Drua v Highlanders
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Highlanders bolster team for Fijian Drua game
The Highlanders will get some handy reinforcements as they seek to rescue a disappointing season. Captain Aaron Smith and No8 Marino Mikaele-Tu’u...
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@KiwiMurph said in Drua v Highlanders:
Looks like ticket sales are sluggish.
Haven't they had issues in the past where they tried to charge NZ/Aus prices in the islands.
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@SouthernMann said in Drua v Highlanders:
Haven't they had issues in the past where they tried to charge NZ/Aus prices in the islands.
The Blues in Apia definitely made that mistake. I'm not sure if there's been an issue in Suva with that
That article was a bit strange. The comments in the article suggest that the sales are following the same pattern as previous games in Suva that were nearly sold out
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apart from gregory on the wing pretty much full strength i think
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The team for round 11 includes the return of Aaron Smith who will Captain the side after being unavailable for selection in round 10. A new look loose forward trio sees Marino Mikaele-Tu’u back at number 8 and after a barnstorming performance last weekend, Christian Lio-Willie, earns a start in the number 6 jersey with Billy Harmon completing the trio at 7. Gareth Evans has returned to Dunedin after receiving an injury against the Brumbies in Melbourne. -
Drua for the upset?
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@African-Monkey not even sure it would be an upset, we're playing pretty poorly
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Drua are paying $4.20 at the tab
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@Duluth if i wasn't too loyal i'd snap that up
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@Kiwiwomble said in Drua v Highlanders:
@Duluth if i wasn't too loyal i'd snap that up
No interest in an insurance bet? I'll probably put some cash on the Drua in case the Highlanders lose.
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@Smudge look...it has crossed my mind
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@Kiwiwomble I like that loose forward trio, can't help but think Vilimoni koroi should maybe head to Moana if he's not wanted? watching him play npc & 7's over the years i tipped him to be a Tim Nanai Williams sorta player at super but was obviously way off
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@FakatavaFuture said in Drua v Highlanders:
@Kiwiwomble I like that loose forward trio, can't help but think Vilimoni koroi should maybe head to Moana if he's not wanted? watching him play npc & 7's over the years i tipped him to be a Tim Nanai Williams sorta player at super but was obviously way off
even if we had 2015/16 "mr reliable" banks....i think if its coming off the bench i would rather someone like koroi, more exciting and more versatile, like banks starts or not at all
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@FakatavaFuture said in Drua v Highlanders:
@Kiwiwomble I like that loose forward trio, can't help but think Vilimoni koroi should maybe head to Moana if he's not wanted? watching him play npc & 7's over the years i tipped him to be a Tim Nanai Williams sorta player at super but was obviously way off
The Samoan and Tongan Unions already had trouble accepting the signing of McClutchie (who's only been signed for one season). I doubt they'd want to sign another player who's not eligible for one of the Island nations.
Fijian Drua makes more sense, considering he's Fijian.
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@Kiwiwomble judging by his Instagram stories he's back in Dunedin with Frizell, so he didn't even get to make the trip to his parents motherland
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From the Highlanders' media release:
The team will have extra motivation to achieve with this weekend’s game being Tony Brown’s 100th involved with the Highlander’s coaching team, a feat that he fell just shy of as a player (97 caps from 2016-11) and brings his cumulative coaching and playing total to 197 games. Alongside this, it is also Andrew Makalio’s 50th Super Rugby game. Andrew made his debut for the Highlanders this season after playing 43 games for the Crusaders between 2017 and 2021.
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@Stargazer said in Drua v Highlanders:
@FakatavaFuture said in Drua v Highlanders:
@Kiwiwomble I like that loose forward trio, can't help but think Vilimoni koroi should maybe head to Moana if he's not wanted? watching him play npc & 7's over the years i tipped him to be a Tim Nanai Williams sorta player at super but was obviously way off
The Samoan and Tongan Unions already had trouble accepting the signing of McClutchie (who's only been signed for one season). I doubt they'd want to sign another player who's not eligible for one of the Island nations.
Fijian Drua makes more sense, considering he's Fijian.
Don’t MP have a Fijian player currently?
I thought that Fiji was one of the Pacific nations that make up he general Moana?
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TEAM LIST: ROUND 11 VS HIGHLANDERS | Fijian Drua Rugby
Swire Shipping Fijian Drua Head Coach Mick Byrne has announced his line-up for the historic first homecoming match at ANZ Stadium Suva.
Haereiti Hetet, Mesu Dolokoto, Manasa Saulo, Isoa Nasilasila, Ratu Rotuisolia, Meli Derenalagi (c), Vilive Miramora, Te Ahiwaru Cirikdaveta, Frank Lomani, Teli Tela, Vinaya Habosi, Kalaveti Ravouvou, Apisalome Vota, Selestino Ravutaumada, Kitione Taliga
Reserves: Tevita Ikanivere, Meli Tuni, Samu Tawake, Villiame Rarasea, Joseva Tamani, Simione Kuruvoli, Onisi Ratave, Kitione Ratu
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How many changes from the Drua team that played the Blues? I know that Hetet wasn't involved.
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@Nepia said in Drua v Highlanders:
@Stargazer said in Drua v Highlanders:
@FakatavaFuture said in Drua v Highlanders:
@Kiwiwomble I like that loose forward trio, can't help but think Vilimoni koroi should maybe head to Moana if he's not wanted? watching him play npc & 7's over the years i tipped him to be a Tim Nanai Williams sorta player at super but was obviously way off
The Samoan and Tongan Unions already had trouble accepting the signing of McClutchie (who's only been signed for one season). I doubt they'd want to sign another player who's not eligible for one of the Island nations.
Fijian Drua makes more sense, considering he's Fijian.
Don’t MP have a Fijian player currently?
I thought that Fiji was one of the Pacific nations that make up he general Moana?
Yep MP do have a Fijian eligible player. There not a strict rule on who makes them up.
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@Nepia said in Drua v Highlanders:
@Stargazer said in Drua v Highlanders:
@FakatavaFuture said in Drua v Highlanders:
@Kiwiwomble I like that loose forward trio, can't help but think Vilimoni koroi should maybe head to Moana if he's not wanted? watching him play npc & 7's over the years i tipped him to be a Tim Nanai Williams sorta player at super but was obviously way off
The Samoan and Tongan Unions already had trouble accepting the signing of McClutchie (who's only been signed for one season). I doubt they'd want to sign another player who's not eligible for one of the Island nations.
Fijian Drua makes more sense, considering he's Fijian.
Don’t MP have a Fijian player currently?
I thought that Fiji was one of the Pacific nations that make up he general Moana?
My point was, the Samoan and Tongan Unions seem to have a problem with signing players that are not eligible for one of the Island Nations. The Drua have never openly made a point of it; they signed Kerr after all. Koroi is, just like McClutchie, not eligible for any other country than NZ (at the moment; until Koroi's 3 years' stand-down is up).
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@Stargazer said in Drua v Highlanders:
@Nepia said in Drua v Highlanders:
@Stargazer said in Drua v Highlanders:
@FakatavaFuture said in Drua v Highlanders:
@Kiwiwomble I like that loose forward trio, can't help but think Vilimoni koroi should maybe head to Moana if he's not wanted? watching him play npc & 7's over the years i tipped him to be a Tim Nanai Williams sorta player at super but was obviously way off
The Samoan and Tongan Unions already had trouble accepting the signing of McClutchie (who's only been signed for one season). I doubt they'd want to sign another player who's not eligible for one of the Island nations.
Fijian Drua makes more sense, considering he's Fijian.
Don’t MP have a Fijian player currently?
I thought that Fiji was one of the Pacific nations that make up he general Moana?
My point was, the Samoan and Tongan Unions seem to have a problem with signing players that are not eligible for one of the Island Nations. The Drua have never openly made a point of it; they signed Kerr after all. Koroi is, just like McClutchie, not eligible for any other country than NZ (at the moment; until Koroi's 3 years' stand-down is up).
MP have selected non eligible for the islands players in this years squad, have they not? I assume Kepu and Lealiifano are currently still only Australia eligible? I assume Visinia is still only NZ eligible? Wiki says Koloamatangi is a Hong Kong player.
I think that even though Samoa and Tonga are the main two unions (outside of NZ) involved the team is expected to be a broad Pacific team and this includes Fiji.
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@Nepia Lincoln McCluthie is not eligible for Islands either. though Kefu and Lailiafano are as they haven't played for Aus for 3 years. MP was formed with the idea that up tp 5-6 non eligible players could be comtracted.
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Sekope Kepu becomes eligible - thanks to the eligibility rule change - for Tonga on 11 October, this year.
Christian Leali'ifano becomes eligible for Samoa on 19 October, this year.Lolagi Visinia is already eligible for Samoa. He last played for NZ in 2013.
Tonga are contesting Tau Koloamatangi's ineligibility because they allege that he was ineligible to play for Hong Kong when he did and they are probably right (it seems he played for Hong Kong before he had met the 3-year residency requirement). I have not seen a decision from World Rugby in his case.
@Dan54 I already mentioned McClutchie and that the Samoan and Tongan Unions were not happy about his signing because of his ineligibility for the Islands. They reluctantly accepted it because of the problems MP had with recruiting because the licence was granted so late and Covid. That's something that won't be an "excuse" for 2023 signings.
The whole question is whether they'll accept more signings of players who are ineligible.
I think Koroi may become eligible for Fiji in 2023, so maybe they'll see his case as similar to Kepu and Leali'ifano.
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@Stargazer said in Drua v Highlanders:
I think Koroi may become eligible for Fiji in 2023
Is that based on his last game for the NZ sevens team?
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@Bovidae Yep.
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@Bovidae 9 changes in the starting team. It was very much a B selection that played the Blues.
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@Stargazer Yep mate, I just know when it was formed they said they were going to allow a certain number of ineligible players to be contracted, may have changed. They have used Joe Royal who is a Maori player etc.
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Highlanders boss Tony Brown explains positional switches for three key players
Highlanders boss Tony Brown believes Thomas Umaga-Jensen's move from No 12 to No 13 may bring the best out of the fringe All Blacks prospect.
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@Duluth in there it touches on koroi, my query about why koroi hasn't been given a go in Nareki's vacant 11 jersey is answered.. Tony says he's developing him into a first five, guess he'll be able to fully compete with Mitch over the 10 jersey next yr, as for Thomas in the midfield he's been impressive, if he can remain injury free I hope Ian selects him🙂
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@FakatavaFuture yeah, TUJ might not have the pace we'd expect or like to see in a 13 but i did like what he could do with a little more space, he could do some some real damage with a Naholo/osborne/nareki outside him, a real finisher, CGB could have some fun running off his shoulder
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Anyone else starting to really look forward to this game, I know the forecast is shit, but to see the game in Fiji has me excited.
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Sounds like ticket sales followed the same pattern as previous SR games in Suva. Slow early in the week and then a late rush. The Drua have confirmed the game will be broadcast on local tv as tickets sales had gone past 10,000
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Fuck this announcer must have loved watching WWF as a kid.
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Love the atmosphere, remember when SR was like this.
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@Duluth looks a near sellout. Brilliant.
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I haven't heard Greg Clark for awhile in the com box.
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@chimoaus said in Drua v Highlanders:
I haven't heard Greg Clark for awhile in the com box.
Which is a pity - he's one of the better commentators IMO.
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Fuck me what a try from Fiji. Crowd going crazy.
