Farah Palmer Cup 2022

Crucial

@Stargazer said in Farah Palmer Cup 2022:

SEMI-FINALS

Championship

Sat 3 September 2022 - 12.05pm - McLean Park, Napier
Hawke's Bay Tui v Northland Kauri

Sun 4 September 2022 - 4.35pm - Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin*
Otago Spirit v North Harbour Hibiscus

*double header: this game will be played after the NPC game Otago v BoP

Premiership

Sun 4 September 2022 - 11.35am - Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch*
Canterbury Women v Wellington Pride

*double header: this game will be played before the NPC game Canterbury v Hawke's Bay

Sun 4 September 2022 - 1.35pm - FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
Waikato Women v Auckland Storm

Manawatū Cyclones finished the regular season at the bottom of the Premiership table, so I assume they're relegated back to the Championship. I expect Otago to win the Championship, so these teams just swap divisions with each other again.

No doubt that Manawatu looked to be playing out of their league. Will be interesting to see how (presumably) Otago cope next year back with the big girls. They have looked very good and much of that can be placed on having a decent halfback. They won't get the time and space in the backs in the Premiership though and that's where they have been running away.
The middle of the prem table only came down to the last weekend among four teams, all of whom (with BFs playing) would be much stronger. Maybe another swap around in a year's time if the format doesn't change.
Other question will be if Olsen-Baker stays around at the Poo. Not ideal for BF aspirations playing in the championship.

Stargazer

@Crucial said in Farah Palmer Cup 2022:

No doubt that Manawatu looked to be playing out of their league. Will be interesting to see how (presumably) Otago cope next year back with the big girls. They have looked very good and much of that can be placed on having a decent halfback. They won't get the time and space in the backs in the Premiership though and that's where they have been running away.
The middle of the prem table only came down to the last weekend among four teams, all of whom (with BFs playing) would be much stronger. Maybe another swap around in a year's time if the format doesn't change.
Other question will be if Olsen-Baker stays around at the Poo. Not ideal for BF aspirations playing in the championship.

IIRC, the swapping around has been going on for a while now. The only time, in recent years, it didn't happen was when they made the mistake of using North-South pools in one Covid year. Similarly, Hawke's Bay is the eternal second in the Championship. I'm quite happy about that, because in the Premiership they'd lose every game with a big margin, while in the Championship they usually only lose one pool game and the Final. Otago and Manawatu have the same problem: small provinces with low player numbers, temporarily beefed up with girls from elsewhere who come to Dunedin/Palmy for Uni and then leave again to go back home or wherever else they find employment. The other smaller provinces usually only see their talent leave and never come back.

In the Farah Palmer Cup, a lot of the difference in strength comes down to player numbers.

Bovidae

Crucial

Neglected this a wee bit this week but for those that haven't kept up the semis have concluded and it will be Canterbury as heavy favourites against Auckland in the final.
The Waikato v Auckland game looked quite amateurish in its skill level with flashes of sharpness. Much like the RR games without the BFs. Is this a conditioning thing as the season goes on?
Canterbury a class above Wellington, as they would have been against any of the other teams in the fight out for the last semi spot.
There were a heck of a lot of young inexperienced players in the comp this year and a lot of in game development. Hopefully the fruits of this approach will show next year and it will be interesting to see whether the Aupiki squads also develop or tread water.

Stargazer

And the Championship Final is - as expected - between Otago and Hawke's Bay, with unbeaten Otago the heavy favourites again. Why this game is played in Balclutha of all places is a mystery to me. Why not in Dunedin (University Oval?), so it's accessible to more supporters, especially those of Hawke's Bay wanting to travel south?

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

Sat 10 September 2022, kick-off 12.35pm at Clutha Showgrounds, Balclutha.
Otago v Hawke's Bay

PREMIERSHIP FINAL

Sat 10 September 2022, kick-off 3.05pm at Rugby Park, Christchurch
Canterbury v Auckland

Stargazer

Three (former) Black Ferns, all of them World Cup winners, will play their last game for their province in this weekend's finals!

Kendra Cocksedge (Canterbury, 34 years old) - Black Ferns: 61 tests & 3 games & still going (2007-2022)
Stephanie Te Ohare-Fox (Canterbury, 37 years old) - Black Ferns: 24 tests and 1 game (2008-2014) - over 100 caps for Canterbury (most capped female player for her province)
Emma Jensen (Hawke's Bay, 44 years old) - Black Ferns: 49 tests and 1 game (2022-2015) - current member of the Hawke's Bay Rugby Board. She's Hastings Girls HS's vice-principal and director of the schools' rugby programme.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CiQiTY_v6Od/

bunningsnpc With over 340 caps between them, these three legends will all bow out of the Farah Palmer Cup after this weekend's finals

We wish you all the best Kenj, Steph & Emma.

#FarahPalmerCup

Stargazer

Hawke's Bay Tui team for the Championship Final against Otago Spirit.

Stargazer

alt text

Crucial

Pretty much expecting a SI double here. Hopefully Auckland make a match of it but that Canterbury team wins the BF count and add in the milestone element (especially the 100 for Elmo) and I can't see them losing.
Otago have continued playing well despite losing Maia Joseph (knee injury) and should do the Championship in a canter.

Stargazer

Great Championship Final thus far. I think quite a few people will be surprised to see the 17 all half time score!

Crucial

@Stargazer said in Farah Palmer Cup 2022:

Great Championship Final thus far. I think quite a few people will be surprised to see the 17 all half time score!

More surprised that they are playing in Balclutha!
Not a great choice of ground when your team is based on playing fast sharp rugby. This stodgy pitch is a bit amateur with much thicker pasture than FBS