Auckland Rugby 2022
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Looks like a mid table side to me.
Are the Ponsonby and Manukau players going to play the club final or for Auckland?
@KiwiMurph said in Auckland Rugby 2022:
Looks like a mid table side to me.
Front row and loose forwards should be pretty good, but lock is a worry, halfbacks are inexperienced, and centre depth is a problem.
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@KiwiMurph said in Auckland Rugby 2022:
Looks like a mid table side to me.
Front row and loose forwards should be pretty good, but lock is a worry, halfbacks are inexperienced, and centre depth is a problem.
@Tim Of the players not returning they will miss Scrafton the most I think. I spoke to a friend of Jamie Lane who said that he bulked up a lot while playing a season of MLR in the U.S. The lack of Wallace Sititi is a mystery. He was not even in the 'contenders' wider training group named earlier. Makes me suspect that he has signed elsewhere? Or is he still very young, like U19?
Do we know how long Tanielu Tele’a is out injured for? -
@Tim Of the players not returning they will miss Scrafton the most I think. I spoke to a friend of Jamie Lane who said that he bulked up a lot while playing a season of MLR in the U.S. The lack of Wallace Sititi is a mystery. He was not even in the 'contenders' wider training group named earlier. Makes me suspect that he has signed elsewhere? Or is he still very young, like U19?
Do we know how long Tanielu Tele’a is out injured for?@Daffy-Jaffy said in Auckland Rugby 2022:
Tanielu Tele’a
Think he did his ACL, so should be out until next year.
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1 Hodgman
2 Vikena
3 Renata
4 Lane
5
6 Gibson
7 Choat
8 Ekuasi9 Funaki
10 Plummer
11 Rayasi
12 Evans
13 Heem
14 Lam
15 Sullivan16 Apisai
17 Lay
18 Ahio
19
20 Jones
21 Paea
22 Hickey
23 Cobb@Tim Dalzell at 5, a big body at least. Kalapu at 19. Peita at 20 for Jones. ( 2 opensides on the field already). Peita is a talented player. I hope he has a breakout season. His MLR season was disrupted when he had to return to NZ after a horrible family tragedy (parents I think).
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300546603/far-north-deaths-investigated-as-a-suspected-murdersuicide -
@Tim Dalzell at 5, a big body at least. Kalapu at 19. Peita at 20 for Jones. ( 2 opensides on the field already). Peita is a talented player. I hope he has a breakout season. His MLR season was disrupted when he had to return to NZ after a horrible family tragedy (parents I think).
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300546603/far-north-deaths-investigated-as-a-suspected-murdersuicide -
@Daffy-Jaffy I wouldn't play Jones, but I suspect the coach might. Would be good to see Kalapu get a run.
@Tim With playing Manawatu Wednesday next week and then Southland the next Sunday we should see a good number of the squad get a run over the first few games.
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Two additions to the coaching group -
The Auckland Rugby coaching group welcomes two new additions to the 2022 make-up. Census Johnston joins as Scrum Coach after coaching experience with Manu Samoa and in France. Census has come back to take on development of the scrum capabilities of the NPC and Auckland Rugby Academy players.Jono Hickey joins the Auckland squad in a coaching capacity. The former Auckland Halfback who racked up 32 caps in the Blue and White Hoops will take on the attack coaching role. Hickey will join brother Simon in the NPC campaign after several years coaching Auckland Bs and Under 19s.
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The quality of the season will depend on how well those locks go. Also Auckland need one of the larger loosies to get up to speed quickly and form a trio with Choat and Gibson
Front row is pretty good at this level. Plenty of options in the backs. Although I hope Heem doesn't get injured because the depth at 13 isn't great
Looking forward to seeing Vikena kick on after some solid SR cameos
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I'm really excited to see Vailoni Ekuasi in this campaign. He's a special talent from what I've seen of him and in Auckland, we know how to produce quality 6s and 8s. Another one from the production line.
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I'm really excited to see Vailoni Ekuasi in this campaign. He's a special talent from what I've seen of him and in Auckland, we know how to produce quality 6s and 8s. Another one from the production line.
A back row of Choat/Peita/Ekuasi after the inevitable Gibson injury?
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A back row of Choat/Peita/Ekuasi after the inevitable Gibson injury?
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I'm really excited to see Vailoni Ekuasi in this campaign. He's a special talent from what I've seen of him and in Auckland, we know how to produce quality 6s and 8s. Another one from the production line.
@African-Monkey said in Auckland Rugby 2022:
I'm really excited to see Vailoni Ekuasi in this campaign. He's a special talent from what I've seen of him and in Auckland, we know how to produce quality 6s and 8s. Another one from the production line.
He looked really promising in the limited games Auckland played last year in NPC and also for Blues preseason earlier this year.
Could be some good clashes in the loose forwards on Saturday with Suafoa presumably lining up for Harbour.
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@African-Monkey said in Auckland Rugby 2022:
I'm really excited to see Vailoni Ekuasi in this campaign. He's a special talent from what I've seen of him and in Auckland, we know how to produce quality 6s and 8s. Another one from the production line.
He looked really promising in the limited games Auckland played last year in NPC and also for Blues preseason earlier this year.
Could be some good clashes in the loose forwards on Saturday with Suafoa presumably lining up for Harbour.
@KiwiMurph Yeah, Suafoa played at 8 in the last preseason game, and him vs. Ekuasi could be a cracker.
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Marco Fepulea'i seems to have fallen out of favour, but he was pretty handy at tighthead - where depth could be a concern.
@Tim Marco has transferred from LA Giltinis to Colomeirs Rugby in French D2.
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1 Hodgman
2 Vikena
3 Renata
4 Lane
5
6 Gibson
7 Choat
8 Ekuasi9 Funaki
10 Plummer
11 Rayasi
12 Evans
13 Heem
14 Lam
15 Sullivan16 Apisai
17 Lay
18 Ahio
19
20 Jones
21 Paea
22 Hickey
23 Cobb -
@KiwiMurph Yeah, Suafoa played at 8 in the last preseason game, and him vs. Ekuasi could be a cracker.
