Canterbury 2019
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2019 Canterbury Mitre 10 Cup squad (Name & Club):
Michael Alaalatoa* (Linwood)
Harry Allan (Sydenham)
Tim Bateman (Christchurch)
Fergus Burke* (Canterbury University)
Brett Cameron (Lincoln University)
Tom Christie (Christchurch)
Whetukamokamo Douglas (Canterbury University)
Mitchell Drummond (HSOB)
Mitchell Dunshea (Springston)
Ereatara Enari (Lincoln University)
Inga Finau (Linwood)
Sam Gilbert* (Lincoln University)
Cullen Grace* (Lincoln University)
Billy Harmon (New Brighton)
Oliver Jager (New Brighton)
Daniel Lienert-Brown (HSOB)
Brodie McAlister (Sydenham)
Dallas McLeod* (Christchurch)
Josh McKay (Lincoln University)
Rameka Poihipi* (Lincoln University)
Reed Prinsep (HSOB)
Ngane Punivai (Lincoln University)
Junior Ratuva* (Burnside)
Luke Romano (Hurunui)
Seb Siataga (New Brighton)
Tom Sanders (Banks Peninsula)
William Tucker (Christchurch)
Siate Tokolahi (Sydenham)
Luke Whitelock (Canterbury University)
*denotes new Canterbury squad member (uncapped) in 2019
Canterbury All Blacks:
George Bridge (HSOB)
Ryan Crotty (New Brighton)
Braydon Ennor (Canterbury University)
Owen Franks (Linwood)
Joe Moody (Lincoln)
Richie Mo'unga (Linwood)
Codie Taylor (Sydenham)
Matt Todd (Christchurch)
Samuel Whitelock (Lincoln University)
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Interesting squad. Fantastic depth at prop and in the loose forwards, but elsewhere relatively thin and especially in the midfield and outside backs unless Bridge and/or Ennor find themselves out of the ABs squad.
I'm excited to see McAlister, Tucker, Grace and Christie develop of the forwards in this squad, and will be fascinated to see how the backline gels. It's actually bloody difficult to come up with a clear first string backline from 12 out both in terms of experience/promise and positionally. I'd try this for a start:
15 McKay
14 Punivai
11 Gilbert
13 Bateman
12 McLeod
10 Cameron
9 DrummondWith Enari, Finau and Ratuva on the bench and McKay covering 10 mainly just because I want to see how he goes there.
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@Tim said in Canterbury 2019:
Ben Funnell gone overseas?
@Chris said in Canterbury 2019:
@Tim The quote from Joe Maddock was ““Hooker Ben Funnell has yet to decide his future,and hasn't been included in the squad.”
Strange remark but I guess you can take whatever you like out of it.It's weird, because he signed with Ricoh Black Rams in June. Maybe that was only for the Top Leaug Cup? The round robin of the Top Leauge Cup has finished and the Black Rams didn't qualify for the play-offs.
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@Chris said in Canterbury 2019:
@shark interesting also they have picked 3 2nd Fives. McLeod,Finau and Poihipi who has played there when given pre season games for Canterbury and The Crusaders.
All competing for The vacant Crotty contract ?Don't know about Finau. He's been in and around Canterbury squads now for several years and has never made an impact. McLeod has the most upside, based on national age group team selections. Bateman for mine is much more a 12 than a 13, but for Canterbury he's possibly needed more at 13 (unless Ennor comes back into the reckoning).
It's going to be really interesting to see what the Crusaders do come October with their midfield selections, given the amount of outside backs who can play there. I think, yes, they'll be looking for a specialist 12 to replace Crotty, and this could come down to NPC form from Bateman and McLeod as to who gets the nod. Elsewhere, they have Goodhue ensconsed at 13 with Ennor and Punivai able to play there also, while Havili'i can play 12 and while he's then incumbent at 15, 2020 might be Will Jordans' time to shine.
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@shark Bateman was among the players leaving the Crusaders (either going elsewhere or retiring from SR), so I don't expect him to come back in 2020. I don't think McLeod is ready for a starting role at 12 at SR level; I expect him to be eased in via the bench if he makes the squad. He's still very young/inexperienced and that was very noticeable during the JWC. It will be interesting to see how he goes in his first M10 Cup season. I'll be looking with interest to Poihipi, too.
Edit: removed some of my post as it wasn't relevant to Canterbury.
Added question: what happened to the younger Punivai, Isaiah? Still young enough for Canterbury U19?
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@Stargazer yes isiah is in the Canterbury under 19s. Heard a wee rumour his big brother and Connor garden bachop are both off to the highlanders too
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@chchfanatic Ah, all those rumours. There are way too many of them. Like that one about Jordie. Or Will Jordan signing with the Highlanders. I want hard facts!
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@chchfanatic ohhh ffs you're kidding. Connor looks like a gun. Would rather have him than both Tiatia and Lowe.
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@chchfanatic I thought Punivai had a year to run on his Crusaders contract
Oh yeah but wait contracts don’t mean shit anymore -
@Stargazer said in Canterbury 2019:
@shark Bateman was among the players leaving the Crusaders (either going elsewhere or retiring from SR), so I don't expect him to come back in 2020. I don't think McLeod is ready for a starting role at 12 at SR level; I expect him to be eased in via the bench if he makes the squad. He's still very young/inexperienced and that was very noticeable during the JWC. It will be interesting to see how he goes in his first M10 Cup season. I'll be looking with interest to Poihipi, too.
Edit: removed some of my post as it wasn't relevant to Canterbury.
Added question: what happened to the younger Punivai, Isaiah? Still young enough for Canterbury U19?
Okey dokey so no Bateman next year then. We really do have a hole there. Maybe Havili'i gets the inside running at 12 with McLeod / Goodhue the back-ups. Still leaves Jordan and Bridge as fullback options plus Reece, Ennor, Mataele, Leicester F and Punivai as wing options (plus Bridge).
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@Chris yeah that’s what I thought too. I know garden bachop is definitely going as his cousin is the coach. It would surprise me if ngane went too. Just what I heard that’s all. Catching up with the big guy tomorrow so I’ll ask him
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@Stargazer rumours are rumours mate. Some people you can trust and some you can’t. I don’t believe the punivai one but you never know. Came from someone in the know
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@chchfanatic Cheers Mate it seems contracts are not really binding anymore who knows.
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@Stargazer Depends if other Rumours come to fruition I am not going to go through them all.
There are some about players already contracted to franchises moving. It seems that future contracts maybe a lot more FLEXABLE shall we say. -
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So, no Marist-Albion player in the Canterbury squad, Canterbury U19, and now Canterbury B squads. What the hell is going on at Marist??
Any of you guys who watch club footy and/or have close ties to Metro rugby have any insight into this? Marist made the top half of the comp this year didn't they?
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i for one heartily endorse this blacklisting of a Marist team. Wide may this practice spread
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@shark their div 1 is just a pack of grafters. They had a great start but fell off badly. It’s not a attractive club to go to anymore. Their colts ended up pulling out of the colts grade also. Rico Syme is in the crusaders academy squad but he’s fallen off the pace. Ended up playing div 2
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@chchfanatic said in Canterbury Squads - Marist Albion:
@shark their div 1 is just a pack of grafters. They had a great start but fell off badly. It’s not a attractive club to go to anymore. Their colts ended up pulling out of the colts grade also. Rico Syme is in the crusaders academy squad but he’s fallen off the pace. Ended up playing div 2
I wondered if the constant moving of clubrooms and stuff like that was having an effect. When I was at school their rooms were at Mandeville Street, then when I played we were at Lochee Rd (which morphed into use of the Riccarton Club at the time), and now they're in with the Papanui Bowling Club FFS. Probably doesn't help the club retain an identity.
But on the field after some lean years I thought things were advancing and Ben Blair was doing a good job. Maybe the Christchurch-wide dissolution of school to club alignments is having a worse affect on M-A than others? How many Bedeans actually leave school and play for Marist now?
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Marist have not been run well for a while now. Not at all attractive for school
Leavers and a poor support network for young ones who are in there system. They have ruined there links with schools in Chch over the last few years. They have realised the errors of their ways and been trying to fix it but will take a long time to solve. Symes is a loose unit and on last legs in academy as well. -
@chchfanatic Pretty much, and the ones that do go on to play provincal rugby are usually representing heartland teams (mainly West Coast).
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@Stargazer how’s my rumour looking now.
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@chchfanatic I hope your rumour about Ofa Tu'ungafasi. moving to the Crusaders is spot on as well.That would be great pickup.
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@chchfanatic Gradually turning into some hard facts.
