NZ domestic competitions 2018

[waiopehu oldboy]

Aucks should go top of the table v Southland tonight but to finish top they'll also need to beat Harbour on Sunday.

Other matches of note are Mako v HBay tomorrow, 'naki v Wellys Friday night & CM v сайтовs on Saturday to determine the finishing order in the Premiership. FWIW I think it'll be 1. Aucks 2. Mako 3. сайтовs 4. Wellys.

Biggest game in the Championship is Otago's Shield challenge on Saturday, other than that we know who's in the SF: Waikato will finish top regardless, Otago can sneak second if they win & HBay lose, & Northland can sneak second if they beat BoP & HB & Otago both lose.

WEDNESDAY
Southland v Auckland
Venue: Rugby Park, Invercargill
Kickoff: 7.35pm
TAB odds: Auckland $1.05 Southland $8.50

THURSDAY
Tasman v Hawke's Bay
Venue: Trafalgar Park, Nelson
Kickoff: 7.35pm
TAB odds: Tasman $1.15 Hawke's Bay $5

FRIDAY
Taranaki v Wellington
Venue: Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth
Kickoff: 7.35pm
TAB odds: Wellington $1.27 Taranaki $3.50

SATURDAY
Bay of Plenty v Northland
Venue: Tauranga Domain
Kickoff: 2.35pm
TAB odds: Northland $1.82 Bay of Plenty $1.92

Waikato v Otago (Ranfurly Shield)
Venue: FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
Kickoff: 5.05pm
TAB odds: Waikato $1.45 Otago $2.60

Counties Manukau v Canterbury
Venue: Navigation Homes Stadium, Pukekohe
Kickoff: 7.35pm
TAB odds: Canterbury $1.18 Counties Manukau $4.50

SUNDAY
Auckland v North Harbour
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kickoff: 2.05pm
TAB odds: N/A

Manawatu v Southland
Venue: Central Energy Trust Arena, Palmerston North
Kickoff: 4.35pm
TAB odds: N/A

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Aucks held back a heap of first-choice players for Sunday but still got the job done in convincing style:

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Mako lock in a home SF in the wet in Nelson:

Now awaiting result of Battle of the Bridge to see if they'll be seeded 1 (Harbour win) or 2 (Aucks win). Wellys will also be nervous about that result & need to win big v 'naki tonight to give themselves the best shot at finishing 4th. Should Wellys & Harbour finish with equal points the tie-breaker is the result of their round robin match which Wellys won.

Bay now sweating on Shield challenge result: if Waikato retain it Bay finish 2nd, if Otago lift it Bay finish 3rd. Either way Mooloos will be top qualifier & Northland 4th.

 

[KiwiM]

Mako lock in a home SF in the wet in Nelson:

Now awaiting result of Battle of the Bridge to see if they'll be seeded 1 (Harbour win) or 2 (Aucks win). Wellys will also be nervous about that result & need to win big v 'naki tonight to give themselves the best shot at finishing 4th. Should Wellys & Harbour finish with equal points the tie-breaker is the result of their round robin match which Wellys won.

Bay now sweating on Shield challenge result: if Waikato retain it Bay finish 2nd, if Otago lift it Bay finish 3rd. Either way Mooloos will be top qualifier & Northland 4th.

It's a little bit different than this actually.

Auckland can finish 1st even if they lose/draw vs Harbour as they only need 2 competition points

Northland still have a game left so can still leapfrog Otago into 3rd if Waikato beat Otago.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^ you're right, for some reason I thought Aucks were three behind but I see it's actually only two.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Nepo Laulala & Dane Coles named on the benches for Cou-Man & Wellys.

EDIT: also Joe Moody for сайтовs.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Heartland Championship final round preview:

http://www.heartlandchampionship.co.nz/News/33245/heartland-championship-preview-round-eight

 

[Dan54]

Heartland Championship final round preview:

http://www.heartlandchampionship.co.nz/News/33245/heartland-championship-preview-round-eight

And thought this place to put this WOB, so maybe some here can get an idea what some teams face in Heartland , and how rugby is in a small place!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...es-unique-rugby-team-on-the-edge-of-the-earth
I will always remember Nua boys back in the 80s laughing that when you arrived for a game against the East Coast the aftermatch do was actually the night before the game, and boy was there a lot of drinks supplied for visiting team!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^^ a bit like Southland back in the day taking the visitors to the Bluff Hotel & laying on several sacks of of bluffies (aka Bluff oysters, best in world hands down) & an endless supply of Speight's (beer, far from best in world: goes down really well but fuck me you pay for it next day which if you happen to be a visiting rugby team is of course match day).

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Wellys into SF regardless of Aucks v Harbour result:

It also confirms that 'naki will be relegated.

EDIT: note the sideline flags being blown horizontal: supposed to be the middle of spring & we're still copping shit weather coming up from Antarctica.

 

[Dan54]

Geez there was a breeze in New Plymouth during that game wasn't there? Very much a game of one out close passing! I thought Fifita looked like he wants to play international rugby again, and by christ that Teariki Ben-Nicholas plays a good game at 8, thought Sumo hit it on head when he said he looked like Vito scoring that try, was trying to put my finger on who he reminded me of whenever he runs! Must be close to Super contract.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

BoP with a consolation win:

So Championship SF1 will be Mooloos v Taniwha in HamVegas, other will be Otago v 'pies, venue TBA.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

I'd have thought a late, no-arms tackle on a bloke who's got his back turned is a Yellow card. Mooloo 13 a very lucky boy imo.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Mighty 'nua clearly keeping their powder dry for home Lochore Cup SF next week:

Wanganui 57 (Angus Middleton, Viki Tofa, Tyler Roger-Holden 2, Campbell Hart, Lindsay Horrocks, Kaveni Dabenaise, Kameli Kuruyabaki, Ethan Robinson tries; Craig Clare 5 con; Dane Whale con) Horowhenua Kapiti 27 (T Seruwalu, S MacGregor, H Henara, S Cameron tries; James So'oialo 2 con, pen)

http://www.heartlandchampionship.co...terbury-benefit-from-west-coast-losing-points

Meads Cup Sf:

1. Wanganui v 4. Thames Valley
2. South Cant'y v 3. King Country

Lochore Cup SF:

5. Horowhenua-Kapiti v 8. North Otago
6. Mid Cant'y v 7. Wairarapa-Bush

West Coast would've been playing Lochore Cup but got docked six comp points for fielding an ineligible player. Also fined $4K (half of it suspended for five years) for the same offence. At least they dobbed themselves in rather than trying to hide it as other HC teams are alleged & have occasionally been found to have done from time to time (but never, I hasten to add, 'nua who's mightyness is matched only by their squeakycleanness ).

EDIT: turns out the fine was replaced by the deduction of points after H-K, on behalf of eight other Unions, appealed the decision.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...by-points-deduction-in-heartland-championship

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

So you're a point up in a Shield challenge with ~25 left on the clock & you're awarded a penalty dead in front mid-way 22 & 10m lines. Obviously you take the lineout. Which you throw straight to the Mooloo jumper. Muppets can't want any extra baggage on the flight back to Dunners.

EDIT: lesson learned, easy(ish) three taken from pretty much the same spot. Penalty looked a little harsh, arm was draped over the shoulder but didn't appear to be any contact with the head or neck.

Comms keep referencing the wind which must be very localised as I'm 3.6km up the road (over the bridge, keep going straight at all the lights & the Dinsdale roundabout) & it's pretty still here.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Um, when did kicking a guy in the back stop being a Yellow? Mooloo 20 should be warming up the showers right now & practicing his "sorry for costing us the Shield, guys" speech. Up until now I didn't really care about the result but now I'm O-tarrrrrrrrrrr-go all the way.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Shield highlights:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...ccessful-ranfurly-shield-raid-against-waikato

If anyone wants to delve into Shield history a little deeper, the Wiki page has been updated:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranfurly_Shield

Championship SF:

1. Waikato v 4. Northland
2. Otago v 3. Hawkes Bay

Wouldn't a Waikato v Otago GF be tasty

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

C-M with their sixth loss by seven or less forvthe year:

.

Aucks need a point at Albany to finish second, two or more to finish top having beaten both Tasman & сайтовs in the round robin.

 

[KiwiM]

Auckland were already second on the table heading into today's game at Eden Park as Canterbury didnt pick up a bonus point last night.

Auckland destroy Harbour 45-29 today to go top of the table.

Not a great day for Dillon Hunt. Looked small and ineffective.

Pretty impressive from Auckland considering a few of them played on Wednesday.

Papali'i was the best player on the field. Akira and Faiane very good too. Auckland halves of Ruru and Plummer outplayed their more fancied opposites Hall and Gatland.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^ Comprehensive win for the Aucks & must be warm favs for the title......

Premiership SF:

1. Auckland v 4. Wellington
2. Tasman v 3. Canterbury

North v South GF which always makes things just that little bit more interesting IMO.