v Otago
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Let's bury last nights rabble and move on.
As some of you have mentioned, this is must win. No excuses come Wednesday.
We've added a bit of pressure on ourselves after last nights effort. The Otago game is the hinge of our season now, lose this and we could well be starting a paddle up shit creek. Two of our last three are bloody tough games, so we need a big one on Wednesday.
I'd like to see our strongest team possible here.
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@j77 yep, assuming fitness
Wright, MOulds, Rinakama
Josh G, Bond
Ram, Matich, DP
Nock, Hawkins
Jack G, Ranger
Macilai, Alaimalo, HylandOLsen, Sililoto, KIte, Douglas, KP, Markwick, Breen
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@taniwharugby yep would probably go with that lineup, although I'd go as far as swapping Josh Goodhue and Murray Douglas to be honest..
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@j77 TBF probably could toss a coin for those 3, but when Josh is there I reckon our lineout operates a little better
Then there is Larsen & Robinson who could be due back any time soon?
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@taniwharugby Hard to choose. I like the team you have. the other option is to start Douglas in the loosies at 6 where we already have a log jam. Ram to seven and Matich / Dan Pryor or Jacob Matiu at number eight. Jacob has had a big couple of games and I like how he bends the line with his running. Otago had a tough game against Auckland and will be banged about so I think we should play hard and direct again.
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@taniwharugby Robinson will not be back anytime this season unfortunately.
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@northlandallday ah ok, had heard he was back running and looked to be moving about freely when I saw him recently...shame, had heard he was catching eyes in the Blues pre-season with his game and work ethic.
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All true, but ACL recovery is no less than 8 months.
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Good to see Wright is ok and Matich back...gone for the height with the 3 locks, Ram gets a bit of a break off the bench.
Dan Hawkins injured? Good to see Tamati back on the bench too!! Hopefully Apoua wil lbe the better for his outing on Friday cos he seemed to struggle at scrumtime for most of it.
Matiu can be considered pretty unlucky, but then when you have the quality and depth we have in our loosies, someone has to!
No word on Waa's injury, or Sililoto.
- Ross Wright
- Matt Moulds (c)
- Ropate Rinakama
- Joshua Goodhue
- Tim Bond
- Murray Douglas
- Dan Pryor
- Matt Matich (Blazer Game)
- Sam Nock
- Peter Breen
- Jone Macilai
- Jack Goodhue
- Rene Ranger
- Jordan Hyland
- Solomon Alaimalo
Replacements 16. Jordan Olsen 17. Phil Kite 18. Chris Apoua 19. Jack Ram 20. Kara Pryor 21. Matty Markwick 22. Tim Blundell 23. Tamati Tua
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Pretty happy with that side. Good to see Bond back, he's a very good defender and our D will be a tad more solid around the fringes with him there.
Great to see Tua is operational again, hope he gets a good burst off the bench.
Time to go out and win this thing now!
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Aki Seiuli, Sekonaia Pole, Donald Brighouse, Josh Furno, Josh Dickson, Adam Knight, James Lentjes, Sione Teu, Josh Renton, Fletcher Smith, Jona Nareki, Josh Ioane, Josh Timu, Latu Vaeno, Vilimoni Koroi
Reserves: Sam Anderson-Heather, Craig Millar, Hisa Sasagi, Blair Tweed, Slade McDowall, Jonathan Ruru, Hayden Parker, Leroy van Dam
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good to see they are predicting an Otago win!
H2H TAB have Otago firm faves at $1.57 to our $2.30
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@taniwharugby always like it when they do that!
It seems like they are gauging it off their win over a poor Auckland side, who only days before beat Southland by meer 10 points!
One thing I'd like to see from us is a bit more impact from our bench, we need to up the tempo in the last 10-15 minutes rather than fall apart like we did the last two weeks.
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@j77 less errors would be nice too!
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@taniwharugby that too! Less speculators and more solid basics.
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@j77 I think we will be stronger at scrum time with that pack, big in the line outs, and carry tough. The backs are looking good and just need to finish. If we play to our potential we will win well. Carry tough, hit hard and we will be too big and too strong.
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weather hopefully clearing for the match after a few showers...assuming the Metservice know what they are talking about...
If we play well, we will win.
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@taniwharugby said in v Otago:
If we play well, we will win.
If we score more points than them, we will win.
Sorry, couldn't help it....
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@gunner well if we play well (which includes low error rate) we will score lots of points.
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@taniwharugby I know what you meant, I was just being a smart arse...
I think our lads are due to click again, so here's hoping for lots of points and a win to the good guys.
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I reckon we took Manawatu too lightly. We looked far more dangerous but made silly little errors that we hadn't been making up until that game and I wonder if we got a bit over confident. Hopefully that's a good little wake up call for this game because Otago are much better than Manawatu. Also think we have a bit more balance with Matich or Bond in the starting lineup as they both get through a lot of tackles, so good to see both of them back. I understand starting Douglas for the extra lineout option but think we work better with a mobile loose trio - I would have had Douglas on the bench and either Ram or K Pryor starting.
It's good to see Tamati Tua back - Hohaia started shaky before improving, but I think Tua is going to be the main guy in the midfield next season so will be good to see him get plenty of game time this season. Hopefully throwing 2 intercept passes in 2 weeks doesn't put Goodhue off his passing game! Haha
Hasn't had much chat but I reckon Sam Nock has been a big improver this season, I reckon he will be putting a lot of pressure on Pulu at the Blues.
This is a very important game for us - lose this and we're not in great shape...
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@chiefy07 with Ranger leaving, Tua wil get a huge opportunity next year, although if Goodhue makes ABs, we may lose him too, so Hohaia-Tua next year, both pretty young.
I like the look of Hohaia, has some pace, strength and a step, will be much better for his appearances.
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Terrible game so far.
Poor passing, turnovers, dropped balls.
Very stop start.3-3
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Awesome try!
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Try of the season right there.
Jack of the Goodhues take a bow.
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YC Leijntes for a high shot on Jack.
God our line out sucks big time.
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Not sure what to make of that half.
Mostly untidy by Northland, but we go to half time up 19-6.
Our backs just aren't really in sync tonight, we are creating chances then an inaccurate pass will kill the movement.
Our defence was pretty good, as Otago did a lot of attacking.
Finish it lads!
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A bit of Taniwha razzle dazzle there, well finished by Macalai.
Initially thought Rinikama had blown a try.
26-6
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Fuck what a random try from nowhere.
Pryor of old would have won that foot race any day of the week.
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YC for repeated infringements.
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Good nudge Breen 29-13
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Really tough call on Matich there.
See far worse 'too far' clean outs let go multiple times every game. -
Oh bugger off touchie.
One of the worst calls I've seen all year.
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Another awful call.
Fuck were being dicked here by the officials.
These fluffy bunnies need to be held accountable.
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Otago finally score from the 3rd refereeing blunder.
Edit: Make that 4th, that prick was in front of the kicker.
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Nock off. I'm really nervous about our chances now when you add that with the bounce and refs calls going in Otagos favour at the moment.
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We are struggling now., 3rd week in a row in this period...ref pinging everything
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I feel like a stuck record, but Christ I swear this ref needs bodyguards to get out of Okara Park and Whangarei.
Pryor is going to get 10 in the bin here, the idiot. First call he's got right in what feels like for ever.
We are going to start having to play our starting 15 for 80 minutes every week for the rest of the season coz our impact off the bench in the last 3 games has had a negative impact on our game.
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@taniwharugby the ref is a fucking arse.
Someone shoot him.
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Oh fuck Breen you fucking knob.
Just when we need a settling play from the kickoff you do that...More pressure coming.
