Auckland vs. Southland (we might win this one)
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Auckland match-day 23 for Southland
Friday September 15, 5.45pm, Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill:
15 Jordan Trainor (Ponsonby, 4 Auckland caps)
14 Vince Aso (Ponsonby, 33)
13 George Moala (Grammar TEC, 49)
12 TJ Faiane (Pakuranga, 12)
11 Melani Nanai (Manukau, 19)
10 Tyrone Elkington-MacDonald (University, 5)
9 Jono Hickey (Grammar TEC, 27)
8 Jerome Kaino (University, 57)
7 Blake Gibson (Ponsonby, 16)
6 Taleni Seu (Grammar TEC, 17)
5 Ben Nee-Nee (Pakuranga, 10)
4 Patrick Tuipulotu (Ponsonby, 19, c)
3 Marcel Renata (University, 16)
2 Greg Pleasants-Tate (Ponsonby, 20)
1 Sam Prattley (Pakuranga, 38)
Reserves:
16 Kurt Eklund (University, 27)
17 Emersen Tamura-Paki (College Rifles, 4)
18 Isi Tu’ungafasi (Suburbs, 16)
19 Dalton Papali’i (Pakuranga, 0) +
20 Sinclair Dominikovich-Murray (University, 4)
21 Lisati Milo-Harris (Grammar TEC, 4)
22 Malakai Fekitoa (Pakuranga, 27)
23 Latiume Fosita (Mt Wellington, 11)
+Potential Auckland debut
Injured/unavailable: Tom McHugh (season), Jamason Fa’anana-Shultz (season), Scott Scrafton (season), Leon Fukofuka, Michael Fatialofa, Daniel Bowden, Samuel Slade, Dexter Fa’amoana
All Blacks: Akira Ioane, Rieko Ioane, Ofa Tu’ungafasi
Auckland Under 19s: Caleb Clarke, Wiseguy Faiane, Sione Havili
Auckland injury concerns easing
Auckland s injury concerns are easing ahead of the team s South Island tour. Coach Nick White has made just three...
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@Tim just playing, given the title of the thread
Southland have played decent 1st half rugby, but have fallen away very badly. If Orcs are are in it after 40 then they should get the win.
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Would rather see Collier in there ahead of Trainor. Tyrone Elkington-MacDonald being there will also help Southlands cause.
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Southland
1 Joe Walsh
2 Brayden Mitchell
3 Morgan Mitchell
4 Mike McKee
5 Tepasu Thomas
6 Tupou Sopoaga
7 Phil Halder
8 Bill Fukofuka
9 Liam Howley
10 Scott Eade
11 Aleki Morris
12 Matt Johnson
13 Neria Fomai
14 Michael Molloy
15 Lewis OrmondReserves:
16 Flynn Thomas
17 Shaun Stodart
18 Guy Millar
19 Manaaki Selby-Rickit
20 Tim Boys
21 Greg Dyer
22 William Talataina-Mu
23 Junior Ngaluafe -
Southland will be without star No 8 Elliot Dixon for their showdown with Auckland at Rugby Park on Friday night. Dixon will miss the round five Mitre 10 Cup game because of an injury niggle -
Only just now, I notice that Tongia is not in the Southland squad. Wonder whether he was cited after all and copped a suspension? NZR is very bad at publishing that kind of decisions, but you'd think a journo would have found out and mentioned it in an article? Or maybe it was the coach who thought that more than only 10 minutes on the naughty chair was warranted?
Don't get me wrong, I like Tongia and I wish he was still playing for us, but when a player puts a shoulder in someone's face like he did, yellow is not enough.
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Looks like a 20+ point wind Auckland are playing with
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@Stargazer said in Auckland vs. Southland (we might win this one):
Hard to believe, but after 5 minutes played, Southland lead 7 to 0.
Surely you jest.
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Southland side does not look like they gave up 70 points in their previous game
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@KiwiMurph No, not at all. Southland is the weakest team in the competition.
