Auckland v Northland
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I'd like to see a few changes for the side against Northland. Not a B side, just a few tweaks
It's worth having a good look at Vikena. He had a good cameo last week
Scrafton looks like he needs a break. Hopefully Whetton is back and he can partner Dalzell. I'd be tempted to give Choat a break and start Niko Jones too.
Tele'a at 13 needs to be tried
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@Duluth said in Auckland v Northland:
Tele'a at 13 needs to be tried
They may be forced to with Faiane injuring his foot on Saturday.
That's if Tele'a is fit! He must have been a late scratching on Saturday as he was named on the bench earlier in the week but Joel Cobb was the outside back reserve again.
As someone on here has mentioned though, Ieremia is very 'conservative' to say the least with his selections and will most probably opt for Plummer at 12.
Theres talk in the Akl camp of a lot of unhappy players/management. Issues are being papered over at the moment because of the results so far but watch this space. -
@Nogusta said in Auckland v Northland:
Theres talk in the Akl camp of a lot of unhappy players/management. Issues are being papered over at the moment because of the results so far but watch this space.
About conservative selections?
Funaki is another player who we should've seen more of
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@Nogusta Care to tell us more haha....
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Got a feeling this could be Auckland B v Northland B.
We all know how this is going to end. A slaughter..
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@J77 yeah could be ugly.
While I'd like a largely unchanged line up from last week, I think we will see a few.
if we can keep Auckland under 50 I'll be happy, even more so if we can nab a BP somehow.
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@taniwharugby hope they have scrum sorted. Wouldnāt mind hearing from someone who knows about what was happening. Initially NH had the wood on us then subsequent scrums they seemed to just shear off left as though they were boring in. Got to be fixed - scrum and on field management. Our defence this year has been awesome. Problems has been mistakes, kicking game and attack. If they hand the ball over like they have been we are in for a long night. However if they are accurate and play with some heart, we can compete. Hereās hoping.
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Gregory has been cleared with his Red Card being overturned, he needs to be in the mid-field, ideally he and Ranger would provide the needed physicality there, but thought Tua went ok to earn another start.
SCOTT GREGORY'S RED CARD OVERTURNED IN MITRE 10 CUP JUDICIAL HEARING
Northland back Scott Gregory has been cleared of wrongdoing after a judicial hearing overturned the red card he received on Saturday 31 October.
Gregory was red carded in the second half of Northlandās match against North Harbour for allegedly making contact with a player in the air which resulted in the player landing dangerously.
At this morningās judicial hearing the match officials accepted the incident did not meet the red card threshold, as a result the card has been removed from Gregoryās playing record.
Gregory will be available to play the remainder of Northlandās matches in the Mitre 10 Cup.Source: NZ Rugby Media Release
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@Duluth sounds similar to Harbour ,Kieran Kane is on the outer with the whole Harbour squad , I have heard from a good source the Harbour players would not go back into the changing sheds after the victory against Tasman until Kane left the changing rooms , there was an altercation between Kane and one of the players the week before .
Itās a great credit to Daniel Halangahu and Sam Ward who are running the team at the minute ..
Kane is not liked by anyone at the minute , if body language is anything to go by, I saw it first hand in Whangarei last weekend , nobody from Harbour went near him .
I haveānt heard anything in and around the Auckland team , but i will be at the game on Saturday, so will keep my ear to the ground ..
I have heard there is a bit of frustration in and around selections , Sione Tuipulotu is a loan player from Manawatu , and I know of a few coaches who are asking why are they not selecting your 4th ranked number 8 , which would be John Latu who was the Auckland Under number 8 last year and from I believe has been signed for 2021/2022..Northland boy from Moerewa, nephew of netballer Catherine Tuivaiti nee Latu. -
@Steven-Harris Is any of this related to pay cuts and lost opportunities in 2020 related to COVID?
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@Steven-Harris said in Auckland v Northland:
i will be at the game on Saturday
Members lounge or cheap seats?
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@Tim hard to know Auckland are probably better financially placed than some other unions , really surprised Auckland are using a loan player not wanted by the Turbos ..
I had it confirmed Auckland have a budget of $110 k for PUD contracts which is staggering , but not surprising given you have a superb donor in Peter Thomson -
@Duluth press box..just for the free food š¤¦āāļø
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@Tim player union development contracts , Auckland actually do it rather well, they will sign a promising kid, and then put him on a ranking system and map out his path ..
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@Steven-Harris Cheers.
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@Steven-Harris Have you heard anything about an SR contract for Jimmy Roots? He was in the frame for NZ U20, and looks like a good prospect.
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Has Niko got any game time yet
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@Winger said in Auckland v Northland:
Has Niko got any game time yet
Yes
3 or 4 games from the bench
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@Duluth said in Auckland v Northland:
@Winger said in Auckland v Northland:
Has Niko got any game time yet
Yes
3 or 4 games from the bench
Certainly looked the goods at schoolboy level (from the little I saw)
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Letās go North Auckland š
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Considering Choat went off injured last week, I think he should be rested this week, even if healthy enough to play.
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Northland Team:
Li, Olsen, Tuiloma
Goodhue, Caird
R Rush, McNamara, Jacobson
Nock, Cooper
Tua, Ranger
Macilai, Wright, B Rush
Bench: Mason Hohaia (debut) Kearns, Te Whata-Colley, Funaki, Stokes, Grant, Faiane, GregoryKane Jacobson!! Great to see him back, have to assume M10 players have access to the same level of testing for head injuries that we do at super and AB level? If he is good to go, that is great news for him, classy player!
Can only assume they have trained expecting to lose Gregory? Only conclusion I can come to as to why he is on the bench after finally getting into the mid-field.
Starting loose trio from last week: Pryor & Matich both being given a rest, Robinson HIA (supposedly this week only) despite this, still like the look of our loose forward trio!
Ross Wright injured too
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@taniwharugby happy for young Mason Hohaia ..another Northland boy schooled at Mt Albert Grammar...on the small size for a hooker , but is mobile and throws good darts, you have probably seen him running around for Kamo , I think he is Blakeās younger brother ..
And speaking of Kamo the long lost Kane Jacobson ..hope heās over his head knocks..
Aorangi Stokes must be thinking , I only get rolled out on the big stadiums in NZ..Westpac last year, and now Eden Park this year.. -
@Steven-Harris sadly Kamo struggled at lineout time this season, but more that they lacked any height.
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@taniwharugby itās odd that it is actually a really exciting team even without some of our better players. A few less injuries and some different options early on and we could have really taken advantage of the squad. Hope everyone is up for it.
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@kev yeah agree, despite al the changes, is a pretty good team we are rolling out!
That said, still not confident we will be able to hold onto Auckland
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James Lay (University)
Soane Vikena (Ponsonby)
Angus Taāavao (Eden)
Hamish Dalzell (College Rifles)
Liam Hallam-Eames (Grammar TEC)
Presley Tufuga (Ponsonby)
Niko Jones (Waitemata)
Sione Tuipulotu (Eden)
Jonathan Ruru (University)
Simon Hickey Ā© (Grammar TEC)
Salesi Rayasi (Marist)
Harry Plummer (Grammar TEC)
Tanielu Teleāa (Marist)
AJ Lam (Grammar TEC)
Zarn Sullivan (College Rifles)
Leni Apisai (Ponsonby)
Jarred Adams (Suburbs)
Marco Fepuleaāi (Ponsonby)
Felix Kalapu (Grammar TEC)(Debut)
Terell Peita (Ponsonby)(Debut)
Danny Tusitala (Ponsonby)
Willie Talataina (Ponsonby)(Debut)
Joel Cobb (Ponsonby)
Very much a B/development team - Northland favorites?
Excited to see Terrell Peita get a run. He was great for Ponsonby in what we got of the club season.
Scott Scrafton, Jack Whetton, Adrian Choat, Blake Gibson and TJ Faiane and Tumua Manu all out injured. -
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5 or 6 injuries
Head Coach, Alama Ieremia has made numerous forced changes to the team that were victorious over Waikato to move to the top of the Mitre 10 Cup Premiership table last Saturday. Injuries have taken its toll on the team selection this week with Scott Scrafton, Jack Whetton, Adrian Choat, Blake Gibson and TJ Faiane ruled out and Tumua Manu an unlikely starter for the fixture against Northland. Angus Taāavao makes a welcomed return at Tighthead Prop and also strong running Centre, Tanielu Teleāa makes his return from injury for Saturday afternoon. Soane Vikena and Niko Jones will both gain their first starts of the season after coming off the bench in earlier games this season. Grammar TEC Lock, Felix Kalapu, Ponsonby Midfielder, William Talataina and Ponsonby Loose Forward, Terrel Peita will be in line for their debut appearance in the Blue and White Hoops for the Saturday afternoon fixture. Ponsonby Loose Forward, Presley Tufuga will get his first cap of the season at Flanker. Tufuga made one appearance for Auckland in the 2019 season. Simon Hickey will Captain the side from First-Five in his 56th appearance for the province. The last meeting between the two teams was in Week 2 of the 2019 Mitre 10 Cup season which saw Auckland close out the game in Whangarei 43-10. With two rounds to go in the 2020 season, both teams will be working towards a Semi-Final appearance in their respective divisions. Coach Ieremia is mindful of what a tough Northland team can bring to Eden Park. āWe are seeing the effects of a tough competition and squads are going to be tested with injuries. Both Northland and North Harbour have highlighted throughout this season how strong this Blues franchise is.ā Ieremia says there is a buzz around the team this week. āWe have a few players who have been given their opportunity this Saturday. They are eager, but it will be up to them to stand up and showcase the depth that we have in our squad. It has been an exciting week assisting those who have been given their chanceā said Ieremia. -
Really pleased to see some new blood in there.
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in Auckland v Northland:
Willie Talataina
Have seen that name for a long time in the club rugby reports!
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Auckland still at $1.02 to Northland's $11 H2H.
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@Tim He played at Southland for a season in 2017. He's also the son of former Kiwis league player Nigel Vagana.
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@taniwharugby Well worth a lazy 20 on the Tunnies! Both starting AKL midfielders out is a major. New combo against Tua/Ranger...
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Those are huge odds given the lineups named. But, with Northland resting a few, Auckland got that luxury.
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@Nogusta this year they only started together briefly in the match v Tasman when Tua was injured in the 1st half, so havent played together much either.
I cant see anything other than a 13+ win for Auckland unfortunately
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@taniwharugby , we shouldānt forget if it wasānt for injuries Brady Rush ,Robert Rush ,Johnny Cooper ,Will Grant ,Setafano Funaki and Mason Hohaia ..would not even be in the Match 23 ..so itās not exactly Northlands number 1 lineup either , No Tom Robinson, Dan Pryor ,Harrison Levine, Temo Mayanvanua , Matt Matich ,Jordon Hyland, Dan Hawkins ,Ross Wright or Blake Hohaia based on selections earlier in the season ..still itās a good opportunity to see how these young guys front up..still a good Auckland side in my opinion , many in theIr 23 man squad named would walk into either Southland , Manawatu , Counties Manukau or Northland without too much trouble In my opinion ..
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righto, here we go.
Want Auckalnd to get up, and frankly Northland seem to have a mental block about city slickers.
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also, amusingly, Sky Sport Now sent me an email telling me that Auckland were travelling up to Kaikohe for this ... impressive new stadium in Kaikohe
