NPC 2023

[Higgins]

@Kiwiwomble Not exactly true if you have a team good enough to give you home ground advantage in the quarters, semis and the final.

[Kiwiwomble]

@Higgins ....so my point stands then

i mean compared to teams in europe might have 15-16 home games before playoffs, football could have 20-30 home games depending on cup competitions

[JK]

Harbour bringing a couple of (big) games back to the mighty Onewa Domain!

[Kiwiwomble]

@JK damn maroon on black is hard to read

whats "storm week"?

[Stargazer]

@Kiwiwomble That term has been used for years now for the week in which teams play a mid-week game (so 3 games in about 8-10 days).

[Kiwiwomble]

@Stargazer ha! learn something new every day, hadn't noticed it before

[Stargazer]

[Kiwiwomble]

@Stargazer underrated (in dunedin anyway)

[KiwiPie]

[Higgins]

@KiwiPie Is the inclusion of dates for the Quarters, Semis and Final wishful pie in the sky thinking by the designer of the sheet or are your mob in with a serious chance of playing on any of those last three dates?

[Stargazer]

@Higgins I think it's normal to include those dates. They're part of the draw. After all, the names of the teams are not included in those games.

[KiwiPie]

@Higgins well last season we played on 2 of those dates so we're keeping the dates free just in case

[Chris B.]

@Canes4life said in NPC 2023:

Defending champs and Ranfurly Shield holders Wellington have released their draw. Man it feels good to write that.

The Southland Stags to get the first challenge.

Wellington Lions Bunnings Warehouse NPC Draw Announced

Round 3 might be quite an interesting round if you guys can avoid the total incompetence of losing to Southland.

Fringe players who don't need to be selected for Fozzie's crusade include Lomax, Frizell, Blackadder, Christie, Havili, Jordan, Fainga'anuku and Reece!

[Stargazer]

Not sure what this is about, but I guess we'll see tomorrow.

[Higgins]

@Stargazer I'll have a guess at the Headline

Ioane brothers sign for the combined Nelson Bays/Marlborough NPC Team!

[Stargazer]

@Higgins Haha, that would be something.

Now I'm thinking about it. Don't they need a new coach? @Chris-B?

[Stargazer]

Preseason game (20-minute quarters):

Manawatū Evergreens v Hawke's Bay Saracens (not sure they still use that name; they haven't for the last 2-3 years)
Tuesday 25 April 2023 - Te Kawau RFC, Rongotea
Kick-off 2.00pm

Evergreens squad:

[Stargazer]

https://www.northlandrugby.co.nz/newsarticle/127576

Head Coach of the Northland NPC Semco Taniwha, Marty Veale, is stepping down from his position. Northland Rugby accepted his resignation this week. While the union are sad to see him leave, we appreciate the development, progression and new ideas Marty has executed during his time as Head Coach. Marty is leaving his role due to personal circumstances.

Marty joined the team as Head Coach in December 2023, his tenure as Head Coach follows a successful stint as Assistant Coach with the Northland Semco Taniwha in 2022 – the year that saw the team reach the quarter finals.

Marty will officially step down from his role on 19th May, and we will provide updates on replacements as soon as we are able to.

[Tim]

@Stargazer That's tough for Northland. They seem to have trouble retaining coaches?

[taniwharugby]

@Tim not sure we have issues retaining coaches, Konia stayed on possibly a year or 2 too long (think he came back in 2018 through to 2022, after a prior stint in 2013/2014) attracting a quality coach at this point will be an issue I expect, hope they dont go to Graeme Dewes, our forward coach, technically I think he is good, but not sure about his management of players, player development and delivering messages

In terms of Marty, I expect he has desires higher up in the blues, but you'd like to think if he was a candidate, they'd have let him see out his contract for 2023 at least...