NPC - news, injuries etc
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc: John Akau'ola-Laula No idea sorry. A quick google shows he played a pre-season game for the Crusaders at the start of the year. 
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John Akau'ola-Laula he has a heart condition. Just discovered this year preseason after players regulation check ups 
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@Daffy-Jaffy Vernon Fredericks as well? Another one cap Crusader, who received a shock call-up in 2017. Geez, John Akau'ola-Laula is only 21. I've seen him in a lot of instagram posts during the SR season, so was obviously still in the Crusaders environment then. 
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@Stargazer said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc: @Daffy-Jaffy Vernon Fredericks as well? Another one cap Crusader, who received a shock call-up in 2017. Geez, John Akau'ola-Laula is only 21. I've seen him in a lot of instagram posts during the SR season, so was obviously still in the Crusaders environment then. Vern's been around a long time without cracking higher levels and, a bit like Tim Perry, suffered a season ending injury five minutes into last year's M10 Cup. I'd guess he thinks he's given it a decent crack. He had to have brain surgery a few years ago as well. 
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Results of the last round of preseason games: North Harbour 57 - 31 Northland (HT: 12 - 24) 
 Auckland 33 - 14 Hawke's Bay (HT: 12 -14)
 Taranaki 21 - 24 Waikato (HT: 14 - 5)
 Southland 19 - 62 Canterbury (HT: 19 - 22)
 Ta$man 54 - 19 Otago (HT: 28 - 12)and the above "Game of Three Halves" results. 
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@Stargazer said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc: Southland team to play Canterbury:  Taine Te Whata is clever. Starting and on the bench. 
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Wow. The Ta$man box score reads like a Super Rugby side and it's no surprise they thrashed Otago. And then you scroll down and look at the Southland squad (I recognised 3-4 names) and wonder how Canterbury didn't put 100 on them. Such a difference in two provinces of relatively similar size and presumably resources. 
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@shark The Southland corporates must spend all their sponsorship money on the Steel and Sharks. I might watch the occasional Southland game to see how some players I saw play at schoolboy level perform (e.g., Alaimalo, Te Tamaki and Moorby). 
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Rugby park Invercargill today. A warm welcome instore for the Taniwha. Don't freeze your dreadlocks off boys.  










