Wellington vs Auckland
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Auckland looking to bounce-back against the pride of Wellington
TJ Faiane, Melani Nanai and Robbie Abel return to the starting XV Michael Fatialofa makes his first...
So Blake Gibson and Tele'a are out for the season - can't say i'm surprised - both tend to be constantly injured. At least Fatialofa is back.
Auckland team to play Wellington:
Sam Prattley (Pakuranga) Robbie Abel (College Rifles) Marcel Renata (University) Michael Fatialofa (Ponsonby) Fa’atiga Lemalu (Papatoetoe) Evan Olmstead (Suburbs) Dalton Papali’i (Pakuranga) Akira Ioane (Ponsonby) Leon Fukofuka (Marist) Harry Plummer (Grammar TEC) Salesi Rayasi (Marist) TJ Faiane – Captain (Pakuranga) Tumua Manu (College Rifles) Melani Nanai (Manukau Rovers) Jacob Umaga (Eden) Reserves Mike Sosene-Feagai (Mt Wellington) Ezekiel Lindenmuth (Suburbs) Marco Fepulea’i (Ponsonby) Jamie Lane (Ponsonby) Hoskins Sotutu (Marist) Jonathan Ruru (University) Caleb Clarke (Suburbs) Jordan Trainor (Ponsonby) Unavailable due to injury: Jack Whetton (ankle), Tanielu Tele’a (knee – season), Daniel Kirkpatrick (neck), Taleni Seu (back – season), Taniela Koroi (arm – season), Blake Gibson (quad – season), Lyndon Dunshea (shoulder – season) -
The Blues are going to need an experienced backup openside who can tackle. I wonder if Harmon or Brown are interested?
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@tim Matich as an openside is a risk I would consider
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BTW:
Jack Whetton is out for several weeks with a high ankle sprain
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@tim Cantabrians are never interested in playing for the Blues but I get your drift. I wouldn't mind Matich or maybe a return for Karpik? There's not many out there
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15 Wes Goosen (Old Boys University)
14 Malo Tuitama (Oriental-Rongotai)
13 Matt Proctor (Oriental-Rongotai) (c)
12 Thomas Umaga-Jensen (Wainuiomata)
11 Ben Lam (Tawa)
10 Jackson Garden-Bachop (Northern United)
9 Kemara Hauiti-Parapara (Tawa)
8 Teariki Ben-Nicholas (Old Boys University)
7 Mateaki Kafatolu (Petone)
6 Galu Taufale (Poneke)
5 Isaia Walker-Leawere (Poneke)
4 James Blackwell (Petone)
3 Jeff To'omaga-Allen (Marist St Pats)
2 Asafo Aumua (Avalon)
1 Xavier Numia (Oriental-Rongotai)16 James O'Reilly (Hutt Old Boys Marist)
17 Tolu Fahamokioa (Tawa)
18 Joel Hintz (Old Boys University)
19 Sam Lousi (Marist St Pats) or Will Mangos (Old Boys University)
20 Thomas Waldrom (Avalon)
21 Carlos Price (Petone)
22 Billy Proctor (Marist St Pats)
23 Trent Renata (Oriental-Rongotai) -
Still no Coles. Wasn't he expected to be available for one or two RC games?
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Awesome to see Lousi back, hopefully have him starting at lock and Blackwell to 6 for the playoffs.
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@akan004 said in Wellington vs Auckland:
Still no Coles. Wasn't he expected to be available for one or two RC games?
The original comeback date was late Sep or early Oct but Hansen said recently there was no set date. That's code for a setback in his rehab.
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Good to have a few guys back. Fatialofa comes back at just the right time.
Without Gibson, Papali'i seriously needs to stay healthy until the end, because there's a massive drop in quality between him and the next openside option.
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@dice Or we just get Sione Havili back.
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@african-monkey Looks like he'll be out injured for some time.
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@tim I take that back then haha. Anyone know how Aleks Dabek went in theclub season? He was a star at schoolboy level for St Peter's.
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@african-monkey Dabek captained the champion Ponsonby team and was outstanding. He played pre-season trials with Auckland but missed out on the squad to Adrian Choat (NZ u20 this year). He's still very young and probably needs a years bulking up for first class rugby.
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@canes4life said in Wellington vs Auckland:
Awesome to see Lousi back, hopefully have him starting at lock and Blackwell to 6 for the playoffs.
Agree. Without both Lousi and Fifita our lineout wasn't great. Its a shame that Fidow is out for the full year. But at least Lousi returning should rectify one weakness. Blackwell at 1.90 is just too short
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Good game from Wellington so far. Retained the ball against a sturdy Auckland defence and eventually crash over from close range. 7-0 8.29 gone
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Only one team in it so far.
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20 minutes gone. 10-0 wellington. Auckland not much chop so far
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Auckland seem to be asleep. Bizarre.
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Sweet ball by Faiane. Manu with a nice run to score. Their chemistry has been so good this season.
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Tumua Manu scores under the post after a great run by Melani Nanai
10-7 26 minutes goneThat's what the game needed. Hopefully that sparks Auckland into life
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Brilliant ruck turnover win by Plummer. That lad plays with some guts.
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Some poor passes by us in this game.
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@dice trying to do too much - should be kicking more.
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How do you not score there!
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That was some run by Rayasi.
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Some decent defense by us in the last 15 minutes. Keeping us in it.
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some very weird scrum rules (both ways) in this game.
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Poor decision by Akira. He picked it up before we got the penalty.
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We left 7 points out there. We should be leading.
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We should have scored at the end there, hope it doesn't cost us. I think big cut out balls might not be the way to go in this game either.
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@dice said in Wellington vs Auckland:
We left 7 points out there. We should be leading.
Could have also easily been down 20 points after 20 minutes....
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@kiwimurph I think our defense has done well to hang on though.
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Entertaining game.
It was interesting to see that Tuitama was at least as fast as Rayasi. I wonder wheter Tuitama has ever been in consideration for the AB7s.
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Tackling and holding the ball might help.
Frustrating.
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Time to bring in Trainor for Umaga?
Good defensive play by Papali'i.
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Did Ken Laban just call Michael Fatialofa a Sunwolves player?
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What was Prattley doing there?
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That was a great try from Thomas U-J. Very quick.
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Not entirely sure what Auckland see in Leon Fukofuka.,2 very poor kicks,one gets charged down,and one way too far..!
