Auckland v Wellington

Canes4life

@Canes4life said in Auckland v Wellington:

With the Wellington campaign just around the corner and no more Aumua, Proctor and Love, what does our best 23 look like? I'd go with the below personally but I can see Soakai selecting something different based on pre season selections.

This squad is obviously not as strong as previous seasons but hoping they go well.

X Numia

J O'Reilly

P Sheck

C Delany

H Plummer

B Shields

D Kirifi

P Lakai

K Preston

J Garden-Bachop

P Patafilo

R Higgins

P Umaga-Jensen

M Proctor

T Clarke

H Press

B Chrichton

S Lauaki

A Ieremia

D Ropeti

M McLeod

C Harkin

J Savea

Ive almost given up on PUJ now. He just can't or won't pass. To the extent I would sooner have Savea at 2nd and Higgins at center as an option. It would also give Higgins experince at center

Your team is not as strong as last year except for the HB, 1st and 2nd combo. This is miles better so overall I think I prefer this team to the one Ellison and co mostly picked last year

Yeah it will just be interesting to see how much we've lost in terms of performance with three of last year's squad now in the ABs (four if you include Perenara).

Nogusta

@Bones said in Auckland v Wellington:

@Nogusta interesting switch for Lam and Telea.

Coach McGrath giving AJ a full NPC campaign at 13 ahead of SR next year I'd say

Duluth

@Nogusta said in Auckland v Wellington:

Coach McGrath

It'll be interesting to see how well he does this year. Auckland was disappointing last year and it was hard to understand what they were trying to do. Even the defence, his speciality, wasn't great

Hopefully he's learnt a lot working alongside Cotter

KiwiMurph

@Nogusta said in Auckland v Wellington:

@Bones said in Auckland v Wellington:

@Nogusta interesting switch for Lam and Telea.

Coach McGrath giving AJ a full NPC campaign at 13 ahead of SR next year I'd say

I.e. Rieko will be on sabbatical next Super season

Duluth

@KiwiMurph

Good point.

Also has Tele’a confirmed where he’s playing next year? That could be the combo

Duluth

Visinia at fullback, Ah Wong on the wing (sigh)

Sullivan on the bench covering ten

Canes4life

@Duluth lol how does Visinia beat Sullivan to the punch? Is Sullivan nursing an injury or something?

Duluth

@Canes4life not sure if he played in the preseason, might be his first game back

Plummer missing and him having to cover ten probably a factor too

Duluth

15 Lolagi Visinia
14 Caleb Tangitau
13 AJ Lam
12 Tanielu Tele'a
11 Nigel Ah Wong
10 Alex Harford
9 Taufa Funaki

1 Josh Fusitu'a
2 Soane Vikena
3 Marcel Renata
4 Josh Beehre
5 Tuaina Taii Tualima
6 Adrian Choat
7 Anton Segner
8 Akira Ioane

16 Sama Malolo
17 Jordan Lay
18 Angus Ta'avao
19 Michael Curry
20 Ola Tauelangi
21 Kemara Hauiti-Parapara
22 Zarn Sullivan
23 Xavi Taele

Silly team order comes from the official NPC site

Canes4life

@Duluth said in Auckland v Wellington:

Visinia
Tangitau
Lam
Tele'a
Ah Wong
Harford
Funaki
Fusitu'a
Vikena
Renata
Beehre
Taii Tualima
Choat
Segner
Ioane

Malolo
Lay
Ta'avao
Curry
Tauelangi
Hauiti-Parapara
Sullivan
Taele

Silly team order comes from the official NPC site

Interesting that Hauiti-Parapara is in Auckland now.

Bones

@Duluth of all the team naming orders, they choose to copy fucking England.

taniwharugby

@Duluth Visinia played in the 1st pre-season v Northland, as did Ah-Wong

Daffy Jaffy

@Duluth said in Auckland v Wellington:

not sure if he played in the preseason

On Senz a couple of days ago Coach said that Sullivan was yet to play since his injury, so this will be his first hit out.

cgrant

Who is Tualima ?

Duluth

@cgrant said in Auckland v Wellington:

Who is Tualima ?

Aussie. Has played for the Reds & Rebels.

I don't see the point in picking him. There’s 4 or 5 strange selections in the squad.

Duluth

15 Tjay Clarke
14 Riley Higgins
13 Peter Umaga-Jensen
12 Julian Savea
11 Pepesana Patafilo
10 Jackson Garden-Bachop
9 Kyle Preston

1 Xavier Numia
2 Penieli Poasa
3 Siale Lauaki
4 Hugo Plummer
5 Filo Paulo
6 Brad Shields
7 Du'Plessis Kirifi
8 Peter Lakai

16 Leni Apisai
17 Yota Kamimori
18 PJ Sheck
19 Akira Ieremia
20 Dominic Ropeti
21 Mitch McLeod
22 Callum Harkin
23 Matt Proctor

Canes4life

@Duluth said in Auckland v Wellington:

15 Tjay Clarke
14 Riley Higgins
13 Peter Umaga-Jensen
12 Julian Savea
11 Pepesana Patafilo
10 Jackson Garden-Bachop
9 Kyle Preston

1 Xavier Numia
2 Penieli Poasa
3 Siale Lauaki
4 Hugo Plummer
5 Filo Paulo
6 Brad Shields
7 Du'Plessis Kirifi
8 Peter Lakai

16 Leni Apisai
17 Yota Kamimori
18 PJ Sheck
19 Akira Ieremia
20 Dominic Ropeti
21 Mitch McLeod
22 Callum Harkin
23 Matt Proctor

Lol Riley Higgins at 14, why? Savea can move on like his brother for all I care. If Higgins is going to be the 12 for the Canes, he needs to be playing there. I doubt Patafilo, Higgins and Clarke will see much ball with Savea and Umaga-Jensen as the midfield. Proctor should be starting aswell. Savea should be on the bench.

Unfortunately it seems like we have another coach with rocks in his head.

Delany must still be returning from injury.

foobaNZ

Savea at 12 ahead of Higgins is a crime.

Canes4life

@foobaNZ Wellington catering to Julian once again. Riley's been very good there the last couple seasons, obviously Soakai hasn't been watching.

I'm very surprised we are favourites at the TAB. This squad looks to be lacking a bit, too many has beens in Apisai, Savea, Paulo and Garden-Bachop.

Winger

@Canes4life said in Auckland v Wellington:

@Duluth said in Auckland v Wellington:

15 Tjay Clarke
14 Riley Higgins
13 Peter Umaga-Jensen
12 Julian Savea
11 Pepesana Patafilo
10 Jackson Garden-Bachop
9 Kyle Preston

1 Xavier Numia
2 Penieli Poasa
3 Siale Lauaki
4 Hugo Plummer
5 Filo Paulo
6 Brad Shields
7 Du'Plessis Kirifi
8 Peter Lakai

16 Leni Apisai
17 Yota Kamimori
18 PJ Sheck
19 Akira Ieremia
20 Dominic Ropeti
21 Mitch McLeod
22 Callum Harkin
23 Matt Proctor

Lol Riley Higgins at 14, why? Savea can move on like his brother for all I care. If Higgins is going to be the 12 for the Canes, he needs to be playing there. I doubt Patafilo, Higgins and Clarke will see much ball with Savea and Umaga-Jensen as the midfield. Proctor should be starting aswell. Savea should be on the bench.

> Unfortunately it seems like we have another coach with rocks in his head.

Delany must still be returning from injury.

Agree. Another year of dumb backs selections. The bigger issue with the midfield is PUJ though. Savea's decision making is ok. PUJ is terrible. And Higgins is a much better defender than PUJ

Having said that the HB, 1st 2nd combo is far and away better than the rubbish we had starting most games last year. But Higgins clearly should start in midfield and any coach who can't see this

what is Penieli Poasa like

The Silver Fern

Auckland v Wellington