NPC - news, injuries etc

[Stargazer]

Pre-season game:

NZ Vikings (Northland HP Squad) vs Counties Manukau HP
Wednesday 16th May 2018
Kaiwaka Sports Complex
Kick off 6:30pm

I've posted the info on the Northland line-up here.

[Stargazer]

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

https://www.instagram.com/p/BieEV_7HZ8h/

harbourrugby Come on down to Windsor Park this Wednesday evening and see our QBE North Harbour Wider Training Group take on Auckland in a preseason game ahead of this years Mitre 10 Cup! Kick off at 6:30.

Full time: North Harbour (8) v (7) Auckland (HT: 0 - 0)

[Stargazer]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/103813823/manawat-turbos-sign-up-hooker-sam-stewart

[taniwharugby]

Heard that Auckland have signed the Dunshea that has been in the Blues dev side.

Apparently Northland had been negotiating with him and then after playing for Dev side Auckland came in and signed him.

[Stargazer]

Finally confirmed: Shane Christie - who has retired as a player - has been appointed as the new Ta$man Mako forward coach for the 2018 season.

http://www.mako.nz/news/shane-christie-brings-curtain-down-on-one-career-starts-another

[Stargazer]

Preseason game: NZ Vikings (Northland HP squad) v Counties Manukau Cavaliers (CM HP squad)

Wednesday, 16 May 2018
Kaiwaka Sports Complex
K/o 6.30pm

[mikedogz]

Counties Manukau Cavaliers - 34
Northland Vikings - 5

[Number 10]

Auckland 2015-2016 prop (and missed last year due to injury) Tom McHugh has shifted to Bay of Plenty and joined the Whakarewarewa club.

[Tim]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/104011946/doubts-raised-over-jono-gibbes-coaching-waikato-rugby

[Bovidae]

Oh, great.

If Gibbes doesn't return home his reputation will be tarnished in the Waikato.

[Duluth]

Who is Waikato's assistant coach? I assume they must be doing most of the selection work anyway?

[Chris B.]

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

Counties Manukau Cavaliers - 34
Northland Vikings - 5

Perhaps the Vikings need to strengthen their management team?

[Bovidae]

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

Who is Waikato's assistant coach? I assume they must be doing most of the selection work anyway?

Nathan White was named as the new forwards coach, and he is currently the co-coach at TA Sports. Roger Randle was the backs coach and I assume he is still involved.

[Stargazer]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/104066935/Jono-Gibbes-non-committal-when-asked-whether-he-ll-coach-Waikato-or-La-Rochelle

[Tim]

Rene Ranger is back for the NPC.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjG5fhfAwtM/

[Bovidae]

This appears to be good news.

[Stargazer]

Confirmed on Waikato's FB page.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/104277028/jono-gibbes-confirmed-as-next-waikato-head-coach

[Stargazer]

Luke Whitelock has re-signed with Canterbury for 2019; not sure whether he'll play for Canterbury in 2018, because there were rumours that he'll play in Japan's Top Leauge (2018/2019 season), but I haven't seen a confirmation of him signing with a Japanese club.

Whetu Douglas has signed with Canterbury for 2018 and 2019.

[Tim]

New Plymouth's Yarrow Stadium condemned and vacated

[Rembrandt]

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

New Plymouth's Yarrow Stadium condemned and vacated

What the hell? Why on earth was this not known at time of construction? Taranaki is pretty damn earthquake prone. Change of standards since Christchurch earthquakes? Massive blow to the region on top of oil & gas and engineering being hit hard.