Ranfurly Shield: Canterbury v Wanganui (Wed 21 June, 7.35pm in Chch)

[Wurzel]

I know it's 'only' Heartland opposition and these pre-season Ranfurly Shield fixtures have traditionally seen NPC teams field B teams but given the big June/July break in Super Rugby you'd think there might have been merit in giving Mo'unga, etc a run.

[SammyC]

@Wurzel said in Ranfurly Shield: Canterbury v Wanganui (Wed 21 June, 7.35pm in Chch):

I know it's 'only' Heartland opposition and these pre-season Ranfurly Shield fixtures have traditionally seen NPC teams field B teams but given the big June/July break in Super Rugby you'd think there might have been merit in giving Mo'unga, etc a run.

Likewise would be nice to see them turn out in club rugby once or twice.

Looking at last weeks team sheets there wasnt a single Crusader playing, even guys like Macalai/ Wainui who have been playing in recent weeks were absent.

[Wurzel]

Wainui must've injured himself leading that haka.

"Who lead the Crusaders haka against the Lions" is going to be a great pub quiz question in future years.

[Stargazer]

@SammyC From what I have seen on social media, they had a week off. Might be different this weekend?

[Nepia]

@SammyC Isn't Wainui a Tarananki player?

[SammyC]

@Nepia said in Ranfurly Shield: Canterbury v Wanganui (Wed 21 June, 7.35pm in Chch):

@SammyC Isn't Wainui a Tarananki player?

I was talking about club rugby, not the Canterbury game.

He's been playing club rugby down here all year, I wondered why he wasn't playing last week.

[Nepia]

@SammyC Ah ok, sweet, I just went by the thread title! Maybe he went back up to the Naki to play for his club? The Magpies players in the Canes sometimes play in Wellington and sometimes come back to the Bay to play.

[Stargazer]

Geez, that Wanganui second-five is huge. A frontrower in a back's jersey.

[Stargazer]

It's incredible how big the gulf is between a 3rd string Mitre10 Cup Premiership squad and a Heartland team (admittedly also with a few new players).

[Stargazer]

Ha, and the big no. 12 scores a try!

[Stargazer]

Half time: Canterbury 36 - 5 Wanganui

[Stargazer]

Full time: Canterbury 71 - 5 Wanganui

Not more than a good training run for the Cantabs. A few sizes too big for Wanganui.

[ACT Crusader]

Canterbury 71 (Jack Stratton, Mark Maitland, Dylan Nel, Nick Werahiko 2, Marshall Suckling, Mitch Dunshea, Poasa Waqanibau, Steve Alfeld, Caleb Makene tries; Brett Cameron pen, 7 con, Finn Strawbridge 2 con ) Wanganui 5 (Timoci Seruwalu try) HT: 36-5