Nz domestic rugby 2020

[waiopehu oldboy]

Three-man overlap goes begging again.....

 

[zer0]

It was probably a camera angle trick, but I like to think that Highlanders fan was absolutely dishing it out to that sour faced Cantab grandma.

 

[Dctarget]

Whitelock is a crafty fellow, tough call on Frizzel there.

 

[Dan54]

Whitelock is a crafty fellow, tough call on Frizzel there.

That showed Whitelocks smarts, just sidestep the cleanout. Shit I enjoying this game.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Codie Taylor livid at the ref for calling both sides equally here at Tinpot Lancaster Park.

Goodhue hardly playing like the tenured AB centre to be selected at all times ahead of Rieko and Laumape.

Crossword Frizzle going great guns now. Jerry Collins-like on D. Anyone wanting Scott Barrett at 6 instead has red and black rocks in their head

 

[Dan54]

Frizzel is surely bloody top man again. Bloody Codie Taylor is still the best 2 anywhere just now.

 

[swingpass]

Great game

Edit: Mo’unga is currently clearly the best 10 playing anywhere
Edit #2 Iaone not so bad either

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Holy shit McKay's got some wheels!

 

[zer0]

Suspect we're witnessing some 36D intergalactic chess play from the Crusaders here; throwing the match at home just so they can troll the Blues into believing they have a final on their hands, before swanning into Auckland and smashing the Blues for the absolute giggles.

Regardless, I'm willing to take the bait. So go you good f*cken Highlanders!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ or not

Oli Jäger in a bad way by the looks. Shoulder from Tomkinson. Red card? Yellow minimum.

Edit: Yellow which is fair.

 

[Dan54]

By geez that was another bloody good game, a few boys will want a rest after that. Frizzell played himself to a standstill, Ioane went bloody well, Nugget Smith left nothing out there.. And the usual suspects for the Crusaders. Cody Taylor rocks as a hooker!!


WOB didn't realise that Bill Doyle carved the trophy, he captained Rahui when I first moved back to the Mighty Nua in the early 80s.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Highlights:

Standings:

Getting the party started:

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

....didn't realise that Bill Doyle carved the trophy, he captained Rahui when I first moved back to the Mighty Nua in the early 80s.

Carved by a 'nua man so only fitting that it should be claimed by another .

 

[Dan54]

Carved by a 'nua man so only fitting that it should be claimed by another .

I commented on that to brother in law in NZ last night! We think alike!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Some big selection calls for Razor this week. Jager will obviously be out & even if Moody's injury isn't that severe is there any real point risking him v Loss Bleus? SamW has played every minute & Mo'unga all but a very few so do you make them go around again, rest them or give them 50 mins at the start/ 30 at the end?

Already some "dead rubber" chat out there but Razor did say post-match yesterday that it's a "statement match" so I'm guessing he'll start with the best XV available & empty the bench at some point around the 50-60 min mark.

 

[zer0]

Play Brett Cameron at first-five for 80 minutes, you cowards.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ what some call brave others might call stoopid........

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

van Wyk's lift & flip on Weber has been deemed a Red card offence, judicial hearing tonight NZT:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...er-brad-weber-tackle-ruled-a-red-card-offence

 

[Dctarget]

van Wyk's lift & flip on Weber has been deemed a Red card offence, judicial hearing tonight NZT:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...er-brad-weber-tackle-ruled-a-red-card-offence

Yeah I was surprised by it at the time. At the RWC it would've been a straight red.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ made no real attempt to ensure Weber landed safely so I think he's in real trouble.

Anyhow, with SRAo all but done & dusted it's nearly NPC time!

Sadly there's no Heartland Championship, although Buller, North Otago, South- & Mid Canterbury have organised a quadrangular comp & hopefully something(s) similar can be put in place in the North.

First match of consequence is Cantabs' pre-season Ranfurly Shield defence v North Otago on 28 August. Presumably Moody, Taylor, Whitelock, Mo'unga & Goodhue will be involved in for South v North the following day but even so it'll be little more than an opposed training run.

The Shield gets real on 19 September v Taranaki with other challengers being Wellington on 3 October, Waikato on 18 October, Otago on 30 October & Auckland on 15 November. Looks like Mako's only chance of a challenge is if Wellington take it then defend it v Otago & North Harbour.

This year's Premiership teams are Auckland, Bay of Plenty (promoted from Championship), Canterbury, North Harbour, Tasman (defending champions), Waikato, Wellington.

Championship teams are Counties-Manukau (relegated from Premiership), Hawke's Bay, Manawatu, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki.

Full draw here:

https://www.provincial.rugby/mitre-10-cup/mitre10-cup-fixtures/

I haven't seen any squads published yet but Tasman have signed Mark Talea from Auckland & Sevu Reece from Waikato & there's several guys returning from overseas including Liam Messam for Waikato, Baden Kerr for Counties-Manukau & Sona Taumalolo for Hawke's Bay.