Waikato v Canterbury

[Duluth]

@hooroo

Seems fair. Canterbury have had mixed results in the last few seasons

Waikato has won the last couple of matches between the sides too. The last Canterbury win against Waikato was 2017

[Duluth]

[Yeetyaah]

Cringe game. Should be a shield challenge.

Edit: wait no lmao Taranaki first then Shield game.

[Higgins]

@yeetyaah Unlikely to be a Shield Challenge as Canterbury don't have a Challenge and even if they did they are unlikely to take it on tour in the unlikelihood of them fluking a win against the current holders.

[Yeetyaah]

@higgins was referring to the pre covid schedule where Waikato had a shield challenge vs Hawkes Bay

[Bovidae]

Earlier than normal.

Waikato announce team to face Canterbury in the Bunnings Warehouse NPC restart

Waikato have announced their matchday 23 to face Canterbury at FMG Stadium Waikato, to kick-off the Bunnings Warehouse...

[Chris]

Team to play Waikato:

1 DANIEL LIENERT BROWN

2 SHILO KLIEN

3 OLI JAGER

4 LUKE ROMANO

5 SAM DARRY

6 REED PRINSEP (Te Rarawa) (Captain)

7 BILLY HARMON (Ngāi Tahu)

8 HENRY STOWERS

9 MITCHELL DRUMMOND

10 FERGUS BURKE

11 WAISAKE NAHOLO

12 RAMEKA POIHIPI (Ngāti Whakaue)

13 ISAIAH PUNIVAI

14 CAMERON BAILEY

15 JOSH MCKAY

16 SAM STEWART

17 FINLAY BREWIS

18 FLETCHER NEWELL

19 DANIEL JOHNSON

20 COREY KELLOW

21 JONO KITTO (Debut)

22 JACK DEBRECZENI (Debut)

23 DALLAS MCLEOD

[Tim]

@bovidae Looking forward to seeing how McWhannell goes against the Canterbury forwards.

[Tim]

Surely there's a better option than Stowers in the Canterbury system?

[Chris]

@tim said in Waikato v Canterbury:

Surely there's a better option than Stowers in the Canterbury system?

With Cullum Grace out not much at 8 coming through

[African Monkey]

Good game to restart the season. Canterbury looking a bit stronger in their pack compared to the start of the season.

I'm gonna say Canterbury in a very close one.

[Duluth]

21 JONO KITTO (Debut)
22 JACK DEBRECZENI (Debut)

Looks like Northland in 2018

[ARHS]

@bovidae Great to see Steven Misa back in there! Noticed Beaudein Waaka in also. Bizarre that Te Whare chose to play for King Country when a line-busting outside back seems to be needed. Kautai missing also.

[Yeetyaah]

It's been changed. No Wrampling.

[Bovidae]

@arhs said in Waikato v Canterbury:

@bovidae Great to see Steven Misa back in there!

And he would be the 3rd hooker in the squad. Sam Cooper wasn't part of the original squad but started against Wellington. I liked what little I saw of Hardman, and he is a big unit.

Noticed Beaudein Waaka in also.

Waaka usually returns in the NH off-season. I was hoping that Dawai would be fit again, so I assume his injury is serious.

Bizarre that Te Whare chose to play for King Country when a line-busting outside back seems to be needed.

Yep, and like last year there is a lack of size with both of these wingers playing.

[Bovidae]

@yeetyaah said in Waikato v Canterbury:

It's been changed. No Wrampling.

Strange that Leuila didn't move into 2nd 5 then.

[WillieTheWaiter]

@tim said in Waikato v Canterbury:

@bovidae Looking forward to seeing how McWhannell goes against the Canterbury forwards.

time to start watching how the second row is actually playing rather than just hoping neither of them break!

[OleOleOle]

I assume Dawai, Wrampling and Kautai are all injured. Great to see Louis Rogers back. I thought he had headed overseas before Covid hit (again). Anyway, good to see him back in the mix, a tough bugger!

[WillieTheWaiter]

some slight concerns about Naholo running over the top of Coombes.. not the biggest unit

[ARHS]

Hmm - yes- I see Canterbury rolling all over the smaller Waikato backs. Better hope the forwards can retain the ball!

I prefer Misa and Hardman of the 4 hookers in the squad. Miffed that Dawai appears to be injured when he was looking like a strike weapon.