NPC - news, injuries etc

[cgrant]

Both new jerseys (Turbos and Magpies) are ugly ...

[Crucial]

@cgrant said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:

Both new jerseys (Turbos and Magpies) are ugly ...

They must be some kind of training jersey surely? HB have one of the more iconic jerseys in NZ, why would they go away from the basic?

[Number 10]

@cgrant @Crucial

Those are the jerseys the Magpies wear as a Hawke's Bay XV for their preseason matches only.

For Mitre 10 Cup they will be wearing the traditional black and white hooped jerseys.

[Winger]

@stargazer

Good to see a few names hopefully back to full fitness

10 TJ Va’a. Last time I saw him play (2016) he lasted until he did his first sidestep. He wasn't touched but fell to the ground in pain. I wondered if he would ever recover so hopefully he is fully fit again. But he seems a bit on the small side. And fragile.

The Highlanders Umaga-Jensen (Thomas) looks the better player but both seem injury prone. And hopefully Isaia Walker-Leawere is fully fit and lasts the full season as he was class before his operation last year

Carlos Price is still young but he might be one to watch. He looked promising in the few minutes he got last year

[Stargazer]

Apparently, there was a preseason game between Taranaki and Waikato, yesterday. It was hidden at the bottom of the Taranaki squad announcement, but nothing on the Waikato (social) media as far as I can tell.
Taranaki won 31 - 14.

[Bovidae]

@williethewaiter What's the deal with Xavier Roe being named in the Taranaki squad?

I hope Waikato haven't lost him for good. Kylem O’Donnell for Roe means that Taranaki gets the better of that deal.

[Kiwidom]

Manawatu 2018 squad

Forwards:
Sam Stewart
Tim Cadwallader
Michael Alaalatoa,
Fraser Armstrong,
Sione Asi,
Sean Paranihi
Faalelei Sione
Brad Tucker
Liam Hallam Eames
Liam Mitchell
Jackson Hemopo
Nick Crosswell
Brayden Iose
Antonio Kirikiri (captain)
Bríce Henderson

Backs:
Jamie Booth
Kayne Hammington,
Otere Black
Sam Malcolm
Jade Té Rure
Ngani Laumape,
Lifeimi Mafi,
Hamish Northcott,
Rob Thompson
Michael Tagicakibau,
James Tofa,
Te Rangatira Waitokia,
Nehe Milner Skudder
Junior Lailofi

Quite a strong looking back line if Laumape and NMS take the field, plus Thompson.

The long awaited return of Otere Black from injury will be in round 3

[shark]

Did anyone know that BLK went bust? This explains why there's next to no NPC merch on the Rebel site when I looked for it. Wonder if thats why Canterbury had a weird looking jersey on in the Game of Three Halves

[chchfanatic]

@shark Canterbury were actually the cantabrians. They normally just have a under 20s team that plays in most of the rep games. They also fund the junior camp every year at burnham for high school kids.

[Stargazer]

@shark said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:

Did anyone know that BLK went bust? This explains why there's next to no NPC merch on the Rebel site when I looked for it. Wonder if thats why Canterbury had a weird looking jersey on in the Game of Three Halves

The two Canterbury teams that played on Friday were wearing different jerseys; maybe one jersey for the development/age grade team and the other for the NPC squad? Or old jerseys?

This was the jerseys for the game against Otago:

And this was the jersey for the game against the ABs:

[Stargazer]

By the way, Rebels Sports isn't the only one without much gear. The Ryos and Stirling Sports websites also don't have jerseys. Maybe it will all be for sale from next week, when the competition starts?

Also, Paladin Sports now provide the gear of 4 Mitre 10 Cup teams: Hawke's Bay, North Harbour, Wellington and Northland. Plenty of gear available for those teams on the Paladin website.

@cgrant This is the Magpies jersey for this season (same as previous two seasons, only the socks seem different with more white in it and different sponsor name on the shorts); they had their photo shoot yesterday:

[taniwharugby]

TAB Odds, dont look to have changed much in past few weeks or since squads have come out, recon there are some generous odds in the Premiership side.

Championship Odds:
Otago $3.25
Waikaot $3.75
BOP $4.50
Manawatu $6.00
Northland $6.00
HB $10.00
Southland $41.00

Premiership Odds
Canterbury $1.90
Wellington $5.00
Taranaki $7.00
Ta$man $7.00
NH $9.00
Auckland $12.00
CM $21

[Steven Harris]

@taniwharugby I Reckon Harbour are worth a sneaky $20,got a team stacked with Super Players,and were very close to knocking over Canterbury in the Semis last year.

[shark]

@stargazer said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:

@shark said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:

Did anyone know that BLK went bust? This explains why there's next to no NPC merch on the Rebel site when I looked for it. Wonder if thats why Canterbury had a weird looking jersey on in the Game of Three Halves

The two Canterbury teams that played on Friday were wearing different jerseys; maybe one jersey for the development/age grade team and the other for the NPC squad? Or old jerseys?

This was the jerseys for the game against Otago:

And this was the jersey for the game against the ABs:

Yikes I hope it's neither of those. The badge on the lower one is fairly clear and certainly isn't the CRFU logo. The top pic is harder to see but looks to be the same badge. And different logos on the shorts although one appears to be an apparel company. Who knows.

[cgrant]

The Mako$ are underrated as far as the odds are concerned.
Their potential lineup could be :

Havili / Jordan
Alaimalo
Aumua
Nankivell
Fainganuuku
Hunt
Christie
Taufua (if fit)
Brown
Blackadder
Strange / Parkinson
Ainley
Salmon
Makalio
Crockett / Hames (if fit)

This is a pretty strong outfit, better than Wellington's.

[shark]

I don't think there's any doubt you'd play a fit Will Jordan which means Havili'i would probably move into 12.

[Winger]

@cgrant said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:

The Mako$ are underrated as far as the odds are concerned.

This is a pretty strong outfit, better than Wellington's.

Really. wellington could put out a very strong side. JTA and Fidow as THs. Cole, Aumua and Apisai as hookers. Tulu F isn't too bad as a LH. Isaia Walker-Leawere and Lousi as locks. Fifita at 6, waldrom maybe at 8 and say Greg Foe at 7.

That should be a good starting pack

and even this backline doesn't look too bad.

15 Trent Renata (Oriental-Rongotai)
14 Tuitama Malo (Oriental-Rongotai)
13 Peter Umaga-Jensen (Wainuiomata)
12 Thomas Umaga-Jensen (Wainuiomata)
11 Losi Filipo (Petone)
10 TJ Va’a (Wainuiomata)
9 Kemara Hauiti-Parapara (Tawa)

But with JGB, Proctor, Goosen and Lam still to return. I have high hopes for Wellington this year. And the coaches did a very good job last year

[shark]

@winger said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:

@cgrant said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc:

The Mako$ are underrated as far as the odds are concerned.

This is a pretty strong outfit, better than Wellington's.

Really. wellington could put out a very strong side. JTA and Fidow as THs. Cole, Aumua and Apisai as hookers. Tulu F isn't too bad as a LH. Isaia Walker-Leawere and Lousi as locks. Fifita at 6, waldrom maybe at 8 and say Greg Foe at 7.

That should be a good starting pack

and even this backline doesn't look too bad.

15 Trent Renata (Oriental-Rongotai)
14 Tuitama Malo (Oriental-Rongotai)
13 Peter Umaga-Jensen (Wainuiomata)
12 Thomas Umaga-Jensen (Wainuiomata)
11 Losi Filipo (Petone)
10 TJ Va’a (Wainuiomata)
9 Kemara Hauiti-Parapara (Tawa)

But with JGB, Proctor, Goosen and Lam still to return. I have high hopes for Wellington this year. And the coaches did a very good job last year

Pity you cant play three hookers. Or do you recommend putting two rakes on the bench?

[Stargazer]

Another reason why we call them the Poo:

manawatuturbos: Turbos green sausages have been the star of our members breakfast #TURBONATION

[chchfanatic]

@shark bottom one is the cantabrians badge.