Waikato v Auckland

[KiwiMurph]

I don't know much about Sam Lester. Can anyone shed any light?

Pleased to see Peita there and at least Vest isn't starting.

Auckland team v Waikato

Jordan Lay (University)
Soane Vikena (Waitemata)
Angus Ta’avao (Eden)
Jamie Lane (Ponsonby)
Hamish Dalzell (College Rifles)
Terrell Peita (Ponsonby)
Adrian Choat (Waitemata)
Jackson Pugh (Marist)
Taufa Funaki (Marist)
Harry Plummer © (Grammar TEC)
Salesi Rayasi (Marist)
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (East Tamaki)
Bryce Heem (Grammar TEC)
AJ Lam (Grammar TEC)
Jordan Trainor (Ponsonby)

Robbie Abel (Waitemata)
Sam Lester (University)
Marcel Renata (University)
Connor Vest (University)
Vaiolini Ekuasi (East Tamaki)
Manu Paea (Manukau)
Simon Hickey (Grammar TEC)
Corey Evans (Grammar TEC)

[taniwharugby]

How does Pugh keep getting starts?

[Duluth]

@KiwiMurph said in Waikato v Auckland:

Pleased to see Peita there and at least Vest isn't starting.

By the end of the season maybe Alama will stumble on the best side

Get Vest out of the 23. He has terrible rugby instincts. He is the main culprit in the soft penalties

Good to seem Heem back. I would've been tempted to leave AJ in the midfield and play him on the wing though

[Higgins]

@KiwiMurph I must be getting all alzheimersy as I cannot recall Angus Ta'avao being associated with the Eden Club in the past. Is this a recent thing or has he always been an Eden player? With his wandering minstrel status since about 2014 he may not have even played a club match in Auckland for all that time.

[African Monkey]

@Higgins He was Marist before leaving Auckland. His brother played at Eden for many years so maybe thats why he's lined up with them these days?

[Daffy Jaffy]

@KiwiMurph said in Waikato v Auckland:

I don't know much about Sam Lester.

From varsity club. He seems to have come up from Canterbury University Club. There is a congrats post about him on their Facebook page -

[Higgins]

@African-Monkey I see he is listed as being a Tukapa RFC member (think they are the Doolie mob in Taranaki) when he became and All Black #1175 in 2018 http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/profile.asp?ABID=1175

[Daffy Jaffy]

We seem to be Having a minor propping crisis -
Hodgeman
James Lay
Ahio
Fisitua
Tuipulotu

[Stargazer]

This game will also be live on Prime TV.

[Duluth]

Auckland has a good recent record v Waikato:
Auckland v Waikato

They didn't play last year obviously. Auckland won twice in 2020. The last Waikato win was 2017

[Bovidae]

Waikato NPC team named to host Auckland for the Stan Thomas Memorial.

Waikato NPC have named their matchday 23 as they return home to FMG Stadium Waikato to face Auckland, in the Battle of...

[Bovidae]

No mention if D’Angelo Leuila is injured or just rested. Good to have Finau and McWhannell back.

[Yeetyaah]

Gee looking at the lineups this should be a slapper of a match.

[bayimports]

@Yeetyaah said in Waikato v Auckland:

Gee looking at the lineups this should be a slapper of a match.

lol Im getting old, a slapper used to be something completely different ha ha

[Crucial]

@bayimports said in Waikato v Auckland:

@Yeetyaah said in Waikato v Auckland:

Gee looking at the lineups this should be a slapper of a match.

lol Im getting old, a slapper used to be something completely different ha ha

Is it in Hamilton? Lisa Lewis attending would make it a slapper of a match.

[antipodean]

Fucking hell Pickerill is a shit referee.

[African Monkey]

Finau gives me Vaea Fifita vibes.

Auckland cleaners so far have been very slow.

[antipodean]

That's the tackler rolling away is it? Fucking hell.

[Stargazer]

I loved that offload from Plummer.

[Crucial]

@antipodean said in Waikato v Auckland:

Fucking hell Pickerill is a shit referee.

At least some things in the world remain constant.