Waikato vs Canterbury

[Bovidae]

@chchfanatic How old is he?

James Thompson is very young himself, he was a NZ U20 replacement this year.

[cgrant]

Pretty solid front row. Second and back rows are very unexperienced.

[chchfanatic]

@Bovidae 21 this year

[Dice]

Where does Tyler Campbell usually play?

He played wing last year for Waikato and was solid. Kept Sullivan on the bench for most of last season.

Looked him up and it seems he was playing 10 when he was schooling in Australia.

[Bovidae]

@Dice said in Waikato vs Canterbury:

Where does Tyler Campbell usually play?

He played wing last year for Waikato and was solid. Kept Sullivan on the bench for most of last season.

Looked him up and it seems he was playing 10 when he was schooling in Australia.

Was playing 10 in club rugby for University.

Lansdown is unavailable and he would have likely played at FB with Campbell on the wing.

[shark]

Still no Canterbury line-up available.

[Duluth]

Josh McKay, Ngane Punivai, Tim Bateman, Rameka Poihipi, Sam Gilbert, Brett Cameron, Mitchell Drummond, Luke Whitelock (captain), Billy Harmon, Reed Prinsep, Cullen Grace, Luke Romano, Siate Tokolahi, Brodie McAlister, Harry Allan

Reserves: Seb Siataga, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Oliver Jager, Whetukamokamo Douglas, Tom Christie, Ere Enari, Fergus Burke, Inga Finau

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https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/114874973/mitre-10-cup-tim-bateman-reveals-future-plans-as-playing-career-winds-down

[DrivingMaul]

That's a long injury list for Waikato! I think it's going to be a long season for them

[shark]

Whitelock must be covering lock in that 23. Prinsep played some lock for Old Boys in the past but Whitelock is taller and has covered at this level before. I'd have liked to have seen Will Tucker get a crack.

Otherwise, I'm just a little disappointed i can't make a judgement on Dallas McLeod as yet and nor will i get to see McKay at 10.

Looking forward to a quality away opener though and good curtain raiser to the ABs.

[Chris]

@shark Rameka Poihipi. is rated very highly in the Crusaders environment so maybe a good bet for Crotty's spot next season.At 1.87 m and 105 kg he is solid enough for 2nd five and has a good skill set having also played at First Five.

[Bovidae]

Fun fact: Johnstone, Tupaea and Poihipi are all former Ham BHS 1st XV captains. It's possible Iti and Sweeney were too.

[African Monkey]

@Chris He's a real talent. Suprised he hasn't been mentioned more often for SR.

[Chris]

@African-Monkey Yeah I think so too. He impressed me when he got a Run for the Crusaders v British Lions and had just turned 19 then,He didn't look out of place at all infact he looked really composed..

[African Monkey]

@Chris Looked a class above in club rugby too...

[Stargazer]

@Chris Poihipi didn't play in the game against the B&I Lions. He played in the Crusaders' games against the French Barbarians and the Western Force, a year later.

[Chris]

@Stargazer Yeah Sorry you are right it was French Barbarians I was thinking of, as he would been 18. and still at school when the Lions tour was on.

[chchfanatic]

@African-Monkey he had a acl injury last season so missed most of it.

[DrivingMaul]

@Chris interesting as I thought Crusaders would be Goodhue & Enor at 12 and 13 next season

[Stargazer]

@DrivingMaul That's one option. Another is Havili and Goodhue at 12 and 13, with Jordan at fullback. I can't see Poihipi as a starter just yet; if he makes the squad (and that's still an "if"), he'll probably come in via the bench (at least until he's proven that he's good enough to start).

[Chris]

@DrivingMaul I don’t think he will start but he maybe an option to take the vacant Crotty contract if he goes well in mitre10
He is rated by Razor but Dallas McLeod is another option it maybe a shoot out between the 2 during the mitre10 cup.
Same for Callum Grace he goes well a good chance for a crusaders contract.