Farah Palmer Cup 2021
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Interesting to see that they're doing something in the FPC, what they're not doing in the NPC (yet): cancelling games and declaring these games a draw. I can only assume that's because they cannot play catch-up games because of the Black Ferns end-of-year tour.
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@bovidae Yep, if the expected Waikato v Auckland semi also can't be played, Waikato may end up in the final without playing for weeks, while Canterbury has played a pool game against Otago and a semi against - most likely - Wellington.
Northland doesn't have much to fear from the Tui in the semi though. It will be a good warm-up game for the final against Manawatu.
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Spirit team for Saturday . Posted this last night then deleted as I had to confirm if it was 'team only' or for public. I assume that the pretty social media version will come out today some time. There have been some injuries etc in the backs since games stopped meaning that some of the development squad are being promoted.
Battle of the wooden spoon but much hanging on this game if promotion relegation happens. -
@bovidae said in Farah Palmer Cup 2021:
@crucial Reading the story on Stuff, Otago is lucky they can even get to Mt Maunganui given all of the travel hassles.
Tauranga is a pig of a place for flights at the best of times.
The article misses that one player is also from Queenstown but has had to take the week off school and stay in Dunedin all week to make travel easier.
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Update on season fate for Counties Power Heat
The Counties Power Heat will be relying on Bay of Plenty to beat Wellington in the final week of the Farah Palmer Cup if they are to make the semi-finals after New Zealand Rugby today released the revised competition draw.
The decision to keep Auckland in Alert Level 4 for another week means it won’t be possible for the Counties Power Heat to play their final round fixture against Waikato, which NZR confirmed would be classed as a draw with both teams getting two competition points.
The Heat would then need the Bay of Plenty Volcanix to upset Wellington in order for JP Faamausili’s side to remain in fourth place and potentially qualify for the semi-finals.
“It is disappointing we haven’t been able to play our final round robin match due to COVID but we remain hopeful that we can qualify for the semi-finals and continue our season,” chief executive Aaron Lawton said.
“Our team continues to train on their own but there still remain a lot of factors beyond our control. “Even if we do make the semi-finals due to other results, we will be racing against the clock in terms of returning to training and would need Auckland to move into Alert Level 2 by then too.”
The Bunnings Warehouse NPC and Farah Palmer Cup (FPC) will continue without Counties Manukau, Auckland and North Harbour for the next two weeks.
Teams outside of Auckland return to the field this weekend for week three of the Bunnings NPC and NZR has confirmed the truncated draw will continue when week four kicks off on Friday, September 24.
NZR has also confirmed the FPC will resume on Saturday, September 18.
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@bovidae said in Farah Palmer Cup 2021:
Waikato and Northland should organise a game for next weekend so they can at least play before any SF/final.
wgtnrugby: #OurPride face @waikatorugby in a warm-up match on Saturday, in lieu of our cancelled Farah Palmer Cup match 🏉
No spectators are permitted under Level 2 restrictions, but the team wants you to know that we are excited to have a hit out before taking on Bay of Plenty in our last round-robin match next weekend 💪 -
Auckland, Counties Manukau and North Harbour, who have collectively accepted they are unable to continue in the competition due to their inability to train or play under COVID-19 Alert Levels, have been withdrawn from the competition.
In the Bunnings Warehouse FPC Premiership, Waikato and current leaders and defending champions Canterbury have already qualified for the finals series with Wellington Pride also in the hunt for a semi-finals spot. If Wellington beat the Bay of Plenty Volcanix in their final match of the regular season at Blake Park in Mount Maunganui this Saturday (25 September) they will join Canterbury and Waikato in a three team finals series that will see the top qualifier go through to the final and the second and third placed sides play a preliminary final. However, if Wellington lose to Bay of Plenty they will exit the competition. With Canterbury and Waikato going straight to the final where they will play each other the following weekend.
The Bunnings Warehouse FPC Championship will go straight to the three-team finals format where current leaders the Manawatū Cyclones will be joined by Northland and the Shield Snorters.
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@trooa said in Farah Palmer Cup 2021:
Anyone know who won that Wellington Waikato game or the Waikato BOP game week before? Waikato have Willison & Huia Harding back from 7s/pregnancy.
Waikato didn't even publish a team for the game in Taihape, which probably means both teams used more 8 subs to give all players a run.
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@stargazer Yeah they had a mid-season, pre-season vs Waikato on the 10th at Blake Park. Both teams have had a few extras join after lockdown from 7s so was wondering how much BOP have improved on that initial performance heading in to Wellington this weekend.
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This weekend's games:
Sat 25 September 2021 - 12.05pm - Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Otago v CanterburySat 25 September 2021 - 12.05pm - Blake Park, Mount Maunganui
Bay of Plenty v WellingtonSat 25 September 2021 - 1.05pm - TET Stadium, Inglewood
Taranaki v Shield SnortersSun 26 September 2021 - 11.35am - Trafalgar Park, Nelson
Ta$man v ManawatūBye: Northland, Waikato
Withdrawn from the competition: Auckland, Counties Manukau, North Harbour