Tasman v Magpies
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Ta$man
1 Wyatt Crockett
2 Andrew Makalio
3 Tyrel Lomax
4 Alex Ainley
5 Pari Pari Parkinson
6 Ethan Blackadder
7 Jed Brown
8 Mike Curry
9 Finlay Christie
10 Mitch Hunt
11 Tima Faingaanuku
12 Tim O'Malley
13 Solomon Alaimalo
14 Tomas Aoake
15 Will JordanReserves
16 Ray Niuia
17 Ryan Coxon
18 Isaac Salmon
19 John Akau'ola-Laula
20 Braden Stewart
21 Jack Grooby
22 Rupena Parkinson
23 Leicester Faingaanuku -
Magpies
1 Jason Long, 2 Kianu Kereru-Symes, 3 Joe Apikotoa, 4 Sam Ulufonua, 5 Michael Allardice, 6 Josh Kaifa, 7 Devan Flanders, 8 Marino Mikaele-Tu'u, 9 Brad Weber (c), 10 Stacey Ili, 11 Michael Buckley, 12 Danny Toala, 13 Sasa Tofilau, 14 Jonah Lowe, 15 JJ Taulagi
Reserves:
16 Pouri Rakete-Stones, 17 Mark Braidwood, 18 Josiah Tavita-Metcalfe, 19 Tom Parsons, 20 Geoff Cridge, 21 Folau Fakatava, 22 Lincoln McClutchie, 23 Mason Emerson.
This is the line-up according to the HBT. They may have the order wrong though (that wouldn't be the first time). You'd expect Kaifa at 7 and Flanders at 6 instead.
So Tavita-Metcalfe does get to make his Magpies debut after all and is no longer injured! Unfortunately in a game w'ere going to lose. It was always going to be a difficult game against Ta$man, but now it will be even harder. Without Evans (who has a foot injury), a uitlity back at 10, and an inexperienced but talented player starting at 12. With Tofilau at 13, I fear Lowe won't get much ball (again).
Apart from Evans, also Ben Power is injured (concussion symptoms) and Pasqualle Dunn has family commitments. Ben May was a late withdrawal (no reason given in the HBT).
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The Mitre 10 Cup website has Flanders at 6 and Kaifa at 7, but that site also has Tavita-Metcalfe at 17 and Braidwood at 18. Braidwood is a LH only, isn't he? Tavita-Metcalfe played at TH for Hastings Boys and NZ Schools.
I hope he (and Toala) can do this again
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We were better than the result suggests. Flanders had a massive shift; Kereru-Symes and Lowe had a good game. Allardice wasn't bad either in his 50th Magpies game and Weber gets a pass mark, too.
I hope they never start Ili at 10 again. He can't kick, and was out of his depth. McClutchie is way better.
Our scrum was terrible, although it improved a bit when Braidwood came on. Our line-out was excellent. I think we lost it only once?
Toala was taken off the field too late. He was limping for a while before he went off.
It's good that we had this game so early in the week. That gives the players more than a week to recover from this game and, hopefully, Gareth Evans' injury isn't too bad and can he recover in time for the semi.
We now have to wait what the result of the Waikato v Otago will be. Otago needs to win if they want to grab that second home semi. I hate it when our fate depends on other results, because that doesn't always end well. Hopefully, Waikato will do absolutely everything to keep the shield.
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@stargazer I can see Flanders being a really handy bench player for the Canes next year. He could cover all three loose forward positions. I missed this game, but saw the highlights, he looks physically ready for Super.
Long term Flanders has Canes Captain written all over him.
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@canes4life Yes, he has so much potential. I haven't been so excited about a Magpies player for a long time! I wish the Canes would sign McClutchie and Kereru-Symes, too. Kereru-Symes has stepped into Ash Dixon's boots as if he has played for years at this level. He also has leadership skills (he captained Hastings 1st XV in their two excellent years). McClutchie has been a surprise. I expected him to need more time to grow into that pivot role, but he's been doing very well. Falcon might struggle to get that 10 jersey back haha.
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@stargazer said in Ta$man v Magpies:
McClutchie has been a surprise. I expected him to need more time to grow into that pivot role, but he's been doing very well. Falcon might struggle to get that 10 jersey back haha.
Who would you pick when they are both fit?
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@duluth said in Ta$man v Magpies:
@stargazer said in Ta$man v Magpies:
McClutchie has been a surprise. I expected him to need more time to grow into that pivot role, but he's been doing very well. Falcon might struggle to get that 10 jersey back haha.
Who would you pick when they are both fit?
McClutchie has looked more composed than Falcon in the NPC, but Falcon has looked ok at Super level so it's a hard choice. Falcon may have been unlucky too in that the Magpies weren't firing all that well when he was in the team.
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@duluth said in Ta$man v Magpies:
@stargazer said in Ta$man v Magpies:
McClutchie has been a surprise. I expected him to need more time to grow into that pivot role, but he's been doing very well. Falcon might struggle to get that 10 jersey back haha.
Who would you pick when they are both fit?
What @Nepia said. I have a slight preference for McClutchie at the moment, but Falcon really hasn't had the opportunity to grow into that 10 role this year. He has had a terrible run of injuries this year, that kept him from playing more games for the Chiefs and most of the Magpies' season. I hope he can stay injury free next year and get more game time for the Chiefs. Having said that, it would be good if McClutchie is developed at SR level, because NZ doesn't have that many good 10s and the Canes need an alternative to Garden-Bachop as the Canes third first five-eighth (if not in 2019, then the year after). If the Canes don't recognise his talents, I hope another franchise picks McClutchie up (most likely the Highlanders).
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McClutchie all the way. Big future in Super rugby I reckon.
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@stargazer Yeah Fakatava and McClutchie look class already and they aren't even 20. I agree re Kereru-Symes, please please please can the Canes replace O'Reilly as their fourth Hooker. I have never seen anyone so far out of their depth, it isn't funny.
I'm really excited by the young troops that the Canes have coming through the system atm. I read somewhere that the Canes have 1st XVs written down for every age group, going all the way down to 13 years of age that have been scouted through the region. Therefore they would have known all about these guys a long time ago.
The current crop aged between 19-23 that hopefully the Canes have signed up, or are trying to sign are: Alex Fidow, Asafo Aumua, Geoff Cridge, Devan Flanders, Keanu Kereru-Symes, Folau Fakatava, Liam Mitchell, Brayden Iose, Lincoln McLutchie, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Tim Farrell, Xavier Numia, Billy Proctor, Du Plessis Kirifi, Jordie Barrett, Ricky Riccitelli
Anyone know any others coming through the system that we should be keeping a close eye on?
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McClutchie has looked good but there’s a big difference to their games. Falcon is more physical and kicking game 10 and McClutchie is a distributor. Which is why Falcon can play 12 and 15 also.
McClutchie has done very well setting the backline away but have to agree that we have been getting better go forward. McClutchie probably weakens the team by having only 14 players to defend with, as his 50% tackle percentage shows, with him only making 2 tackles a game.
Has helped McClutchie by only having to concentrate on his role and not having the kicking duties
I would start McClutchie and have Falcon on the bench, then he can get us field possession and control the game in the final minutes -
D Duluth moved this topic from Magpie Rugby on
