Otago vs Tasman
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Ta$man Mako$: Mitchell Hunt, Tima Faingaanuku, Kieron Fonotia, David Havili, Alex Nankivell, Marty Banks, Billy Guyton; Pete Samu, Shane Christie (captain), Tevita Koloamatangi, Quinten Strange, Shannon Frizell, Ross Geldenhuys, Andrew Makalio, Tim Perry. Reserves: Jesse MacDonald, Kane Hames, Blair Prinsep, Jeff Lepa, Ethan Blackadder, Finlay Christie, Trael Joass, Caleb Makene.
Otago: Michael Collins, Mitchell Scott, Matt Faddes, Teihorangi Walden, Jack Wilson, Fletcher Smith, Jonathan Ruru; Paul Grant, Lee Allan, Naulia Dawai, Tom Franklin, Josh Dickson, Hisa Sasagi, Sam Anderson-Heather, Aki Seiuli. Reserves: Sekonaia Pole, Craig Millar, Donald Brighouse, Adam Knight, James Lentjes, Josh Walden, Scott Eade, Fa'asui Fuata'i.
A game that worries me. This is a strong Otago side and the Mako$ have lots of injuries.
Halanukonuka and Ainley still out. Vern Fredericks is gone for the season and James Lowe for most of it. Lolohea still out as well.
On the plus side, Havili is back this week and Guyton starting.
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Liking the Otago retro jerseys.
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Fonotia getting his revenge on Faddes after the last time they met. Faddes can't stop him in this match.
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Yeah - Faddes has the pace but Fonotia the muscle - he's bullied Faddes a bit in the first half.
Otago away to a flyer, while the Mako$ struggled to work out the breakdown - giving up too many early penalties. Once they sorted that they've looked the better team with ball in hand.
Inexplicably gave up a scrum penalty and then a whole lot of forwards just stood off and let Otago drive over.
Can't say I'm keen to see these experimental ruck laws persisted with. They look a bit of a lottery to me in terms of people coming through from various angles kicking the ball ahead and others leaving their feet and not being pinged.
Mako$ lack of height in the lineout remains a problem - if they keep their ruck penalties under control they look to have a bit more firepower than Otago in the backs and in the scrums. That will improve with Hames off the bench.
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Gah - and the Mako$ have fucked it up. Couldn't score a point in the second half and paid the price for butchering several opportunities including a gold plated three man overlap.
A very annoying 40 minutes of rugby to watch. Promising moves bumbled and the ref giving us not much.
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I hadn't realised - until he came on during the second half - that Caleb Makene is playing for the Mako$ now. After some googling, I read that he's called into the squad as injury cover for James Lowe.
I agree with you @Chris-B about the experimental law changes. I have the idea that at least half the players in the Mitre 10 Cup don't understand them, and that each referee applies them differently.
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@Stargazer - Yeah - I think Otago won that game largely because they had a better understanding of the ruck laws than our guys - though my own biased refereeing was asking repeated questions about "Well, how come he's not being penalized for being off his feet"?
Geldenhuys and Strange both looked mystified about why they got pinged for those kickable penalties in the second half.
First time that I can recall, in more than 40 years of playing and watching rugby, that kicking the ball ahead in rucks has been a preferred option.
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I am assuming Ethan Blackadder is Todd's son? I have never seen him play. What's he like?
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@Crazy-Horse Yep.
First time I'd seen him and only a brief cameo. He looks a bit like Toddy, actually.Probably be useful.