North Harbour vs Otago

[Duluth]

Otago

Vilimoni Koroi, Mitchell Scott, Matt Faddes, Tei Walden, Sio Tomkinson, Fletcher Smith, Josh Renton, Sione Teu, James Lentjes, Dillon Hunt, Tom Rowe, Blair Tweed, Donald Brighouse, Sam Anderson­Heather (captain), Aki Seiuli

Reserves: Sekonaia Pole, Craig Millar, Giorgio Bower, Josh Dickson, Adam Knight, Jonathan Ruru, Josh Ioane, Jona Nareki.

[Stargazer]

North Harbour

1 Chris Eves, 2. James Parsons (cc), 3. Mike Tamoaieta, 4. Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 5. Jarrad Hoeata, 6. Glenn Preston, 7. Connor Collett, 8. Murphy Taramai
9 Chris Smylie, 10. Bryn Gatland, 11. Tevita Li, 12. Dan Hilton-Jones, 13. Matt Vaega, 14. Matt Duffie (cc), 15. Shaun Stevenson

Reserves:
16 Adrian Smith, 17. Mark Royal, 18. Sione Mafileo, 19. Brandon Nansen, 20. Josh Tyrell, 21. Lewis Gjaltema, 22. Mark Telea, 23. Ben Volavola

[JK]

Will be an interesting game to open it all up tonight and we might get some idea of where Harbour are at.

Harbour team missing Bryn Hall (assuming rested after long super rugby campaign?). Backs looks ok, forwards a bet meh but always are..

Otago - I have no real idea as I dont recognise too many if those names......

[Duluth]

Interesting to see Mike Tamoaieta get the start.

I think he played for Grammar TEC this year? So he's moved across the bridge and gets a start ahead of a SR contracted player

[Higgins]

I'm really glad the NPC is back, it just means so much more to me. In this game the most attacking play seems to be the lofted bomb, particularly by North Harbour. Hopefully things will revert to more open rugby with the ball being sent flying out along the backlines.

20 minutes gone and it is North Harbour 06 - 00 Otago

[Stargazer]

Typical first game of the season. Most players looking quite rusty, making lots of mistakes. Harbour deserving its 6 point lead.

[Higgins]

Oh, now I can see why there is so much kicking, its really teaming down as Bryn Gatland kicks his third penalty, all from about the ten yard mark about six metres off centre. 27 minutes gone North Harbour 09 - 00 Otago

[Higgins]

I am enjoying seeing the North Harbour tighthead - he has the good old type prop's physique.

Still bucketing down as it gets almost to half time with a try under the posts to Harour making the score currently North Harbour 16 - 00

[Stargazer]

Very, very small crowd. The weather is not helping, off course. Hope it will get better over the next few weeks. It will be interesting to see the crowd numbers at other games this weekend.

[taniwharugby]

@Stargazer I hate the Thursday games, not at all conducive to getting fans along for a 1930 kick off, 1800 kick off would make it more appealing.

[JK]

Hardly any hype around this Comp. I don't even think there was a preview for tonight's game in the herald today

Harbour looking pretty well drilled so far tonight.
Tevita Li and Duffie causing a few problems for Otago too

[Stargazer]

@taniwharugby Yes, I agree. The kick-off times on weekdays are clearly picked with tv viewers in mind.

[taniwharugby]

@JK was one on the Mitre10 Cup website...I not been on Herald or Stuff today for fear of being bombarded with another story.

[hydro11]

You can see why people don't care so much. This game has not been great quality with Otago particularly poor.

[kev]

@taniwharugby great competition, but with way too much rugby, poor promotion, busy family lives, game attendances are not great

[JK]

@taniwharugby said in North Harbour vs Otago:

@JK was one on the Mitre10 Cup website...I not been on Herald or Stuff today for fear of being bombarded with another story.

That story is there. Avoid it

But yeah I always read the actual paper when having one of my many meal breaks at work. Not a mention of this game in there

Otago scored. Harbour at real risk of letting them back in

[Stargazer]

@kev said in North Harbour vs Otago:

@taniwharugby great competition, but with way too much rugby, poor promotion, busy family lives, game attendances are not great

Way too much rugby? Maybe in the main centres, but most smaller provinces haven't had any rugby games to go to other than club or school rugby since October last year.

[kev]

@hydro11 that line gets pulled out every year. Don't agree. A lot of S15 rugby ( whole seasons on the Blues ) is very average. There is just too much rugby.

[JK]

Yep there it is

[kev]

@Stargazer just wish the NZRFU would do more to promote it....