NPC - news, injuries etc

[African Monkey]

So I assume Matt Johnson will be playing for us this year?

[Tim]

@African-Monkey He played for Auckland Sevens this year.

[African Monkey]

@Tim Yeah true, although guys like Jack Goodhue played sevens for Northland while he was still at Canterbury.

[Stargazer]

The Mitre 10 Cup draw and the Heartland Championship draw have been released.

.

You can find the full Mitre 10 Cup draw here: http://files.allblacks.com/NZRU_Media_Releases/2019/190219 2019 Mitre 10 Cup Draw FINAL.pdf

You can find the full Heartland draw here: http://files.allblacks.com/NZRU_Media_Releases/2019/190225 Mitre 10 Heartland Championship Draw 2019 FINAL.pdf

They haven't finalised the Farah Palmer Cup draw yet.

[Stargazer]

Team draws:

Auckland

Bay of Plenty

Counties Manukau

Hawke's Bay

Manawatu

North Harbour

Norhland

Southland

Taranaki

Waikato

Wellington

Will add others if they appear on social media.

[Stargazer]

The first of the 2019 Ranfurly Shield games v Heartland teams has been announced:

[Stargazer]

[Stargazer]

Taranaki, first the bad news, then the good news:

Taranaki Rugby announce largest deficit in operational history

Key signings for Yarrows Taranaki Bulls:

• Craig Clarke will be the new Taranaki forwards coach for 2019 (replacing Paul Tito)
• loosies Heiden Bedwell-Curtis (back from Manawatu) and Kaylum Boshier (Taranaki U19 and brother of Lachlan) have signed for the 2019 season

[taniwharugby]

jeez, Parkinson walked into a perfect storm taking over Taranaki, guess it is a great opportunity to show his worth.

I was chatting to him soon after he was announced as heading there and he had already been doing some contracting and a couple of player managers told him he didnt need to haggle so much now, he was with Taranaki now, not Northland...

[Yeetyaah]

Taleni Seu has signed for Waikato for the 2019 M10 Cup

[OleOleOle]

@Yeetyaah A good signing for Waikato....a replacement for Manihera??

I know Waikato tried to sign Seu a couple of seasons ago but he was reluctant to leave Auckland at that point. I think he will benefit from regular game time.

[African Monkey]

A bit random...

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/111779017/french-rugby-great-raphael-ibanez-to-join-thames-valley-as-assistant-coach

[Stargazer]

Ta$man has signed Joe Wheeler for the 2019 season.

[Chris B.]

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

Ta$man has signed Joe Wheeler for the 2019 season.

Might be a reasonable signing if he's still got something to give. Hopefully have Parkinson and Strange playing lots of minutes and Wheeler playing the Alex Ainley old man role.

[Yeetyaah]

Solomon Alaimalo has signed for Waikato in the M10 Cup. Fucking stoked.

Edit: for 2 years through 2019 and 2020.

[taniwharugby]

@Yeetyaah been a very long time for him to finalise negotiations...either him or his manager must be a pain to deal with...my understanding is he had been negotiating with Northland & another team (Waikato) since end of NPC last year and advised Northland in Jan he wasnt coming up here.

[Yeetyaah]

@taniwharugby Yeah I remember you saying to me on here a while back. Waikato a bit spoiled for talent.

[Steven Harris]

@taniwharugby he played Ta$man,Northland ,Southland and Waikato off until he could find the best deal..I think Waikato were always going to win out given that he owns a house in Hamilton and has a brother in the academy.
The other player whom I understand is looking to move from Taranaki because of family reasons is Angus Taavao,
Both Waikato and Auckland are in the running for his signature
On paper,Waikato are assembling a very strong squad,and if Taavao signs,that will give them one hell of a set piece platform to work off.

[African Monkey]

@Steven-Harris If true about Ta'avao then that's two big losses for Taranaki with Damian Mackenzie also leaving. Waikato looking fairly strong if they land Ta'avao.

[Canes4life]

@African-Monkey Don't you mean Marty?