Waikato v Wellington
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Waikato
1 Toby Smith (Hamilton Old Boys)
2 Samisoni Taukei’aho (Fraser Tech)
3 Joshua Iosefa-Scott (Melville)
4 Tim Bond (University)
5 Laghlan McWhannell (Hautapu)
6 James Tucker (Hamilton Marist)
7 Mitch Jacobson (Hautapu)
8 Jordan Manihera (Hamilton Old Boys)
9 Kylem O’Donnell (Melville)
10 Fletcher Smith (University)
11 Sevu Reece (Hamilton Old Boys)
12 Dwayne Sweeney – Captain (Morrinsville Sports)
13 Quinn Tupaea (Hamilton Old Boys)
14 Tyler Campbell (University)
15 Matty Lansdown (Fraser Tech)Reserves
16 Sekope Lopeti-Moli (Hautapu)
17 Ayden Johnstone (Hautapu)
18 Sosaia Fale (Hamilton Old Boys)
19 Sam Caird (Hautapu)
20 Adam Burn (Hamilton Old Boys)
21 Raniera Takarangi (Hamilton Old Boys)
22 Pepesana Patafilo (Morrinsville Sports)*
23 Mosese Dawai (Otorohanga)*= Waikato debut
Waikato Team Named to Take on Wellington
Waikato has named their team to face Wellington in their second home game of the 2018 Mitre 10 Cup at FMG Stadium...
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Wellington
15 Trent Renata (Oriental-Rongotai)
14 Malo Tuitama (Oriental-Rongotai)
13 Matt Proctor (Oriental-Rongotai) (c)
12 Peter Umaga-Jensen (Wainuiomata)
11 Losi Filipo (Petone)
10 Pakai Turia (Poneke)
9 Carlos Price (Petone)
8 Thomas Waldrom (Avalon)
7 Greg Foe (Poneke)
6 Teariki Ben-Nicholas (Old Boys University)
5 Isaia Walker-Leawere (Poneke)
4 Will Mangos (Old Boys University)
3 Joel Hintz (Old Boys University)
2 Asafo Aumua (Avalon)
1 Tolu Fahamokioa (Tawa)Reserves
16 James O'Reilly (Hutt Old Boys Marist)
17 Xavier Numia (Oriental-Rongotai)
18 Tietie Tuimauga (Johnsonville)
19 Galu Taufale (Poneke)
20 Mateaki Kafatolu (Petone)
21 Kemara Hauiti-Parapara (Tawa)
22 Jackson Garden-Bachop (Northern United)
23 Billy Proctor (Marist St Pats)Wellington Lions head coach Chris Gibbes has made eight changes from the side which ran out against Southland as he continues to give the entire squad an opportunity to push for selection. The majority of the changes are in the backline where Carlos Price comes in for TJ Perenara, who has returned to the All Blacks squad, Pakai Turia replaces Jackson Garden-Bachop at first five-eighth, Peter Umaga-Jensen comes in for brother Thomas in the midfield, Losi Filipo starts on the wing for the first time this season while Trent Renata returns at fullback for Wes Goosen. The tight five remains largely the same with the exception of lock Isaia Walker-Leawere who comes in for James Blackwell. There is plenty of experience among the loose forwards selected with Thomas Waldrom returning at No 8 while Greg Foe replaces Ardie Savea who has also returned to the All Blacks squad.The Lions bench also features a number of changes while prop Tietie Tuimaga has the opportunity to make his debut.https://www.wrfu.co.nz/news/post/wellington-lions-make-changes-for-waikato-clash/
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@cgrant said in Waikato v Wellington:
Is Luke Jacobson still injured ? And what about Sosefo Kautai ?
A lot of the Waikato squad were also there watching the Waikato-BOP U19 game I watched. Jacobson was amongst them. He is a co-captain so surely must be injured. Kautai is a mystery but @OleOleOle said it was an attitude problem.
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@stargazer said in Waikato v Wellington:
14 Malo Tuitama (Oriental-Rongotai)
11 Losi Filipo (Petone)
10 Pakai Turia (Poneke)
9 Carlos Price (Petone)
6 Teariki Ben-Nicholas (Old Boys University)
5 Isaia Walker-Leawere (Poneke)
2 Asafo Aumua (Avalon)
1 Tolu Fahamokioa (Tawa)Number of players to watch in this match
Aumua was impressive last Friday so hope he can continue to develop. If he does he should make the end of year tour. And with Coles injury prone now we need another quality hooker in the ABs
Isaia Walker-Leawere has been quiet so far this year so he needs to step up. Other Mangos will take his starting position
Teariki Ben-Nicholas was impressive last game (at 8). Keep this up and surely he will get a super contract
Losi Filipo is another bad boy but is still young (20) but looks promising. Hopefully both players can focus on rugby now rather than beating people up.
Pleased to see Price start. He's still 19 but he looks potentially VG from the little I have seen of him. I plan to download and watch Folau Fakatava (HB V CM) but he also looks VG. Canes hopefully can sign both
Pakai Turia has played from wellington before but haven't a clue what he's like. So maybe not great but also not crap as he was forgettable. So will watch with interest. Va'a hopefully will get at least one start to see what he can do with JGB in the reserves and Renata at FB in case he is crap and needs to be replaced early
Malo Tuitama got the best player award last week. He was good but needs to cut out the silly mistakes. Like being pushed into touch rather than cutting infield -
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Lions were aweful tonight. Just can't afford to have guys like Blackwell, Kirifi, Goosen, Lam, Fifita, T Umaga Jensen rested at once. Too much experience off the park.
Pretty poor season management by the coach. Could have rested half the players against Southland last Friday and then another half against Waikato instead of taking half the team out at once. Could cost us a playoff berth with a tough run home.
Waikato well deserved their victory tonight.
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@higgins Totally agree. Wellington were rudderless. No passion and none of them looked like they knew what was going on half the time.
Only forward that really showed anything was "Izzy from Gizzy" as the commentators kept calling him.
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I don't know much about that Wellington number 18. Looking at the team lists for when he played against my club I see he was listed on the bench but cannot recall how he played if he did get on the field. Got a vague recollection seeing him play for one of the Heartland Championship teams but again nothing to really remember him by. Looks like he is probably an import from somewhere offshore. Hopefully someone out there might be able to fill us in with a bit of background on him.
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Waldrom is well past his best. as is Renata. Foe was a bit rubbish too. Filipo is worth another look at though. But Turia is only a backup 1st at best.
For the next game. Goosen at FB. He's Wellingtons best back and he's better utilized at FB than wing. I would have Lam and Filipo on the wing. And maybe try Billy Proctor at 2nd5 to see how it goes as defense in the first half was rubbish. Put Ben-Nicholas at 8, with Fifita and Kififi and Blackwell replacing Mangos. And hope JTA is back soon as out propping depth is not great
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Best Wellington team for me would be:
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Numia 2. Aumua 3. Toomaga Allen 4. Walker-Leawere 5. Blackwell 6. Fifita 7. Kirifi 8. Ben Nicholas 9. Price 10. Garden Bachop 11. Lam 12. T Umaga Jensen 13. M Proctor 14. P Umaga Jensen 15. Goosen
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Anyone but O'Reilly - far too small at this level. 17. Fahamoikioa 18. ? 19. Mangos 20. Kafatolu 21. Hauiti Parapara 22. Va'a 23. B Proctor
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I haven't read the comments yet but a few observations from the game.
(1) Waikato looked OK for 65 mins but the porous defence in the last 15 mins was bloody annoying, and a return to previous form.
(2) Wellington were very poor during that period, a lot of handling errors (from both teams really).
(3) Manihera is a frustrating player as he is always good for some meathead moments.
(4) The Waikato tactic of passing wide was always susceptible to an intercept so it was no surprise to finally concede one.
(5) Fifita did SFA in this game. You would expect him to shine at this level.
