Hawkes Bay v Southland (RS)

Winger

Southland score a good try

45-24

Winger

HB hit 50 with another lineout drive try

55-24 (31-7 this half) 9 minutes left

Winger

HB hit 60

62-24

Grooter

Good conversion MMT 😅

Steven Harris

Really impressed with Ben Castle..?, and Kane Hames with their analysis in commentary
Going to take a really good team to prize the shield away from Hawkes Bay ,to be honest I can’t see it moving this year which is not a bad thing from a province that you know will treasure it

Winger

Easy final try for HB

69-24 (2nd half 45-7 HT 24-17)

Goal kicking this half was excellent by McClutchie

Stargazer

Five of our ten tries were scored by the hookers. Four of a line-out maul.

Also an excellent game from MMT and Flanders. Flanders limped off the field; I hope it's not too bad.

McClutchie's kicking has improved a lot; not perfect, yet, but getting close. That kick to Fomai - when he scored in the corner - was a thing of beauty. Pin-point precision.

Our line-out is still a weapon in the post-Dixon era. Both Thompson and Kereru-Symes master the art!
Our scrum is looking good this season, too. Rakete-Stones is in sublime form.

Speaking of Thompson. How awesome is he? Surely he must be on the radar for that ABs XV? I think there's not much between him and George Bell. He just needs to get on the park for the Chiefs, too (step aside, Slater).

Stargazer

Winger

@Stargazer

69 points is the highest number of points scored so far this year.

2nd highest is 64 NH vs 14 Manawatu

Winger

And next week Wellington challenge for the shield. But in the form HB are in Wellington would need a huge amount of luck to even have a small hope of winning next week.

Higgins

Look there they go, claiming underdog status already!

Canes4life

@Winger said in Hawkes Bay v Southland (RS):

And next week Wellington challenge for the shield. But in the form HB are in Wellington would need a huge amount of luck to even have a small hope of winning next week.

Have a bit more confidence mate, someone has to shut up the Hawkes Bay mafia. Hawkes Bay have been good but they are definitely beatable. It really depends on what Wellington team decides to turn up.

Higgins

@Canes4life I'll have a go for you from the squad announced at the beginning of the NPC

X Numia/ T Tuimauga
J O'Reilly
P Sheck
J Blackwell
D Bird
J Toomaga
D Kirifi
K Whitman
C Collins
J Garden-Bachop (Capt)
N Milner-Skudder
R Higgins
B Proctor
J Savea
C Garden-Bachop

The tight five are staggeringly difficult to exclude serious contenders but I have even boosted your lineout by adding a lock onto your blindside in the S Barrett roll.

Winger

@Canes4life HB will be favourites for sure. But agree if Wellington play at their best and HB don't then the shield could move to Wellington

Stargazer

It's a pity this conversion wasn't included in the highlights clip. How often does a loosie kick a perfect sideline conversion?

Mikaele-Tu'u kicked the conversion because it was his 50th game for the Magpies.

The Silver Fern

Hawkes Bay v Southland (RS)