BOP 2025
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Despite the result, I feel you Steamers fans would appreciate this:
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Fun watch. There were some interesting tidbits in there too, I thought: the defensive review-session was a lot more brutal than I would’ve expected; Aidan Ross emphasizing again and again how he dreamed about being a Steamer much more than he did being a Chief or All Black when he was young (and this in the week he’s called into Wallabies camp..); Kaleb Trask coming across a lot sharper when he’s in first five-mode.
I also thought Kurt Eklund came across well, really calm and assured when speaking to the players in a huddle (which is easier said than done, if anybody’s seen Maro Itoje’s captain speeches in the behind the scenes-footage from the Lions). It’ll be nearly 10 years now since Eklund made his debut in the NPC for Auckland. I think it’s fair to say he was quite raw and error-prone in those early years. But what a player he’s turned out to be.
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Any BOP fans who want to do NPC Tipping for the season, go to this thread and pick the BOP team when you submit your tips for week 1 (first game is tomorrow night) https://www.forum.silverfern.rugby/topic/7464/npc-tipping-2025/7?_=1753813608209
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Going to be too hard for me this year I think, might still enter for week 1
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Fun watch. There were some interesting tidbits in there too, I thought: the defensive review-session was a lot more brutal than I would’ve expected; Aidan Ross emphasizing again and again how he dreamed about being a Steamer much more than he did being a Chief or All Black when he was young (and this in the week he’s called into Wallabies camp..); Kaleb Trask coming across a lot sharper when he’s in first five-mode.
I also thought Kurt Eklund came across well, really calm and assured when speaking to the players in a huddle (which is easier said than done, if anybody’s seen Maro Itoje’s captain speeches in the behind the scenes-footage from the Lions). It’ll be nearly 10 years now since Eklund made his debut in the NPC for Auckland. I think it’s fair to say he was quite raw and error-prone in those early years. But what a player he’s turned out to be.
Yup had the tools Eklund, but his throwing was diabolical in those early years for Auckland.
Started his Super Rugby very late, but I remember he came on against the Crusaders in Chch 2020 for James Parsons who was forced to retire with concussion after the game from a knock he took, and although we lost, it was a breakout performance from Eklund that night and he hasn't looked back.
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@African-Monkey said in BOP 2025:
Yup had the tools Eklund, but his throwing was diabolical in those early years for Auckland.
I think he urned he corner in his last season with Auckland (2017). He was probably ready to kick on at SR level then.
I remember he had a terrible injury in a Blues dev game and that wiped out a full year. It was during that time he went to BOP for family reasons. The second part of his career after the long break has been very consistent
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@African-Monkey said in BOP 2025:
Yup had the tools Eklund, but his throwing was diabolical in those early years for Auckland.
I think he urned he corner in his last season with Auckland (2017). He was probably ready to kick on at SR level then.
I remember he had a terrible injury in a Blues dev game and that wiped out a full year. It was during that time he went to BOP for family reasons. The second part of his career after the long break has been very consistent
Yeah he did. He shone but was overshadowed by how terrible the Auckland team was that year.
He's showing no signs of slowing down.
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Looking at that BOP starting XV, I reckon the ABs coaches told them to play Narawa at 14 given he was 13 last season and Carter was 14. Maybe the Steamers will mix it up though
You could be on the money. Moorby for Waikato is another one playing 14, not 15. A big reason for him breaking his contract in France could be because the ABs want him back in the mix and see him as someone that can help provide depth in that right wing spot.
Narawa playing in the centres would definitely have made more sense.
