Auckland v Waikato

[KiwiMurph]

Auckland team named.

A lot fewer changes than I would have thought given the tight turnaround.

I suppose it is early in the campaign.

Auckland look to build on promising start (match day programme)

Largely unchanged side to face Waikato Head Coach Alama Ieremia has opted against rotation and is looking to build ...

Auckland team to play Waikato:

Sam Prattley (Pakuranga)
Robbie Abel (College Rifles)
Marcel Renata (University)
Fa’atiga Lemalu (Papatoetoe)
Jack Whetton (Grammar TEC)
Dalton Papali’i (Pakuranga)
Blake Gibson – Captain (Ponsonby)
Akira Ioane (Ponsonby)
Leon Fukofuka (Marist)
Harry Plummer (Grammar TEC)
Salesi Rayasi (Marist)
TJ Faiane (Pakuranga)
Tumua Manu (College Rifles)
Melani Nanai (Manukau Rovers)
Jordan Trainor (Ponsonby)

Mike Sosene-Feagai (Mt Wellington)/Leif Schwencke (Suburbs)
Jarred Adams (Suburbs)
Marco Fepulea’i (Ponsonby)
Evan Olmstead (Suburbs)
Hoskins Sotutu (Marist)
Jonathan Ruru (University)
Jacob Umaga (Eden)
Caleb Clarke (Suburbs)

[taniwharugby]

Looked to be a drop off from your starting props to the reserves on Sunday, neither looked like they'd be capable of more than 20 mins either.

[KiwiMurph]

@taniwharugby One of the bench props from the Northland game is not in this 23. The other bench prop Adams started on debut in week 1 vs Counties and was up and down. Got subbed after 50 minutes.

[Daffy Jaffy]

@kiwimurph Koroi the tighthead reserve last week limped off injured. I think
inexperience and combinations are what is causing inconsistencies in the scrum at the moment. This reserve front row started the counties game and did well around the field i thought. They struggled at scrum at times in that game but we must remember that the props are 21 and 23 year old rookies who have never played together before. Also all 3 hookers are new to the team (Rob Able never even played preseason so played for the first time for this team last week). I hope time with each other and experienced scrum coach Mike Casey will see improvement soon.

[Daffy Jaffy]

This post is deleted!

[Daffy Jaffy]

@kiwimurph Along with early in the campaign they also have 8 days after this till their next game

[Dice]

@daffy-jaffy said in Auckland v Waikato:

@kiwimurph Along with early in the campaign they also have 8 days after this till their next game

Yup. 8 days until the Ta$man game, and then after that we have 9 days until the game against Canterbury.

[KiwiMurph]

The other factor is Auckland left a lot of their bench until quite late last weekend so they should be pretty fresh so I wonder if they will go to the bench earlier.

Regarding the scrum, it definitely looks more stable this year. Some decent signs.

Waikato will be up for this one given how theyve started and that they won at Eden Park last year.

[Tim]

What's the plan for midfield cover? Plummer to 12 if Faiane is injured, and Plummer to 12 with Faiane to 13 if Manu is injured?

[Dice]

@tim Umaga probably covers 12 and 13. He lined up at centre when he came on last week. Not sure how much experience he has there though.

[KiwiMurph]

Manu can also cover 12

[Bovidae]

Waikato take on Auckland at Eden Park in Auckland on Thursday night, kick-off is at 7.35pm.

Toby Smith (Hamilton Old Boys)
Mike Mayhew (Hautapu)
Joshua Iosefa-Scott (Melville)
Tim Bond (University)
Laghlan McWhannell (Hautapu)
Adam Burn (Hamilton Old Boys)
Jahrome Brown (Melville)
Jordan Manihera (Hamilton Old Boys)
Jack Stratton (University)
Fletcher Smith (University)
Sevu Reece (Hamilton Old Boys)
Dwayne Sweeney – Captain (Morrinsville Sports)
Bailyn Sullivan (Hamilton Marist)
Mosese Dawai (Otorohanga)*
Tyler Campbell (University)

Samisoni Taukei’aho (Fraser Tech)
Ayden Johnstone (Hautapu)
Sosaia Fale (Hamilton Old Boys)
James Tucker (Hamilton Marist)
Jono Armstrong (Hautapu)
Kylem O’Donnell (Melville)
Matty Lansdown (Fraser Tech)
Quinn Tupaea (Hamilton Old Boys)

*=Waikato debut

Waikato Team Named to Take on Auckland

Waikato has named their side to face Auckland at Eden Park, in the Battle of the Bombay s this Thursday night in week 3 ...

[Stargazer]

That was great team try for Auckland. Chip kick from Manu, finished by Trainor. Plummer misses the conversion.

Auckland leads 5 - 0.

[nzzp]

@stargazer said in Auckland v Waikato:

That was great team try for Auckland. Chip kick from Manu, finished by Trainor. Plummer misses the conversion.

Auckland leads 5 - 0.

and one miss and Waikato are in. 7-5

[nzzp]

Was about to write a grumpy post abiout the ref making some weird calls at the breakdown, but then saw on replay he was probably right. Despite TJ and the comms. Player looked to have won the ball on his feet, and then fallen over... hence a waikato ball.

[booboo]

Glancing at this occasionally.

When I do Nanae looks sharp, Akira looks a beast.

Entertaining but more skill errors than I'm used to from Super.

[Dice]

We look way more talented than them, but discipline and a few calls not going our way keeping this close.

[nzzp]

@booboo said in Auckland v Waikato:

Glancing at this occasionally.

When I do Nanae looks sharp, Akira looks a beast.

Entertaining but more skill errors than I'm used to from Super.

Yep. Still suprisingly physical - I"m enjoying it.

Was thinking of wandering down to the Pork to see it, but family commitments ...

[nzzp]

@dice said in Auckland v Waikato:

We look way more talented than them, but discipline and a few calls not going our way keeping this close.

I'm seeing much more commitment from Auckland this year. Good to see.

[booboo]

That was a maul and a half