@Higgins Yep, that's it! Managed to finally find the "Global Rapid Rugby" thread.

If I can find more info on the Steamers' rapid rugby plans, I'll post it in that thread.

The top 4 for this division look nailed on already so we do need to look to finish top 2. Naki, HB and us all look good enough to compete in the top division ...

@bop78 You pretty much summed things up perfectly. I still think, with those game statistics, we should have won that one. We really need to capitalize on our advantages and basically learn how to score tries !!

We should still be pretty happy however considering the quality of Auckland (and of the teams we have already played) that we are still sitting pretty on the leader board. The first half of the comp is not easy for us with all the premiership games but gets easier the further in we get. Lets hope Manawatu lose their Shield Challenge (which looks likely) and Taranaki win theirs (which also looks likely) as we will be the next challenge.

Have to agree on the performance of karpik and Harris who was like an extra loose forward. I thought the reserves added a lot when they came on Matenga stood out. It was a real team effort on D by the whole pack and looks like there is competition for places across the board. EARLY DAYS but a got start and we will learn a lot more against Waikato.

@KiwiPie said in Anyone in for Fern Mitre 10 Tipping:

We're on the lookout for tippers again this season.

Last season's team was myself plus @trooa @Donsteppa @sportboy @bayimports - we can have up to 6 players. I have seen that trooa is back, anyone else interested in signing up?

If you are go to

TSF Tipping TSF Tipping

The Silver Fern's tipping competition

And just in the nick of time, the famous five are back in the saddle for another crack at glory. We were 7th of 8 on the ladder last season and lost the Plate final to Harbour-Auckland for a final placing of 6th so we're sure to go under the radar.

Squad named Tuesday hence they played under Wasps banner today. Team looked good today, B Team against Wellington was competitive, thought Collier played particularly well. Half against Counties & likely top team next week was Ross Harris Thwaites Wardlaw Carroll Blake Karpik Papalii Judd Hollinshead Fuatai Garland Webber Narawa Tiatia. 34-0 win, defence brilliant. Three tries through defensive pressure forcing silly passes on their own goal line for intercepts. Tiatia was exceptional, talk huge could always hear him barking & menacing on attack. Papalii definitely what we needed with his big abrasive style. Everybody played well in second half except Webber, dropped a few balls & looked rusty.

Oh what could have been. If we played with the acuracy we showed today, we'd be in the semis. Though another game where we leaked points in the last 20. Fitness needs to be looked at next year. Narawa looked great on the wing. Plenty of positives from the pack. We needed a better centre (shame Foketi was injured all season) this year. A new backs coach too. We were too predictable. Shame we didn't have Monty Ioane this year. He was electric. I'm still dumbfounded how he missed out on a super contract.

Oh what could have been. If we played with the acuracy we showed today, we'd be in the semis. Though another game where we leaked points in the last 20. Fitness needs to be looked at next year. Narawa looked great on the wing. Plenty of positives from the pack. We needed a better centre (shame Foketi was injured all season) this year. A new backs coach too. We were too predictable. Shame we didn't have Monty Ioane this year. He was electric. I'm still dumbfounded how he missed out on a super contract.

Particularly the goalkicker that hit the upright from directly in front.

The only save in grace was that the Bay v Waikato game wasn't a shield challenge and we still have a chance at holding the shield at the end of the season.

What a joke!! I took my daughter to the game and she had no interest in any of the other so called mascots but was happy to receive a lolly from Hori and wants to get his autograph at the next home game. Great game by chase Taitai and good to see the srum go well with all the changes. SHAME we don't have a stadium that's up to standard tho.

@bopred Yes, as they stated..."it wasn't pretty" and there is a lot to work on.

"Counties–Manukau ran more metres, completed more passes and carried the ball more times than Bay of Plenty on Thursday night.

The opposition made more tackles and missed fewer. They won more lineouts and didn't lose as many as the Bay on their own throw-in.

The Steamers conceded more penalties, didn't win as many rucks and mauls and made fewer clean breaks."

But the fact that we won after such a performance speaks volumes of how they "hung in there". You can't deny its a good start to the season however.

@bopred I was at the game and there crowd was fairly sparse as it usually is in Rotovegas. Its usually hard to get people to go out on a cold winters night in Rotorua and having the test on the same night cannot have helped.

Yep, there's been a clean out of our locking stocks which is a worry as our lineout work and general play from them last year was second to none.

However there are a few replacements still on the scene. I'm pretty sure Lars Morris from Te Puke Sports is contracted but missed last season with injury. Ardron (The Canadian) is playing creditably for the Cheifs apparently. The hard working Wardlaw from Rotoiti has been called in for injury replacement for the Cheifs also. I see also that Tim Bond (who played for us a few seasons back and played for Northland last year) is turning out for Te Puke Sports.

Good to see Hepetema being given an opportunity. Not sure of the count - but it does appear if post/pre season injuries for Super squads is very high. I wonder if it is the culmination of a long season (Super, NPC, additional representative games) - where players haven't had a chance to allow for injuries to heal properly. Or alternatively, just the bashing undertaken in pre season is too much - although I would assume that it is fitness only (i.e. climbing bloody hills) as it is too early for contact.

I am sure that there is a PhD there for someone who looks at it hard enough!

What a great contest - the Bay didn't lie down and we showed we had some game breakers as well. Pack was solid in the darkest times but now we have a really good back 5 behind a general in 10. Webber has been great all season, Tiatia really came on late in the season and his offloading has been spectacular.

We just couldn't defend aggressively enough to stop their offloads and once they start rolling, they are hard to stop.

Ardron - baffled too other than he looks like he should be a beast at 8. He's tall and broad etc. But he just doesn't seem to bend the line like Parete. Chiefs haven't made many bad signings in recent years though.

I fear that backline will be broken up before next season. Really hard to crack super rugby unless you get contracted young so we could lose a few of them overseas - especially after showing what they can do on a bigger stage.

Yep - good win. Particularly without Retallick and Franklin. I thought Callander was good. Blake and Karpik outstanding - be interesting to see what the loose trio will be for Wellington. Backline superb. Bring on the final.

Campbell now ahead of Judd - watching the replay, a lot of the dropped ball was the result of Judd's poor delivery. Not sure why he has regressed as the season progressed.