Waikato v Auckland

[Nogusta]

@Duluth said in Waikato v Auckland:

Hopefully Auckland gives an update on injuries. AJ & Funaki have been missing for a couple of games now.

Funaki torn pec, out for the season.
Lam hammy strain 2-3 weeks.

[Duluth]

@Nogusta

Thanks

Funaki is a big loss, not sure about the quality below him

Do you know if Spencer, Clark & Hainsworth-Fa’aofo are fit? I'd like to see some of the younger player gain some experience. It's worked with guys like XTH and Taele

[Higgins]

Looking at that Auckland team how long will it be before the unleash Liaki Moli from their Presidents Grade side to resume NPC duties?

[Duluth]

[Mattasaurus]

Strong start by Waikato....Auckland need to wake up

[NTA]

Auckland need to forget about this second man play shit. Wind up your forwards and start hitting blokes

[Mattasaurus]

Auckland looking pretty average.... no real urgency.

Mccurran is a busy fella

Cruden looking good , class is permanent

[KiwiMurph]

@Mattasaurus said in Waikato v Auckland:

Auckland looking pretty average.... no real urgency.

That is extremely kind

This legitimately might be the worst Auckland team in the history of the union

[NTA]

Akira is the laziest all black I've watched live

[KiwiMurph]

@NTA said in Waikato v Auckland:

Akira is the laziest all black I've watched live

His heart isn't in it

The decision to make him captain is moronic

[WillieTheWaiter]

Waikato need to just plug the corners and play wet weather footy.
Cruds turning back the clock 15 years!

[KiwiMurph]

@WillieTheWaiter said in Waikato v Auckland:

Cruds turning back the clock 15 years!

He looked bloody good last npc too. Class is permanent.

[Machpants]

@KiwiMurph said in Waikato v Auckland:

@WillieTheWaiter said in Waikato v Auckland:

Cruds turning back the clock 15 years!

He looked bloody good last npc too. Class is permanent.

Unless you're a winger

[African Monkey]

Fucken hell haha haven't seen any NPC but what is going on with Auckland?

Winless season on the cards?

[KiwiMurph]

@African-Monkey yes winless is on the cards. A mixture of injuries, clueless coaching, lack of leadership, ring-ins going through the motions and some green youngsters.

[cliff]

Oli Mathis looked good

[NTA]

Choat was fucking good value

[Bovidae]

That young 1st 5 looked good. Waikato went to sleep in the 2nd half as they failed to combat Auckland's aggression at the ruck, and played too much in their own half. Happy to get that result.

3-0 over Auckland in the rep games today.

[gt12]

@Bovidae

Simpson looked very silky with a few touches there.
Cruden wound back the clock.

Fun game to watch, but what I take from this season (at least the games I've watched) is how far away from Super this competition is.

For example, this Auckland team looks absolutely nothing like the Blues. Best performing Super side and worst performing NPC side - the better names are just cashing cheques to get to Super next year (or overseas) and the rest are kids.

People talk about the 'levels' of NZ rugby but if there is no alignment between them I'm not sure that there is much benefit.

[Bovidae]

@gt12 Just to be clear, the young 1st 5 I was referring to (facetiously) was Cruden.

Simpson got better in the 2nd half but he kicked the ball out on the full numerous times in the 1st half. One mistake compounded another.

NPC rugby is different to SR. Teams are prepared to have more of a go, and the game isn't as structured. Of course, the skill level is lower, as it is when comparing SR to International rugby.

Teams are getting younger and younger. There were a lot of current U20 players involved in this game. I'd much rather PUs promote their development players than signing players from overseas.