@Nepia said in Championship Semi: Hawke's Bay v Taranaki:

@Winger said in Championship Semi: Hawke's Bay v Taranaki:

@KiwiMurph said in Championship Semi: Hawke's Bay v Taranaki:

Fakatava better be on the AB radar next year.

Shame he can't move to the Canes for 12 months. He would very likely start week after week

Almost like the Canes should have locked him up on Billy Proctor style contract ....

Maybe the HB players are more open to offers from other team. I would be if I lived in HB (and was good enough for a super rugby contract). As opposed to Wellington

..and Counties fans will be a bit happier now

Taranaki starting to take control

@ACT-Crusader Taranaki lacked a bit of leadership at the end. Not sure why they tapped it when Counties still had a man in the bin.

That was a good second half by both sides. Two evenly matched teams.

Unlucky finish at the end for the Naki because they had created the space.

That halfback for the Mooloo has a pretty sweet pass on him.

@Bovidae said in Southland v Taranaki:

So a good game to ignore then.

It was tough viewing. Not a great deal of highlights. Southland started well I thought and were up and in defensively. But the attack from both sides is pretty mediocre.

A bit of cross promotion - free tickets for NZ Warriors members for this game.

@J77 said in Northland v Taranaki:

@Gunner it’s the same play list from over 10 years ago I think!!

My son pointed that out, I said you have to pay to play songs, so maybe they're cheaper or they've already paid for those ones, keep using them

@Chris said in Taranaki v Otago (RS):

@ACT-Crusader said in Taranaki v Otago (RS):

What a game by Otago! Their motley crew of forwards were excellent. Who’s that nuggety barrel playing number 8?

Josh Ioane seems to have a calming influence in the way they attack as well.

Dylan Nel a South African born player he played in Canterbury for a few years made the Canterbury B side was around the A squad but couldn’t get game time moved to Otago last season

Thanks Chris. I can’t say I remember him. He played with a bit of fire in the belly.

On another note, presumably the collared Ranfurly Shield edition jersey now gets mothballed until perhaps we get a challenge. Helluva shame as it's the best jersey since around 1993.

@Bovidae He was born in 2000, he turned 20 in January

LOL, Riccitelli got badly palmed off by Trainor.

@Yeetyaah said in Waikato v Taranaki:

Fletch is having an average game.

I thought he was alright. Better than Perofeta anyhow.

He's not well served inside and at least can catch and pass.

@nakosi said in Taranaki v Southland:

The worst half of rugby I've ever seen in my life, and I've seen a lot.
Naki is a disgrace right now.

Samoa and Russia say hello...

Naki got their act together in the second half and put together a few decent moves, even with the deteriorating conditions.

@Number-10 said in Taranaki vs BOP:

Sept 30, 1995 - BOP won 41-27

Wow that's pretty momentous then - must be one of the longer streaks broken then.

@shark I thought Lentjes was carrying an injury, so was benched.

@Snowy That one is already lined up for an entirely different, though highly unlikely, purpose! 🙂

@Duluth you deserve a ban for posting that!

@Duluth said in Manawatu v Taranaki:

It looks like a 1980s NPC match

Great to see players with actual mud on their face. Hosing down, and the turf isn't quite as good as a lot of the Tier 1 stadia.

Good fun, though, this is classic rugby

Is it just my bias or do most of SBWs 'round the corner' passes actually go forward? Comms, ref and touch judge don't seem to think so.

@steven-harris ha wow, hadnt heard that. Not surprised though.

@act-crusader with 3 months between the end of super rugby and the game against the boks surely there won’t be stand downs

@steven-harris Perofeta did struggle at times last season but he has far more upside than Gatland and ideally would have been coming off the bench last season but ended up starting. I'm convinced that he'll have far more impact next season coming off the bench providing Black stays fit.

@KiwiMurph I was very impressed with Plummer at 12 the other night. The kid has a massive future at 10/12 as he can not only run a game but isn't scared going into contact both on attack and defence.

Glad to win that. Hard to play against 16.

Jackson is a borderline cheat.

Parkinson was the standout player in this match. Great to see some young talented locks coming through.

@williethewaiter said in Taranaki v Waikato - Ranfurly Shield:

@chris-b said in Taranaki v Waikato - Ranfurly Shield:

@hooroo An extra glass of what? Water?

What happened to the days of being written off for three days (and your bosses expecting it) because you'd won the Shield? 🙂

this is one of the shit things about the NPC format now - the players don't even get to celebrate it properly - certainly no crazy stories like the old days.. cause they have to defend it 4 days after winning it.

rubbish!

Did you celebrate though?

Not a bad effort by Pulu.

When are the Aussies calling him up? He's better than Maddocks.

Turbos should get a bonus point just for that mascot.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/105893549/Taranaki-unconvincing-in-Ranfurly-Shield-defence-against-Wanganui

Jordan, Lowe, Nankivell, Hunt, Frizell, Halakonuka and Makalio the standouts for the winning team.
Tamanivalu, Perofeta and Sowakula were very good for Taranaki.
TTT did a replay of his game for the Canes against the BIL. He has a lot of qualities but his decision making is something that has to be fixed.

As mentioned in another thread, I very much doubt that Li will reach an AB jersey. Very surprised the Sevens team haven't snapped him up though, they certainly need that pace.
Maybe an offer was rejected? I guess that he can still build a reasonable highlights reel in XVs to command some good pounds or Euros in a couple of years.

Full time: never in doubt, Taranaki keep the shield. 46 - 25.

@shark said in Canterbury vs Taranaki (Ranfurly Shield):

Some saw the funny side in the responses.

I think everyone did!

https://cf-e2.streamablevideo.com/video/mp4/477px_3.mp4?token=1506741639-gwmzvUMVCip%2BcPYZpUMYXnNxwU7VZDXYu2ieDMxiNIk%3D

Just caught up with this one. Entertaining game but boy that Orcs side are frustrating to watch.

Defence and concentration seem to be a real issue for the Orcs. They've shipped some points this season.

That last minute pass by Trainor to Aso was sweet as.

@taniwharugby Haven't seen hat much of Goodhue, but agree it would makes sense to take him on EOYT as apprentice.

@Rugger-Quizzes said in Wellington v Taranaki:

Was annoyed initially that the Lions had signed Kirifi to be honest but he looks to be a pretty decent player.

Fidow destroyed a few times in the scrums which will surprise nobody.

Aumua outstanding though. What a prospect he is!

I've finally watched the game

The Wellington scrum was good until both props were replaced around the 55 minute mark. they were destroyed in one scrum but the next scrum hard on defense they destroyed the Taranaki scrum. I have been impressed with Fidow and hope the Canes sign him up pronto. Hes still only 20 so lots of upside

Kirifi is not the biggest 7 so needs to bulk up but he's good. Kemara Hauiti-Parapara was impressive (a third Canes HB option) and Jackson Garden-Bachop has improved a lot after his time with the Rebels. or maybe having a decent coach at wellington now is having an impact

That was a quality game from both sides I thought.

Slick handling and players running in support. Marty Mackenzie far better fullback then 10.

That really was a perfect microcosm of a party at the rugby club rooms.
Uncomfortable "dancing"/shuffling by most of the guys; one little shit trying to give it the hip-hop treatment; bad singing-along to the Exponents, and a bit of aggro.