NPC - news, injuries etc
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@shark Not a great ground to in and out either, getting away from the recent Maori v Fiji game was a nightmare..! 
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The 2019 Bay of Plenty Steamers squad has been announced. For the graphics and media release, see on the BOP Forum. Squad: 
 Alex Ainley, Hugh Blake, Luke Campbell, Sam Cane, Aaron Carroll, Leroy Carter, Pryor Collier, Kurt Eklund, Chris Eves, Cole Forbes, Fa'asiu Fuatai, Mathew Skipwith-Garland, Ross Geldenhuys, Nathan Harris, Dan Hollinshead, Joe Johnston, Richard Judd, Mitchell Karpik, Lalomilo Lalomilo, Tevita Mafileo, Hoani Matenga, Tom McHugh, Ajay Mua, Emoni Narawa, Abraham Papali'i, Liam Polwart, Joe Ravouvou, Jason Robertson, Aidan Ross, Jeff Thwaites, Chase Tiatia, Kaleb Trask, Stan van den Hoven, Nathan Vella, Baden Wardlaw, Joe Webber, Archie White.
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Check out our Mitre 10 Cup season preview, available on: We'll bring you the DrivingMaul Mitre 10 Cup show every monday at 8pm reviewing the last round of action, talking about the hot topics and looking forward to the next round. Also I'll be at over 20 games bringing you pre-game, halftime and post match reports as well as post match player and coach interviews. That will all be on https://twitter.com/DrivingMaul Cheers Paul aka DrivingMaul 
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@trooa said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc: @mofitzy_ Ross Harris Thwaites Wardlaw Carroll Blake Karpik Papalii Judd Hollinshead Fuatai Garland Webber Narawa Tiatia the starting 15 from last pre-season game & likely for this week based on 34-0 win. Cheers. I guess Ainley is too long in the tooth these days. Papali'i is an ex-leaguie? Seems to be a big unit too. Any good? 
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@mofitzy_ said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc: Cheers. I guess Ainley is too long in the tooth these days. Papali'i is an ex-leaguie? Seems to be a big unit too. Any good? Didn't play last week so not sure where he stands in the pecking order, probably brought in to provide some experience to a group of inexperienced locks. Wardlaw/Caroll played last year and will get the first opportunity I reckon, Van De Hoven new & White unknown, looks to be out of the Harlequins/NZRU partnership. 
 Papali'i huuuuuge, big ball carrier which brings a better balance to Steamers loose trio they didn't have last year. Fitness is a work in progress, I'd say he plays 60 then Mua comes on for him.
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Waikato squad Forwards Tim Bond (11) Morrinsville Sports 
 Jahrome Brown (2) Melville
 Hamilton Burr (0) Hautapu
 Sam Cooper (0) Hamilton Old Boys
 Samipeni Finau (0) Hamilton Old Boys
 Haereiti Hetet (5) Otorohanga
 Josh Iosefa-Scott 20) Melville
 Murray Iti (23) Otorohanga
 Luke Jacobson (10) Hautapu
 Mitch Jacobson (37) Hautapu
 Ayden Johnstone (21) Hautapu
 Sosefo Kautai (21) Hamilton Marist
 Sekope Lopeti-Moli (9) Hautapu
 Laghlan McWhannell (13) Hautapu
 Api Naikatini (0)
 Ollie Norris (0) Hautapu
 Simon Parker (0) Hautapu
 Taleni Seu (0) Melville
 Antonio Shalfoon (0) Te Awamutu Sports
 Toby Smith (57) Hamilton Old Boys
 Samisoni Taukeiaho (23) Fraser Tech
 James Thompson (0) Hautapu
 James Tucker (34) Hamilton Marist
 Manawa Veitayaki (0) OtorohangaBacks Solomon Alaimalo (0) Hamilton Marist 
 Tyler Campbell (25) University
 Matty Lansdown (22) Fraser Tech
 Anton Lienert-Brown (19) University
 Damian McKenzie (24) University
 Brandon Mudzekenyedzi (0) Hautapu
 Declan O’Donnell (34) Melville
 Carlos Price (0) Hamilton Marist
 Sevu Reece (33) Hamilton Old Boys
 Rivez Reihana (0) Melville
 Louis Rogers (0) University
 Fletcher Smith (12)
 Jack Stratton (11) Hautapu
 Bailyn Sullivan (7) Hamilton Marist
 Dwayne Sweeney (93) Morrinsville Sports
 Raniera Takarangi (8) Hamilton Old Boys
 Valynce Te Whare-Crosby (0) Fraser Tech
 Newton Tudreu (0) Hamilton Marist
 Quinn Tupaea (12) Hamilton Old Boys( ) = caps for Waikato 
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More details here http://www.mooloo.co.nz/newsarticle/80420 
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A closer look at the Waikato squad shows no Manihera, Burn or Armstrong in the forwards from 2018. Bunce missing in the backs but fullback is well covered. A few names I am not familiar with at all. It will be interesting to see the team selected to play Canterbury. 
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@Bovidae yeah, its a shame Manihera is not in the squad....I guess he's not favoured by the new coaching structure, he will be a big loss. Burn didn't play much club rugby, I am not sure if he even made himself available... Armstrong was used sparingly last season in the M10 Cup. He did play a full club season but again I'm not sure if he was available for M10 Cup.... Looks like Waikato have rewarded a lot of the young forwards that have come through the age group system, personally I think that is a good thing. Looking forward to seeing if brothers Veitayaki and Hetet get on the field together, they are both really promising...sons of Joe Veitayaki, now he could scrum 
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@Bovidae Looking forward to seeing how Hamilton Burr goes, a young Scottish lad who come out here to strengthen his craft and finds himself with a M10 Cup gig, exciting. Te Whare-Crosby is classy, will be good to see him develop, big and powerful but quick too! Awesome to see Louis Rogers get a chance after making a switch from loose forward a few years ago and toiling away. 
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@Yeetyaah said in Mitre 10 Cup - news, injuries etc: @Bovidae Ah shit, Manihera is the biggest loss, he was so good last year. Can't wait to win the premiership. bummer. he was really one of those guys that i felt if he got a super contract and become full time he woulda come on leaps and bounds... certainly outplayed that overrated chump Akira every time he came up against him. looks like he's playing in the States for San Diego.. 






