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...
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Nice. Nanai and Papali'i will be fun to watch.
Must win for Auckland.
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@Tim @ACT-Crusader something about not counting chickens before they hatch?
I'm not sure saying 'might win this one' and 'must win' fall into that category........
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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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Would've been nice if they released Akira.
It'll be interesting to see where Papali'i plays when he comes on.
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Question answered. Tongia was cited and got a one-game suspension. Have posted it in the Mitre 10 Cup thread.
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Hard to believe, but after 5 minutes played, Southland lead 7 to 0.
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Looks like a 20+ point wind Auckland are playing with
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Retreating Southland player should've been penalised.
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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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You must factor in the weak opposition they are playing.
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@KiwiMurph No, not at all. Southland is the weakest team in the competition.
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I like how before the game Nick White mentioned the importance of starting well and the first 10 minutes.
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Auckland lineout is embarrassing level terrible
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@Stargazer said in Auckland vs. Southland (we might win this one):
@KiwiMurph No, not at all. Southland is the weakest team in the competition.
This Auckland team is absolute garbage and has conceded 100 points in the last 2 weeks. It's hardly surprising they conceded a try.
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Worst lineout I've seen.
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That was awesome! Great break from Gibson and Aso dots down in the corner.
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@Stargazer Amazing what happens when you win a lineout.
There's that linking game people want from Gibson. Kaino with some nice touches.
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Good bit of pace from Gibson.
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Wow, great answer from Howley. 14-12 Southland
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Good work from Tuipulotu to get into position in support, but his hands let him down again.
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If that doesn't sum up Auckland's season....
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How many points is this wind worth?
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Elkington MacDonald loves a terrible grubber.
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Dalton Papalii on for Auckland
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Thanks Auckland, for keeping Southland at the bottom of the Championship.
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@Stargazer said in Auckland vs. Southland (we might win this one):
Thanks Auckland, for keeping Southland at the bottom of the Championship.
and for making hard work of it.
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Wins a win I suppose. We'll do well to win another.
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The big names played well for Auckland I thought (as they should against Southland who looked a bit toothless).
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With how our season has gone, I'll take a bonus point win in those conditions any day.
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@Dice Pretty much haha. Have to win against Otago and BOP if we wanna stay in the division as I can't see us getting up away at Tasman and against Canterbury in the final round. Would help if Counties keep losing haha.
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@African-Monkey Any of Waikato, Auckland, Tasman or Counties could be for the drop this year.
I'm inclined to think it might be a good thing for Auckland to drop. Maybe they need to hit rock-bottom to have the conversations and interventions that need to occur!
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Southland now 0-5, and the only province without a win.
Last year they had Jimmy Cowan playing for them.
I presume he has retired?
