
Looks like Auckland will be without Scrafton and Tuipulotu this season. Have also lost Nee Nee, Pierce, and Ulufonua to other provinces. Fatialofa and Seu for the starting locks?
That looks like the go, with Slade as the bench lock.
With Seu going to lock and Akira a good chance to be an AB, we could be fielding a very young but exciting looking backrow of Havili(6), Gibson(7) and Papali'i(8).
I'd go with Papali'i (6), Gibson (7) and Sotutu (8).
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@cgrant said in Auckland 2018:
@dice said in Auckland 2018:
@tim said in Auckland 2018:
Looks like Auckland will be without Scrafton and Tuipulotu this season. Have also lost Nee Nee, Pierce, and Ulufonua to other provinces. Fatialofa and Seu for the starting locks?
That looks like the go, with Slade as the bench lock.
With Seu going to lock and Akira a good chance to be an AB, we could be fielding a very young but exciting looking backrow of Havili(6), Gibson(7) and Papali'i(8).
I'd go with Papali'i (6), Gibson (7) and Sotutu (8).
That's a good option too. I do rate Havili a bit more than Sotutu though. For someone his age, he's got such a high level of physicality, and I think that's something he clearly has over Sotutu at the moment.
There was an example of his physicality in the pre-season game against the Canes when he put a big shot on Lousi, who has about 20kg's on him. That surprised me, because even though I knew he was quite strong in contact, I didn't know he was that strong already. It was especially pleasing to see because it's clear he hasn't filled out his body yet, but is already muscling up with the big boys.
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@cgrant I'm not sold on that comparison.
Havili can play 6 and 8, but his best position might be 7 going forward. It's where he's played a lot since coming out of school, but with Gibson around, it's just about fitting the best guys in for me.
187cm at 6 is not an ideal height, but you can more than get away with it at NPC level, and even Super level. If Papalii is in the backrow, you don't need to worry about a 6 being a jumper that much.
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Quick rundown of the squad.
33 Players - 19 forwards, 14 backs.
Numbers by club:
Suburbs - 5
Ponsonby - 5
Eden - 3
Pakuranga - 3
Papatoetoe - 6
University - 2
Grammar TEC - 3
Waitemata - 3
College Rifles - 2
Manukau Rovers - 1Jarred Adams (Suburbs) - Loosehead, ex Counties-Manukau, Samoa U20
Conner Halangahu (Ponsonby) - Loosehead, ex Oyonnax
Frank Friconnet (Eden) - Loosehead
Ezekiel Lindenmuth (Suburbs) - Loosehead, also plays Tighthead, 2017 NZ U20, trained with Crusaders as injury cover in 2018
Jerry Samania (Pakuranga) - Tighthead, Samoa U20
Inoke Latu (Papatoetoe) - Tighthead, ex Ta$manPenisoni Fineanganofo (Papatoetoe) - Hooker, Auckland U19 2017
Leif Schwencke (Suburbs) - Hooker, Samoa U20 2014
Steve Afoa (University) - HookerJack Whetton (Grammar TEC) - Lock
Cameron Rutherford (Eden) - Lock
Jamie Lane (Ponsonby) - Lock, NZ U20 2015
AJ Sagaga (Waitemata) - Lock/Loose forward
Sam Slade (Ponsonby) - Lock/Blindside, NZ U20 2017Ben Sa'u (Papatoetoe) - Blindside
Adrian Choat (Waitemata) - No. 8/Openside, NZ U20 2017
Aleks Dabek (Ponsonby) - Openside
Onosai Auva'a (Papatoetoe) - Openside/Blindside, ex Counties-Manukau
Futuloa Havili (Papatoetoe) - No. 8Pele Cowley (Suburbs) - Halfback, ex Waikato, ex Cardiff, Samoan International
Melino Fineanganofo (College Rifles) - Halfback, ex Warriors U20 (NRL)
Desma Liaina (Eden) - Halfback/First-Five, ex Counties-ManukauD'Angelo Leuila (Papatoetoe) - First-Five, Samoa International
George Taina (Pakuranga) - First-Five, NZ Secondary Schools (2013), Tonga InternationalWill Talataina-Mu (Ponsonby) - Second-Five/First-Five
AJ Lam (Grammar TEC) - Midfield
Junior Tofa-Va'a (Waitemata) - Midfield, ex BOP, ex North Harbour
Stacey Ili (Manukau Rovers) - Midfield/Wing, ex Auckland, ex Connacht
Loketi Manu (College Rifles) - Midfield/WingTevita Latu (University) - Wing
Hawaii Ahokovi (Pakuranga) - Wing
TJ Vaega (Grammar TEC) - Wing/Fullback
Ethan Thompson (Suburbs) - FullbackPlayers will be missing from: NZ U20, Blues plus Dev Squad, Other Super Rugby players and injury cover, NZ Sevens. Marcel Renata is not playing club rugby in Auckland at the moment.
