The Silver Fern

Sam Nemec-Vial is currently injured but should be back before club season finishes (fingers crossed) Timu will be back

Here's the forum for Otago and their news for 2025.

Squad starter:

PROPS
George Bower
Ben Lopas
Saula Ma'u
Abraham Pole (Tonga)
Rohan Wingham
BOLTER: Moana Takataka, Steve Salelea, Abraham Lauaki, Darius Fidow

HOOKERS
Henry Bell
Liam Coltman
BOLTER: A-One Lolofie, Heath MacEwan, Gabriel Francesconi

LOCKS
Fabian Holland (AB's?)
BOLTER: Quinten Holland, Christian MacEwan, Boston Hunt, Reuben Palmer
GONE: Ale Aho, Will Tucker

LOOSIES
Ollie Haig
Christian Lio-Willie
Will Stodart
Harry Taylor
Lucas Casey
Max Ratcliffe
BOLTER: Konrad Toleafoa, Amos Roddick, Caine Taylor, Taylor Dale, Matthew Brock
Injury Cover: Slade McDowall (Staying here for family)
GONE: Tom Sanders, Sam Fischli

HALF BACKS
Nathan Hastie
Dylan Pledger
BOLTER: Bradley Campbell, Bob Martin
GONE: James Arscott

FIRST FIVES
Cameron Millar
Ajay Faleafaga??
BOLTER: Rique Miln, Cameron Burgess

MIDFIELDERS
Jake Te Hiwi (Injured)
Josh Timu
Thomas Umaga-Jensen
Josh Whaanga
Sam Gilbert
BOLTER: Riley Lucas, Aleki Morris-Lome, Joe Cooke, Mac Harris
GONE: Jack Leslie

WINGS
Jeremiah Asi
Jona Nareki
Kyan Rangitutia
BOLTER: Wiremu Brailey, Joseph Cockburn

FULL BACKS
Finn Hurley (Injured)
BOLTER: Sam Nemec-Vial (Injured), Charlie Breen

Yeah I just saw the stories. Says down 14-21 after 2nd third

Any update?

@frugby Nah, Sefo Kautai has resigned with the Brumbies for 2025. Fred Kaihea is a prop that hasn't got a contract yet. He is New Zealand born too. Off that supposed news, could be him?

Sam Gilbert in a moon boot today at training

@yeahyeah Not that I know of, just because of being in Dunedin and seeing it all and talking to people is how I know about that. Sucks for Otago, have all these great players playing club here then we find out they just go down and play for Southland. Josh Augustine a big one this season who is a tidy winger which we may need this year or next

Nah just like a lot of other players, plays rugby in Dunedin, Southland has an academy in Dunedin for Southland players and he plays provincial down there. He's in their development squad and having a run this week

That's alright. I'm in polytech and the team always train outside our classes. Looks like Haig at 6 at the moment. Haven't seen too much else. Finn Hurley, Will Tucker were running up and down the field jogging like a rehab. Maybe just a rest but keeping them moving. Mackenzie is a big surprise considering he's had many options to make the team but has always not been comitted enough to play. Pledg and A-One will most likely have a rest after 20s then come back into things. Train with the otago team. Pledg will then go with 19s for a bit too.

Liam Coltman is back, he's been in Dunedin for a while now. Jake Te Hiwi got a wrist injury in the Landers quarter and is still a couple of weeks away from returning. Fingers crossed ready for first week. Also that Levi Harmon is the same. And yeah broken knee 2021 final in Dunedin, was going to make the Otago team if it weren't for that injury. moon boot all of 2022. First season back, scored 2 tries in final, dominated in the midfield for GI this year. So looking forward to seeing him in the provincial stage again

Devlopment and Injury Squad:

Lucas Casey (Kaik) LF
Quinten Holland (Dun) LK/LF
A-One Lolofie (Zing) HK
Christian MacEwan (GI) LK
Stan McClure (Kaik) WG
Dylan Pledger (Kaik) HB
Kyan Rangitutia (Dun) WG
Max Ratcliffe (Dun) LF
Moana Takataka (Kaik) PR
Josh Tengblad (Dun) LK
Konrad Toleafoa (Sou) LF

How about the finish

Geez, reading all this is giving me a lot of hype for next year already. Lots of promising young players coming down, a year of NPC and players will be more experienced for super and returning players potentially like TUJ and Frizell. Exciting times for next year already

I was pretty close. Take out Te Hiwi and both Asi and Tapueluelu who are both wings which is a bit concerning. Then Tucker out and Sanders into 6

From what I saw running around at training today

1. Rohan Wingham

2. Henry Bell

3. Jermaine Ainsley

4. Fabian Holland

5. Will Tucker

6. Josh Dickson

7. Sean Withy

8. Christian Lio-Willie

9. James Arscott

10. Ajay Faleafaga

11. Jona Nareki

12. Jack Leslie

13. Thomas Umaga-Jensen

14. Josh Whaanga

15. Finn Hurley

16. Ricky Jackson

17. Abraham Pole

18. Saula Ma'u

19. Josh Hill

20. Sam Fischli

21. Nathan Hastie

22. Jake Te Hiwi

23. Maybe John Tapueluelu from what I saw or Jeremiah Asi

I wasn't far off with my lineup. I did cheat a little as I saw them training on Tuesday so had a good idea on who may have been. Which is why Leef was in my team cause he was in the 'second half team'

Changes from my team to real team. Ma'u and Ainsley switch, Lopas out Pole in, Leef out Leslie in. Holland to bench Taylor in, Fischli to 6 from bench and Dickson to lock from 6. Backline bang on

STARTING XV
Wingham
Bell
Ainsley
Tucker
Holland
Dickson
Withy
Lio-Willie
Arscott
Gilbert
Nareki
TUJ
Te Hiwi
Whaanga
Hurley

Jackson
Lopas
Mau
Hill
Fischli
McClea
Millar
Leef

Millar and Faleafaga are in training running around so good promise.
Naholo on crutches so a few weeks minimum

PROPS:
E de Groot
T Williams
O Tu'ungafasi
T Lomax
N Laulala
F Newell

HOOKERS
C Taylor
D Coles
S Taukei'aho

LOCKS
S Barrett
S Whitelock
B Retallick
T Vaa'i

LOOSIES
S Frizell
S Cane
A Savea
D Papali'i
L Jacobson
E Blackadder

HALF BACKS
A Smith
C Roigard
F Christie (should be Fakatava instead of either Christie or Roigard)

FIRST FIVES
R Mo'unga
B Barrett
D McKenzie

MIDFIELD
J Barrett
R Ioane
A Lienert-Brown
D Havili

OUTSIDES
C Clarke
M Telea
W Jordan
L Fainga'anuku

@Higgins I'm not anywhere near Auckland so don't know if there's any policies or anything but that is odd. Happens else where too. Like in Dunedin, Taieri have dominated club rugby for 5 years but have maybe had 3 or 4 players make Otago through club form. Manukau? would any of them be in line for Counties by any chance like they actually get selected by CM if anything

Here you are Auckland fans. Finally named your squad