Manawatu v Otago 02.35
Wed 3 Oct
Taranaki v Waikato 02:35
Thur 4 Oct
Tasman v Bay of Plenty 02:35
Fri 5 Oct
Northland v Canterbury 02:35
Manawatu v Hawke's Bay 21:35
Sat 6 Oct
Counties Manukau v Waikato 00:35
Otago v Wellington 02:35
Southland v Taranaki 21:35
North Harbour v Auckland 23:35
Tues 9 Oct
Counties Manukau v Tasman 02:35
This thanks to my captain of the superbru team I belong to. Superrugbytipping.
The predictions are mine...sorry Superrugby...
ITM Cup Round 12 and 13 starts tomorrow and things are getting exciting as teams battle fatigue and each other in an attempt to make the semi finals. The Premiership semi finalists are clear cut with Wellington, Auckland, Taranaki and Canterbury jostling for position inside the top four with home ground advantage a major advantage. In the Championship it is a one horse race with Counties Manukau enjoying a massive advantage going into the semi finals. Otago looks relatively assurred of joining them with Northland, Tasman and Southland chasing the final two spots. It is in many ways ridiculous having semi finals in seven team leagues meaning that eight out of 14 teams make the playoffs. So ridiculous is the situation that Southland who got walloped by Canterbury 84-0 are still in the hunt for the semi finals of the Championship, although you get the feeling just making the top four isn't enough with avoiding Counties the aim.
Unfortunately for some of the Championship teams, their lack of depth is being exposed with both Manawatu and Southland receiving hidings from Premiership teams in recent matches.
Who is hot?
Auckland, Wellington, Taranaki and Canterbury are looking a cut above their rivals in the Premiership.
Who is not?
Waikato only just snuck a win over Tasman, but are in serious threat of getting relegated given that they have two tough matches left this season against Taranaki and Counties and in quick succession. It would be amazing to see the Chiefs main union Waikato relegated given how the Chiefs won Super Rugby. North Harbour, Manawatu and Southland are struggling. Harbour improved against Wellington, but still lost, while the Turbos and Stags got thrashed in their last games.
I am picking Canterbury or Auckland to finish top of the ITM Cup Premiership, and could Taranaki end the season with the Ranfurly Shield and the ITM Cup?
I was confidant of Orks until canterbury massacred the Stags 84-0 on Sunday. They were clinical.
Premiership
1)Taranaki
2)Canterbury
3)Wellington
4)Auckland
Championship
1) Counties
2) Otago
3) Tasman
4) Southland
Who are you picking to win ITM Cup Round 7 matches? Who will make the semi finals?
ITM Cup 2012 standings
CHAMPIONSHIP
Counties Manukau 7 5 0 2 27
Otago 7 4 0 3 20
Northland 8 3 0 5 16
Tasman 7 3 0 4 16
Southland 8 3 0 5 15
Manawatu 7 2 0 5 10
North Harbour 8 0 0 8 4
PREMIERSHIP
Wellington 8 6 0 2 29
Auckland 8 6 0 2 28
Taranaki 7 6 0 1 28
Canterbury 7 5 0 2 24
Bay of Plenty 8 3 0 5 16
Waikato 7 3 0 4 14
Hawke's Bay 7 3 0 4 14
Preview: Manawatu v Otago
This from planet rugby:WE THINK: Manawatu really needs to win this match but it's going to be hard work against an Otago side that has played well all season. The Dark Blues have also been more consistent -even when beaten, they haven't gone quietly. Manawatu has been unreliable -good in patches, but very shaky at other times. The forward battle should be even, but Otago's backs appeal as a much better set and that tips the balance in their favour -possibly with a degree of comfort at the end.
TEAMS:
Manawatu: 1. Grant Polson, 2. Rob Foreman, 3. Ma'afu Fia, 4. Reece Robinson, 5. Michael Fitzgerald, 6. Nick Crosswell (capt), 7. Callum Gibbins, 8. Hamish Gosling, 9. Papa Wharewera, 10. Nathan George, 11. Nehe Milner-Skudder, 12. Matenga Baker, 13. Jason Emery, 14. Craig Clare, 15. Lewis Marshall.
Reserves: 16. Bryn Templeman, 17. Eric Fry, 18. Fraser Stone, 19. Antonio Kirikiri, 20.Karl Bryson, 21. Shaun Curry, 22. Willie Paia'aua.
Otago: 1. Tama Tuirirangi, 2. Sam Anderson-Heather, 3. Aki Seuili, 4. Justin Ives, 5. Rob Verbakel, 6. TJ Ioane, 7. Adam Hill, 8. Paul Grant (capt), 9. Fumiaki Tanaka, 10. Hayden Parker, 11. Buxton Popoali'i, 12. Glenn Dickson, 13. Michael Collins, 14. Marshall Suckling, 15. Tony Ensor.
Reserves: 16. Shota Horie, 17. Liam Coltman, 18. Tom Franklin, 19. Gareth Evans, 20. Brad Weber, 21. Peter Breen, 22. Matt Faddes.
Pete says.
I probably won't wake up for this until 2nd half. Two poor teams.
I agree with planet rugby writer and bookies.
Otago played quite well against Hawkes Bay last week and lost it right at the end. They, at least played with some endeavour and imagination. They are probably tired after only a 2 day turnaround.
Manawatu miss Tomasi Cama which will hurt, but Otago miss jayden spence
Otago by 2. They have a canny ability to lose it in the dying stages.
Game over and Otago win 51-35. Never saw game as it wasn't on internet.
Preview: Taranaki v Waikato
Taranaki and Waikato have played seven previous Shield matches and the Log has changed hands once, back in 1996. But Taranaki will be dead keen to do the business one more time and become the first union outside of Auckland, Canterbury and Waikato to have it in their trophy cabinet for consecutive summers since Manawatu turned the trick in 1977.
Pass It On
0
VENUE & TIME: Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth, Wednesday October 3 @ 1935
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 76; Taranaki 30, Waikato 40, drawn 6.
LAST TIME: July 21, 2011 (Hamilton) – Waikato 23-30 Taranaki.
WALKING WOUNDED: Taranaki are, if anything, stronger than they were against Manawatu since Jarrad Hoeata is back at blindside and there is a bracket at No 8. Otherwise Colin Cooper named the same side that thumped Manawatu. Waikato, on the other hand, made seven personnel changes from the side that struggled with Tasman. Four are in the forwards where experienced campaigners Toby Smith, Marcel Cummings-Toone and Romana Graham return from injury, and the inside backs have also been shaken up. But the backline changes were optional and the three replaced men are all on the bench.
FORM:
Taranaki:
Round 3: beat Hawke's Bay 22-6 (h, RS)
Round 4: beat Canterbury 18-9 (h, RS)
Round 5: lost to Auckland 32-43 (a)
Round 6: beat Northland 32-31 (a)
Round 7: beat Manawatu 59-18 (h, RS)
Waikato:
Round 3: lost to Auckland 22-32 (a)
Round 4: beat Bay of Plenty 15-6 (h)
Round 5: lost to Wellington 13-29 (a)
Round 6: lost to Canterbury 27-52 (h)
Round 7: beat Tasman 20-19 (h)
Taranaki carried on their good work with a big win over Manawatu on Saturday, doing the hard yards early and letting the outside backs cut loose. All eight tries were scored by the three-quarters and fullback, so the ball was used both wisely and well. Taranaki have been a good Shield holder this year, soaking up whatever early pressure the challenger applies and then burying them over the last quarter. One more win will secure the Shield for another summer and ensure Taranaki are in the playoffs, which would be two out of three season goals checked off.
Waikato are still struggling, as they have for most of the season. They had a hard time putting Tasman away despite plenty of ball and plenty of field position; when it mattered, the last pass would not stick or the ball would be turned over. Nobody can complain too much about the forwards, who have done a good job all year, but the backline has been a major disappointment and simply must get cracking if the Mooloos are going to cause Taranaki any grief. They're solid enough defensively, but the Waikato attack has never caught fire.
WHO'S HOT: Although the big men up front did all the necessary hard work, Taranaki's outside backs had the fun last week. Kurt Baker had one of those days he'd like to bottle and carry around, since every time he got the ball he made things happen – even if it was from deep in his own territory. Three tries was a fair reward for a very good game. Andre Taylor's comeback was impressive, and he showed no ill effects from a month on the sideline with a badly broken finger. He also scored a try, but played a leading role in several others. On the other wing Frazier Climo had another big day out; this time he scored two tries and ended up with 27 points for the second week running. He may have missed a few wide-angles kicks late in the game, but when it mattered early on he was banging them over from all angles.
Waikato lacked spark against Tasman, but Tawera Kerr-Barlow provided plenty when he came on. More impressive than his ability to carry out regular halfback duties was his effectiveness at the breakdown, where he pinched three turnovers just because he was in the right place at the right time and good enough to get the job done. Zak Hohneck was busy around the field, and Waikato had several periods when their phase play was continuous and difficult to combat. He is a good flanker who you don't see often in the wide-open spaces, but look around the ruck and you're likely to see his back as he gets in there over the ball once again. Out on the wing Declan O'Donnell has some good moments – generally when going forward - and he doesn't need a lot of room to slip away. His defence is likely to be tested in this game, since Taranaki spreads the ball well, and he is one of many who really needs to be at his best if the Shield is going to change hands.
WE THINK: With the best will in the world, we can't see any reason to suspect Waikato will relieve Taranaki of its most prized rugby possession. The Mooloos have struggled all year and found plenty of ways to hurt themselves; no team playing against this Taranaki side needs self-inflicted wounds hampering them. Taranaki has played a lot of good rugby this year, the team is cohesive and skilled and it has a really good, level-headed skipper who is getting used to holding trophies up for the fans. Taranaki should be comfortable in this one.
TEAMS:
Taranaki: 1. Chris King, 2. Laurence Corlett, 3. Michael Bent, 4. Craig Clarke (capt), 5. Jason Eaton, 6. Jarrad Hoeata, 7. Chris Walker, 8. Blade Thomson or Kane Barrett, 9. Jamison Gibson-Park, 10. James Marshall, 11. Frazier Climo, 12. Jayden Hayward, 13. Willie Rickards, 14. Andre Taylor, 15. Kurt Baker.
Reserves: 16. Timo Tutavaha, 17. Carl Carmichael, 18. James Broadhurst, 19. Barrett or Thomson, 20. Bernie Hall, 21. Brett Goodin, 22. Jack Cameron.
Waikato: 1. Toby Smith, 2. Marcel Cummings-Toone, 3. Ben May, 4. Romana Graham, 5. Sam Kilgour, 6. Matt Vant Leven, 7. Zak Hohneck, 8. Alex Bradley (capt), 9. Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 10. Sam Christie, 11. Tim Mikkelson, 12. Jackson Willison, 13. Save Tokula, 14. Declan O'Donnell, 15. Trent Renata.
Reserves: 16. Vance Elliott, 17. Latu Talakai or Ted Tauroa, 18. Anthony Wise, 19. Rory Grice, 20. Brendon Leonard, 21. Piers Francis, 22. Joe Webber.
REFEREE: Bryce Lawrence
Pete says.
This is the game I'm waiting for. Weather says rain all day so ground will be soft and ball a bit wet.
I think this favors the Waikato pack who can dominate the best. renata is a good penalty kicker and Kerr barlow at SH will keep mooloos ion the right half of the field all night.
At beginning of season mooloos were second favs to win premiership. They struggled and are now fighting to stay in top division. they have as much motivation as The Naki have in retaining Ranfurly shield and a place in final 4.
The difference is that Mooloos have more S15 players in the squad and they really only have this game to rescue their season by holding ranfurly shield.
If the ball comes out to the backs the Mooloos are more likely to score.
Waikato by 2. I am one of the 8% who believe they can do it.
And game over and waikato took Naki to the cleaners. They won easily 46-10. Naki did everything they could but where outplayed all over the park..
Preview: Tasman v Bay of Plenty
This is the fifth time in six meetings that Bay of Plenty has had to travel to Tasman, and the last time was not a pleasant experience for the Steamers as Tom Marshall booted them off the park. With so much riding on this match for both sides, neither would like to be on the thin end of a fat penalty count on Thursday night.
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HEAD TO HEAD: Played 5; Tasman 1, Bay of Plenty 4.
LAST TIME: October 10, 2010 (Blenheim) - Tasman 41-39 Bay of Plenty.
WALKING WOUNDED: Tasman will be waiting on a report on seasoned prop Campbell Johnstone, who is in doubt for this one and has been bracketed on the bench. There is also a bracket on the wing with Peter Betham and James Lowe, with whoever does not start filling a bench spot. Otherwise it's a familiar-looking Tasman team. Jamie Nutbrown returns for Bay of Plenty after recovering from the shoulder dislocation he suffered against Otago five weeks ago, but two significant losses more than cancel that out. Luke Braid has been battling a toe injury and Phil Burleigh has been ruled out with concussion.
FORM:
Tasman:
Round 3: beat Manawatu 27-3 (a)
Round 4: beat Southland 13-10 (h)
Round 5: lost to Northland 17-20 (h)
Round 6: lost to Otago 13-39 (a)
Round 7: lost to Waikato 19-20 (a)
Bay of Plenty:
Round 4: lost to Waikato 6-15 (a)
Round 5: beat Auckland 37-16 (h)
Round 6: lost to Hawke's Bay 41-42 (a)
Round 7: lost to Wellington 26-36 (h)
Round 8: beat Northland 31-19 (h)
Tasman certainly couldn't complain about lack of opportunity against Waikato but a couple of defensive lapses hurt, and there was a ten-minute period when Tasman did nothing but tackle. The Makos, who had been all over the game before that, never really recovered but did have a chance to snatch it, only to make a mess of a sequence play and turn the ball over before a dropped goal could be attempted. They got one point, but it could easily have been four.
Bay of Plenty turned at halftime with the prospect of defending a three-point lead into the breeze at Mt Maunganui, but they did a lot better than that. After blowing too many chances to make anyone happy in the first half, the Bay forwards knuckled down in the second and played smart into-the-wind football, controlling territory and possession. They also took full advantage of the ten minutes when Northland had a man in the bin, scored four tries and claimed an invaluable fifth point.
WHO'S HOT: The Tasman team has held together well all season, and most players would be reasonably pleased with their overall form. New prop Tim Perry has enjoyed a big first year in provincial rugby, more than holding his own in the tight and contributing well around the field. Filipo Levi may be at the other end of the experience scale, but his effectiveness remains high. He is a reliable man in the tight and tough around the rucks, while his mobility and power as a ball-carrier often help his side go forward. Jeremy Su'a shows touches of brilliance at times, but at others he and the rest of the team aren't on the same page and the connection breaks down. He clears the ball well as a rule and can be dangerous on the break, but those little no-look passes in traffic go to ground too often to make the coaches happy. If Su'a gets it right, though, he is a danger to any side.
Greg Pleasants-Tate was an unlikely media darling after the Northland game, since the big front-rower capped a sweeping move with a 45m dash for the line. Beyond his surprising speed, he has good command of the basic skills a prop needs, and he has put in a good year. Dan Goodwin - who didn't intend to play rep footy this year, but stepped up when the Bay was hit by injuries - had a big game against his old team, capping a good display with a couple of well-taken forward tries. His contribution may yet be the one that sparks Bay of Plenty in its bid to retain Premiership status for 2013. Nick McCashin has been a true utility this season, filling a variety of roles and generally doing it pretty well. He is a decent fullback with a solid punt and good positional skills, while he can also prove an effective attacker when he gets together with his three-quarters on kick returns.
WE THINK: Tasman has been close on several occasions this year but the season may be wearing some of the regulars down about now. The First XV has done a lot of work - generally well - but they have all racked up plenty of playing time and lots of bruises. Bay of Plenty did things well in the second spell against Northland and closed the game out, which was a performance that leads us to tip the visitors by a few points in what should be a close match.
TEAMS:
Tasman: 1. Tim Perry, 2. Quentin MacDonald, 3. Sam Prattley, 4. Filipo Levi, 5. Joe Wheeler, 6. Tevita Kolomatangi, 7. Shane Christie, 8. Jordan Taufua, 9. Jeremy Su'a, 10. Hayden Cripps, 11. Robbie Malneek, 12. Andrew Goodman (capt), 13. Kieron Fonotia, 14. Peter Betham or James Lowe, 15. Tom Marshall.
Reserves: 16. Francis Smith, 17. Campbell Johnstone or Reuben Northover, 18. Riki Hoeata, 19. Gary Redmond, 20. Steve Alfeld, 21. Lowe or Betham, 22. Sione Holani.
Bay of Plenty: 1. Greg Pleasants-Tate, 2. John Pareanga, 3. Josh Hohneck, 4. Dan Goodwin, 5. Leon Power, 6. Tanerau Latimer (capt), 7. Jesse Acton, 8. Carl Axtens, 9. Lewis Hancock, 10. Chris Noakes, 11. Lance MacDonald, 12. Mafi Kefu, 13. Kendrick Lynn, 14. Lelia Masaga, 15. Nick McCashin.
Reserves: 16. Nathan Harris, 17. Mike Kainga, 18. Keepa Mewett, 19. Matt Clutterbuck, 20. Jamie Nutbrown, 21. Simon Rolleston, 22. Jack Wilson.
REFEREE: Richard Kelly
Pete says
This is a hard one. my notes say Tasman defended well against waikato and look how well they played to secure Ranfurly shield.
My notes on BOP say
So much ball and territory and yet cannot get enough points. Despite great backs thhey refuse to play wide often enough. Against Northland BOP ran out of steam.
BOP absolutely must win this or will be playing 2nd tier next month.
BOP's last game is away against Canterbury and you can mark that down as a loss.
Hawks Bay are 2 pts behind with a game in hand, but the only game they are assured of winning in next 3 is the one versus manawatu. I think they will lose away to Waikato and home to Canterbury.
I've said it more than once that I cannot understand how the BOP backs cannot score more.
BOP by 3
Game over.
BOP limp and beaten by 17-3. Good luck BOP in 2nd tier contest next year. they have probably lostt alot of revenue because of this poor performance. they are a feeder for Chiefs and, quite frankly there will be slim pickings. Latimer played well , but so may didn't. Masaga, once one of the best backs in NZ never saw the ball. So many backs are S15 but maybe not next year. And finally get rid of coach.
Preview: Northland v Canterbury
Northland faces
a big task in this match, as it squares off against a Canterbury team
that has run up 136 points in its last two outings -but if Northland
wants to make significant progress towards the Championship playoffs, a
good performance here is very important.
VENUE & TIME: Toll Stadium, Whangarei, Friday October 5 @ 1935
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 36; Northland 8, Canterbury 28.
LAST TIME: August 14, 2011 (Addington) -Canterbury 28-13 Northland.
WALKING WOUNDED: Both sides show a lot of changes from last week, although in both cases many are optional. Eddie Paea was never going to play for Northland after sustaining a severe head knock last week, but on the flip side Derek Carpenter returns to action. The pack has also been shaken up, with the bigger Dan Faleafa getting the blindside spot and the front row having Tone Kopelani in the middle of it. Canterbury has also made changes from the side that demolished Southland, although most are straight swaps between the run-on XV and the bench. Ryan Crotty will not play after being on day-to-day watch during the week, but Wyatt Crockett is over his back problems and returns to the front row. Tom Taylor moves out one place in the backline and Tyler Bleyendaal takes the No 10 shirt.
FORM:
Northland:
Round 4: beat North Harbour 18-17 (h)
Round 5: beat Tasman 20-17 (a)
Round 6: lost to Taranaki 31-32 (h)
Round 7: lost to Southland 12-16 (a)
Round 8: lost to Bay of Plenty 19-31 (a)
Canterbury:
Round 3: beat North Harbour 36-3 (h)
Round 4: beat Wellington 20-12 (h)
Round 5: lost to Taranaki 9-18 (a, RS)
Round 6: beat Waikato 52-27 (a)
Round 7: beat Southland 84-0 (h)
Northland certainly had its chances at Mt Maunganui and did a fine job into the breeze, turning with the score only 7-10 against them. But then with the elements at their backs they could not contain the Bay of Plenty forwards, who scored all their team's four tries -two of which came when Northland was down a man. Poor handling killed off several other chances and, for the third time in a row, Northland let a winnable position slip and this time there wasn't even a consolation point.
Canterbury had no problems with Southland; for much of the game, it looked like a mildly opposed training run. Canterbury had seven tries on the board before halftime and added five more in the last quarter; Tom Taylor set a record for top-flight championship rugby since the NPC started by converting them all. Canterbury was, for the most part, efficient, clinical and ruthless, but that was enhanced by Southland's inept showing in all areas. Still, you can't score 84 points and play badly.
WHO'S HOT: Northland will rely on its dangerous midfield pairing of Derek Carpenter and Rene Ranger to provide of its attacking threat, as has been the case all season. By far the most effective players in the Northland side, these two work well together as a pair while each presents individual difficulties for his marker. Ranger is as powerful as anyone in the ITM Cup and uses that strength effectively, while Carpenter makes good use of the space created when opposition sides double-team his centre partner. In a match where speed to the loose ball will be important, Dan Pryor has a big job to do. He's very quick and often reads the play perfectly, so he can get over the ball before anyone can stop him winning a turnover. Against the well-performed Canterbury trio he'll need a fair bit of help, but look for Northland's No 7 to be right on the ball all day.
Nobody who played for Canterbury last week had a bad day; in fact, most players had very good ones. For all the free running and his own two tries, prop Paea Fa'anunu did his core tasks first and the Canterbury set piece was seldom under pressure. He also got around in good style and was often to the fore when the ball was being carted up. Tom Taylor had a perfect day off the tee, and when we're talking about 12/12, that's outstanding. Not all his kicks were gimmes, either, and yet every one went right down the middle. He also had a strong if unobtrusive game at first-five, and was involved in many scoring movements. Telusa Veainu has been restricted to bit-part action for much of the season but when he gets on he's an immediate threat and his two tries were both well taken. He hasn't lost any of the pace or elusiveness he displayed earlier in his career, and so cannot be taken lightly by any defence.
WE THINK: Northland will have to give its best display of the year and hope Canterbury is a bit off the pace if it is to win this one. Northland has missed three consecutive chances to beat lesser opposition than a Canterbury team gearing up for another run at the finals, and that won't be good enough on Friday. On the other hand, Canterbury has walloped two solid sides in consecutive matches and is looking menacing. The visitors should win this game, and do it quite comfortably.
TEAMS:
Northland: 1. Ross Wright, 2. Tone Kopelani, 3. Peni Kaufusi, 4. Hale T-Pole, 5. Jack Whetton, 6. Daniel Faleafa, 7. Dan Pryor, 8. William Whetton, 9. Samisoni Fisilau, 10. Ash Moeke, 11. Mateo Malupo, 12. Derek Carpenter, 13. Rene Ranger (capt), 14. Dan Caprice or Matt Wright, 15. Fa'atoina Autagavaia.
Reserves: 16. David Hall, 17. Justin Davies, 18. Cole Campbell, 19. Jack Ram, 20. Tane Takulua, 21. Orene Ai'i, 22. Rhyan Caine.
Canterbury: 1. Wyatt Crockett, 2. Ben Funnell, 3. Paea Fa'anunu, 4. Joel Everson, 5. Dominic Bird, 6. George Whitelock (capt), 7. Matt Todd, 8. Nasi Manu, 9. Andy Ellis, 10. Tyler Bleyendaal, 11. Telusa Veainu, 12. Tom Taylor, 13. Robbie Fruean, 14. Adam Whitelock, 15. Johnny McNicholl.
Reserves: 16. Codie Taylor, 17. Andrew Olorenshaw, 18. Luke Katene, 19. Luke Whitelock, 20. Willi Heinz, 21. Kolio Hifo, 22. Stephen Gee.
REFEREE: Sheldon Eden-Whaitiri
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HEAD TO HEAD: Played 36; Northland 8, Canterbury 28.
LAST TIME: August 14, 2011 (Addington) -Canterbury 28-13 Northland.
WALKING WOUNDED: Both sides show a lot of changes from last week, although in both cases many are optional. Eddie Paea was never going to play for Northland after sustaining a severe head knock last week, but on the flip side Derek Carpenter returns to action. The pack has also been shaken up, with the bigger Dan Faleafa getting the blindside spot and the front row having Tone Kopelani in the middle of it. Canterbury has also made changes from the side that demolished Southland, although most are straight swaps between the run-on XV and the bench. Ryan Crotty will not play after being on day-to-day watch during the week, but Wyatt Crockett is over his back problems and returns to the front row. Tom Taylor moves out one place in the backline and Tyler Bleyendaal takes the No 10 shirt.
FORM:
Northland:
Round 4: beat North Harbour 18-17 (h)
Round 5: beat Tasman 20-17 (a)
Round 6: lost to Taranaki 31-32 (h)
Round 7: lost to Southland 12-16 (a)
Round 8: lost to Bay of Plenty 19-31 (a)
Canterbury:
Round 3: beat North Harbour 36-3 (h)
Round 4: beat Wellington 20-12 (h)
Round 5: lost to Taranaki 9-18 (a, RS)
Round 6: beat Waikato 52-27 (a)
Round 7: beat Southland 84-0 (h)
Northland certainly had its chances at Mt Maunganui and did a fine job into the breeze, turning with the score only 7-10 against them. But then with the elements at their backs they could not contain the Bay of Plenty forwards, who scored all their team's four tries -two of which came when Northland was down a man. Poor handling killed off several other chances and, for the third time in a row, Northland let a winnable position slip and this time there wasn't even a consolation point.
Canterbury had no problems with Southland; for much of the game, it looked like a mildly opposed training run. Canterbury had seven tries on the board before halftime and added five more in the last quarter; Tom Taylor set a record for top-flight championship rugby since the NPC started by converting them all. Canterbury was, for the most part, efficient, clinical and ruthless, but that was enhanced by Southland's inept showing in all areas. Still, you can't score 84 points and play badly.
WHO'S HOT: Northland will rely on its dangerous midfield pairing of Derek Carpenter and Rene Ranger to provide of its attacking threat, as has been the case all season. By far the most effective players in the Northland side, these two work well together as a pair while each presents individual difficulties for his marker. Ranger is as powerful as anyone in the ITM Cup and uses that strength effectively, while Carpenter makes good use of the space created when opposition sides double-team his centre partner. In a match where speed to the loose ball will be important, Dan Pryor has a big job to do. He's very quick and often reads the play perfectly, so he can get over the ball before anyone can stop him winning a turnover. Against the well-performed Canterbury trio he'll need a fair bit of help, but look for Northland's No 7 to be right on the ball all day.
Nobody who played for Canterbury last week had a bad day; in fact, most players had very good ones. For all the free running and his own two tries, prop Paea Fa'anunu did his core tasks first and the Canterbury set piece was seldom under pressure. He also got around in good style and was often to the fore when the ball was being carted up. Tom Taylor had a perfect day off the tee, and when we're talking about 12/12, that's outstanding. Not all his kicks were gimmes, either, and yet every one went right down the middle. He also had a strong if unobtrusive game at first-five, and was involved in many scoring movements. Telusa Veainu has been restricted to bit-part action for much of the season but when he gets on he's an immediate threat and his two tries were both well taken. He hasn't lost any of the pace or elusiveness he displayed earlier in his career, and so cannot be taken lightly by any defence.
WE THINK: Northland will have to give its best display of the year and hope Canterbury is a bit off the pace if it is to win this one. Northland has missed three consecutive chances to beat lesser opposition than a Canterbury team gearing up for another run at the finals, and that won't be good enough on Friday. On the other hand, Canterbury has walloped two solid sides in consecutive matches and is looking menacing. The visitors should win this game, and do it quite comfortably.
TEAMS:
Northland: 1. Ross Wright, 2. Tone Kopelani, 3. Peni Kaufusi, 4. Hale T-Pole, 5. Jack Whetton, 6. Daniel Faleafa, 7. Dan Pryor, 8. William Whetton, 9. Samisoni Fisilau, 10. Ash Moeke, 11. Mateo Malupo, 12. Derek Carpenter, 13. Rene Ranger (capt), 14. Dan Caprice or Matt Wright, 15. Fa'atoina Autagavaia.
Reserves: 16. David Hall, 17. Justin Davies, 18. Cole Campbell, 19. Jack Ram, 20. Tane Takulua, 21. Orene Ai'i, 22. Rhyan Caine.
Canterbury: 1. Wyatt Crockett, 2. Ben Funnell, 3. Paea Fa'anunu, 4. Joel Everson, 5. Dominic Bird, 6. George Whitelock (capt), 7. Matt Todd, 8. Nasi Manu, 9. Andy Ellis, 10. Tyler Bleyendaal, 11. Telusa Veainu, 12. Tom Taylor, 13. Robbie Fruean, 14. Adam Whitelock, 15. Johnny McNicholl.
Reserves: 16. Codie Taylor, 17. Andrew Olorenshaw, 18. Luke Katene, 19. Luke Whitelock, 20. Willi Heinz, 21. Kolio Hifo, 22. Stephen Gee.
REFEREE: Sheldon Eden-Whaitiri
Pete says.
Northland need to win this to have any chance of being in top 4 of 2nd tier and make playoffs. Their last game is against Counties, who, unless they feld a 2nd XV will lose.
Canterbury need to continue winning to make final 2 and home ground advantage in play offs in main tier.
Canterbury should have no problems as they are in great form. Weather conducive at moment to a running game.
Canterbury by 28
Game over Cantab slaughtered Northland 56-11
There will be more than just bragging rights at stake in this border
battle on Saturday; Counties-Manukau will be eager to show the new
Ranfurly Shield holders that their northern neighbour can foot it with
any of the big boys.
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 57; Counties-Manukau 19, Waikato 37, drawn 1.
LAST TIME: August 7, 2011 (Pukekohe) - Counties-Manukau 15-22 Waikato.
WALKING WOUNDED: Ronald Raaymakers makes a return to the Steelers after a hamstring issue, but the side has a familiar look to it for this match. Not surprisingly Waikato has made ten changes from the Shield match, since a lot of key men from that win are both banged up and probably a little flat mentally. Alex Bradley, Sam Kilgour, Save Tokula, Declan O'Donnell and Trent Renata are the only players to back up from that outstanding win.
FORM:
Counties-Manukau:
Round 3: beat North Harbour 27-15 (a)
Round 4: beat Bay of Plenty 47-13 (h)
Round 5: beat Otago 43-12 (h)
Round 6: beat Manawatu 31-28 (a)
Round 7: lost to Auckland 18-22 (a)
Waikato:
Round 4: beat Bay of Plenty 15-6 (h)
Round 5: lost to Wellington 13-29 (a)
Round 6: lost to Canterbury 27-52 (h)
Round 7: beat Tasman 20-19 (h)
Round 8: beat Taranaki 46-10 (a, RS)
Counties-Manukau had its chances against Auckland last week but failed to take them and, at times, looked a little panicky. But that was as much due to the pressure Auckland was applying, and there were times the roles were reversed. The Steelers turned over too much ball in attacking zones - although the breakdowns were a shambles for most of the game - but still gave one of the leading Premiership teams a real hurry-up.
The Waikato forwards turned in a tremendous performance at New Plymouth and the foundations for the Shield win were laid early. The Mooloo pack did pretty much as it pleased for most of the game, and the backs were only too eager to cash in on the hard work done by the big boys. Seven tries to one and a 36-point margin represent a real hiding; in fact, only one other challenger has won so well in the 108-year history of the famous trophy. Waikato deserved every point, too.
WHO'S HOT: Mahonri Schwalger didn't have the happiest night at Eden Park, getting singled out for a yellow card when he was actually nowhere near the play and then getting subbed shortly afterwards. The old warrior will have a few points to prove as a result, and he will no doubt bring all his trademark physicality to bear on the Waikato forwards. Kenyan lock Daniel Adongo has taken a while to get up to speed but he's there now, and is a real physical presence in the heart of the Counties scrum. He also showed a good turn of speed in the open last time out, and he has rapidly become a key man in the Steelers pack. Sherwin Stowers is a real danger-man on the Counties wing and often heads infield to act as a close-in runner, where he just as often makes significant breaks. Against a defence that probably won't have its patterns set, he will need extra-careful watching.
Waikato skipper Alex Bradley was immense even in such a good team effort on Wednesday night. He carried the ball with speed and power, and tackled anything that moved. His leadership was impressive and it was only fair that he was the man who took first possession of the Shield after the game. Rory Grice has impressed in most of his outings to date as a hard worker and a tough loose forward; his ball-playing skills are more than handy as well. No doubt he'll have a lot of work to do in close to the breakdowns, which is a favourite avenue of attack for the Steelers. Joe Webber comes to first-class rugby on the back of a big schools career, but this stuff is a lot faster and the pressure is far more urgent. He has good pace but, like a lot of the younger brigade, needs to sharpen up his ball security; if he can do that, the future looks fairly rosy for the young man.
WE THINK: The biggest challenge for Waikato will be getting back to the sort of energy levels they displayed at New Plymouth; that was the sort of performance that often takes a fair bit out of a team mentally. Counties will be aware of that, and they'll also see with so many inexperienced players in it as a potential Premiership victim. We're going to call it for the Steelers here; they're playing well and are most unlikely to ease up for any reason.
TEAMS:
Counties-Manukau: 1. Simon Lemalu, 2. Mahonri Schwalger, 3. Matt Talaese, 4. Ronald Raaymakers, 5. Daniel Adongo, 6. Jimmy Tupou, 7. DJ Forbes (capt), 8. Adam Cathcart, 9. August Pulu, 10. Baden Kerr, 11. Sherwin Stowers, 12. Bundee Aki, 13. Reynold Lee-Lo, 14. Tony Pulu, 15. Tim Nanai-Williams.
Reserves: 16. Suliasi Taufalele, 17. Maka Tatafu, 18. Ma'ama Vaipulu, 19. Mark Selwyn, 20. David Bason, 21. Ray Laulala, 22. Tyrone Lefau.
Waikato: 1. Latu Talakai, 2. Vance Elliott, 3. Ted Tauroa, 4. Anthony Wise, 5. Sam Kilgour, 6. Rory Grice, 7. Jono Armstrong, 8. Alex Bradley (capt), 9. Brendon Leonard, 10. Piers Francis, 11. Joe Webber, 12. Joe Perawiti, 13. Save Tokula, 14. Declan O'Donnell, 15. Trent Renata.
Reserves: 16. Kalem Chan Boon, 17. Loni Uhila, 18. Johan Bardoul, 19. Adam Burn, 20. Ruaan Du Plooy, 21. Sam Christie, 22. Navi Sikivou.
Game over Cantab slaughtered Northland 56-11
Preview: CountiesManukau v Waikato
There will be more than just bragging rights at stake in this border
battle on Saturday; Counties-Manukau will be eager to show the new
Ranfurly Shield holders that their northern neighbour can foot it with
any of the big boys.
VENUE & TIME: Ecolight Stadium, Pukekohe, Saturday October 6 @ 1735
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LAST TIME: August 7, 2011 (Pukekohe) - Counties-Manukau 15-22 Waikato.
WALKING WOUNDED: Ronald Raaymakers makes a return to the Steelers after a hamstring issue, but the side has a familiar look to it for this match. Not surprisingly Waikato has made ten changes from the Shield match, since a lot of key men from that win are both banged up and probably a little flat mentally. Alex Bradley, Sam Kilgour, Save Tokula, Declan O'Donnell and Trent Renata are the only players to back up from that outstanding win.
FORM:
Counties-Manukau:
Round 3: beat North Harbour 27-15 (a)
Round 4: beat Bay of Plenty 47-13 (h)
Round 5: beat Otago 43-12 (h)
Round 6: beat Manawatu 31-28 (a)
Round 7: lost to Auckland 18-22 (a)
Waikato:
Round 4: beat Bay of Plenty 15-6 (h)
Round 5: lost to Wellington 13-29 (a)
Round 6: lost to Canterbury 27-52 (h)
Round 7: beat Tasman 20-19 (h)
Round 8: beat Taranaki 46-10 (a, RS)
Counties-Manukau had its chances against Auckland last week but failed to take them and, at times, looked a little panicky. But that was as much due to the pressure Auckland was applying, and there were times the roles were reversed. The Steelers turned over too much ball in attacking zones - although the breakdowns were a shambles for most of the game - but still gave one of the leading Premiership teams a real hurry-up.
The Waikato forwards turned in a tremendous performance at New Plymouth and the foundations for the Shield win were laid early. The Mooloo pack did pretty much as it pleased for most of the game, and the backs were only too eager to cash in on the hard work done by the big boys. Seven tries to one and a 36-point margin represent a real hiding; in fact, only one other challenger has won so well in the 108-year history of the famous trophy. Waikato deserved every point, too.
WHO'S HOT: Mahonri Schwalger didn't have the happiest night at Eden Park, getting singled out for a yellow card when he was actually nowhere near the play and then getting subbed shortly afterwards. The old warrior will have a few points to prove as a result, and he will no doubt bring all his trademark physicality to bear on the Waikato forwards. Kenyan lock Daniel Adongo has taken a while to get up to speed but he's there now, and is a real physical presence in the heart of the Counties scrum. He also showed a good turn of speed in the open last time out, and he has rapidly become a key man in the Steelers pack. Sherwin Stowers is a real danger-man on the Counties wing and often heads infield to act as a close-in runner, where he just as often makes significant breaks. Against a defence that probably won't have its patterns set, he will need extra-careful watching.
Waikato skipper Alex Bradley was immense even in such a good team effort on Wednesday night. He carried the ball with speed and power, and tackled anything that moved. His leadership was impressive and it was only fair that he was the man who took first possession of the Shield after the game. Rory Grice has impressed in most of his outings to date as a hard worker and a tough loose forward; his ball-playing skills are more than handy as well. No doubt he'll have a lot of work to do in close to the breakdowns, which is a favourite avenue of attack for the Steelers. Joe Webber comes to first-class rugby on the back of a big schools career, but this stuff is a lot faster and the pressure is far more urgent. He has good pace but, like a lot of the younger brigade, needs to sharpen up his ball security; if he can do that, the future looks fairly rosy for the young man.
WE THINK: The biggest challenge for Waikato will be getting back to the sort of energy levels they displayed at New Plymouth; that was the sort of performance that often takes a fair bit out of a team mentally. Counties will be aware of that, and they'll also see with so many inexperienced players in it as a potential Premiership victim. We're going to call it for the Steelers here; they're playing well and are most unlikely to ease up for any reason.
TEAMS:
Counties-Manukau: 1. Simon Lemalu, 2. Mahonri Schwalger, 3. Matt Talaese, 4. Ronald Raaymakers, 5. Daniel Adongo, 6. Jimmy Tupou, 7. DJ Forbes (capt), 8. Adam Cathcart, 9. August Pulu, 10. Baden Kerr, 11. Sherwin Stowers, 12. Bundee Aki, 13. Reynold Lee-Lo, 14. Tony Pulu, 15. Tim Nanai-Williams.
Reserves: 16. Suliasi Taufalele, 17. Maka Tatafu, 18. Ma'ama Vaipulu, 19. Mark Selwyn, 20. David Bason, 21. Ray Laulala, 22. Tyrone Lefau.
Waikato: 1. Latu Talakai, 2. Vance Elliott, 3. Ted Tauroa, 4. Anthony Wise, 5. Sam Kilgour, 6. Rory Grice, 7. Jono Armstrong, 8. Alex Bradley (capt), 9. Brendon Leonard, 10. Piers Francis, 11. Joe Webber, 12. Joe Perawiti, 13. Save Tokula, 14. Declan O'Donnell, 15. Trent Renata.
Reserves: 16. Kalem Chan Boon, 17. Loni Uhila, 18. Johan Bardoul, 19. Adam Burn, 20. Ruaan Du Plooy, 21. Sam Christie, 22. Navi Sikivou.
Pete agrees. Counties should beat a seriously weakened Waikato by 10
VENUE & TIME: Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, Saturday October 6 @ 1935
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 111; Otago 39, Wellington 63, drawn 9.
LAST TIME: August 14, 2010 (Dunedin) – Otago 22-35 Wellington.
WALKING WOUNDED: Otago skipper Paul Grant's season ended after the first quarter at Palmerston North when he suffered a dislocated shoulder; Glenn Dickson takes over as captain. Only Rob Verbakel wears the same jersey as at Palmerston North in Otago's pack, but the backline is more settled with only one change. Wellington will be pleased to get Reg Goodes back after the young prop has missed most of the year with a fractured eye-socket, while Dane Coles and Shaun Treeby return after sitting on the bench against Harbour. There was a midweek scare over Lima Sopoaga, but the team was named assuming he'd be fit to play.
FORM:
Otago:
Round 4: lost to Counties-Manukau 12-43 (a)
Round 5: beat North Harbour 54-25 (h)
Round 6: beat Tasman 39-13 (h)
Round 7: lost to Hawke's Bay 15-21 (a)
Round 8: beat Manawatu 51-35 (a)
Wellington:
Round 4: lost to Canterbury 12-20 (a)
Round 5: beat Waikato 29-13 (h)
Round 6: lost to Auckland 30-43 (a)
Round 7: beat Bay of Plenty 36-26 (a)
Round 8: beat North Harbour 34-28 (h)
Otago recovered well from its weekend disappointment against Hawke's Bay, beating Manawatu comfortably during the week even if there were some untidy patches. Otago was on the board inside two minutes and steadily built a lead, although this was threatened for a while as the defence got a bit slack in the second spell. But a few stern words got everyone's mind on the job again, and they closed the game out in good style by posting 50 points for the second time this season.
Wellington's showing against North Harbour was hardly their best of the season; rather, they played like a team that expected to win by 60 without doing the hard yards and then, when Harbour refused to lie down, one that was happy to score its four tries and get out with a win. That was accomplished, but not without a few nervous moments. When Wellington did play accurately, they were very dangerous but too much was left up to individuals to make it an impressive victory.
WHO'S HOT: Otago's much-changed pack will need to settle quickly for this game, and Gareth Evans, one of a number of good loosies in the side, will have a job to fill Paul Grant's big boots at No 8. Evans has been going well at flanker, doing the tough stuff around the breakdown and he is a dangerous runner, so his form is certainly good. Otago has an extremely quick back three, and both Buxton Popoali'i and Tony Ensor have been giving defences fits this year. They offer different challenges – Popoali'i has the ability to change direction at speed and operate in a confined space, while the taller Ensor may lack the agility but would give nothing away in straight-line speed. Theis pair has either created or scored a number of Otago's tries in 2012 and many have been from long range, so shutting them down is a high priority for Wellington.
Dane Coles has enjoyed a big season for Wellington, and he has been one of the major contributors for a team that is travelling well. His mobility is well known now but still just as hard to combat, while his set-piece work has been accurate. Young Ardie Savea has put in an outstanding first season to date and some of his tries have been out of the ordinary, including the fine solo score against Harbour. He's more than a ball-runner, though, and is quite happy to get his hands dirty around the rucks and mauls where he wins a few turnovers. Alipate Leiua is having his best season yet for Wellington, carrying the ball strongly and always threatening defences. He's also tightened up his defence and handling, which have been a bit iffy at times in the past, and now rates as one of the best wingers going around in the ITM Cup; he's certainly a player Wellington relies upon in 2012.
WE THINK: If Wellington is as sleepy as it was against North Harbour, it will probably lose this game. Having said that, one suspects Otago will be regarded, consciously or otherwise, as a bigger threat and the preparations will be made accordingly. The Dark Blues are going well and scoring plenty of points but Wellington is as well, so prepare for a high-scoring encounter and maybe a Wellington win by a ten-point margin, although it could be fun getting there.
TEAMS:
Otago: 1. Aki Seiuli, 2. Liam Coltman, 3. Hisa Sasagi, 4. Tom Franklin, 5. Rob Verbakel, 6. Lee Allen, 7. Hugh Blake, 8. Gareth Evans, 9. Fumiaki Tanaka, 10. Hayden Parker, 11. Buxton Popoali'i, 12. Glenn Dickson, 13. Jayden Spence, 14. Marshall Suckling, 15. Tony Ensor.
Reserves: 16. Shota Horie, 17. Jacob Ellison, 18. Justin Ives, 19. TJ Ioane, 20. Brad Weber, 21. Peter Breen, 22. Adam Hill.
Wellington: 1. Reg Goodes, 2. Dane Coles, 3. Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen, 4. Jeremy Thrush (capt), 5. Ross Filipo, 6. Mark Reddish, 7. Ardie Savea, 8. Genesis Mamea, 9. Frae Wilson, 10. Lima Sopoaga, 11. Jason Woodward, 12. Shaun Treeby, 13. Tim Bateman, 14. Alipate Leiua, 15. Charlie Ngatai.
Reserves: 16. Motu Matu'u, 17. Whetu Henry, 18. Arden David-Perrot, 19. Kaipati Gaualofa, 20. Kayne Hammington, 21. Matt Proctor, 22. Scott Fuglistaller.
Preview: Otago v Wellington
Otago and Wellington have played some entertaining matches down the years, and others that were just plain tough. This time both teams will look to make their playoff places more advantageous – both were already secure before the round started, but home field comes into the reckoning now.
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HEAD TO HEAD: Played 111; Otago 39, Wellington 63, drawn 9.
LAST TIME: August 14, 2010 (Dunedin) – Otago 22-35 Wellington.
WALKING WOUNDED: Otago skipper Paul Grant's season ended after the first quarter at Palmerston North when he suffered a dislocated shoulder; Glenn Dickson takes over as captain. Only Rob Verbakel wears the same jersey as at Palmerston North in Otago's pack, but the backline is more settled with only one change. Wellington will be pleased to get Reg Goodes back after the young prop has missed most of the year with a fractured eye-socket, while Dane Coles and Shaun Treeby return after sitting on the bench against Harbour. There was a midweek scare over Lima Sopoaga, but the team was named assuming he'd be fit to play.
FORM:
Otago:
Round 4: lost to Counties-Manukau 12-43 (a)
Round 5: beat North Harbour 54-25 (h)
Round 6: beat Tasman 39-13 (h)
Round 7: lost to Hawke's Bay 15-21 (a)
Round 8: beat Manawatu 51-35 (a)
Wellington:
Round 4: lost to Canterbury 12-20 (a)
Round 5: beat Waikato 29-13 (h)
Round 6: lost to Auckland 30-43 (a)
Round 7: beat Bay of Plenty 36-26 (a)
Round 8: beat North Harbour 34-28 (h)
Otago recovered well from its weekend disappointment against Hawke's Bay, beating Manawatu comfortably during the week even if there were some untidy patches. Otago was on the board inside two minutes and steadily built a lead, although this was threatened for a while as the defence got a bit slack in the second spell. But a few stern words got everyone's mind on the job again, and they closed the game out in good style by posting 50 points for the second time this season.
Wellington's showing against North Harbour was hardly their best of the season; rather, they played like a team that expected to win by 60 without doing the hard yards and then, when Harbour refused to lie down, one that was happy to score its four tries and get out with a win. That was accomplished, but not without a few nervous moments. When Wellington did play accurately, they were very dangerous but too much was left up to individuals to make it an impressive victory.
WHO'S HOT: Otago's much-changed pack will need to settle quickly for this game, and Gareth Evans, one of a number of good loosies in the side, will have a job to fill Paul Grant's big boots at No 8. Evans has been going well at flanker, doing the tough stuff around the breakdown and he is a dangerous runner, so his form is certainly good. Otago has an extremely quick back three, and both Buxton Popoali'i and Tony Ensor have been giving defences fits this year. They offer different challenges – Popoali'i has the ability to change direction at speed and operate in a confined space, while the taller Ensor may lack the agility but would give nothing away in straight-line speed. Theis pair has either created or scored a number of Otago's tries in 2012 and many have been from long range, so shutting them down is a high priority for Wellington.
Dane Coles has enjoyed a big season for Wellington, and he has been one of the major contributors for a team that is travelling well. His mobility is well known now but still just as hard to combat, while his set-piece work has been accurate. Young Ardie Savea has put in an outstanding first season to date and some of his tries have been out of the ordinary, including the fine solo score against Harbour. He's more than a ball-runner, though, and is quite happy to get his hands dirty around the rucks and mauls where he wins a few turnovers. Alipate Leiua is having his best season yet for Wellington, carrying the ball strongly and always threatening defences. He's also tightened up his defence and handling, which have been a bit iffy at times in the past, and now rates as one of the best wingers going around in the ITM Cup; he's certainly a player Wellington relies upon in 2012.
WE THINK: If Wellington is as sleepy as it was against North Harbour, it will probably lose this game. Having said that, one suspects Otago will be regarded, consciously or otherwise, as a bigger threat and the preparations will be made accordingly. The Dark Blues are going well and scoring plenty of points but Wellington is as well, so prepare for a high-scoring encounter and maybe a Wellington win by a ten-point margin, although it could be fun getting there.
TEAMS:
Otago: 1. Aki Seiuli, 2. Liam Coltman, 3. Hisa Sasagi, 4. Tom Franklin, 5. Rob Verbakel, 6. Lee Allen, 7. Hugh Blake, 8. Gareth Evans, 9. Fumiaki Tanaka, 10. Hayden Parker, 11. Buxton Popoali'i, 12. Glenn Dickson, 13. Jayden Spence, 14. Marshall Suckling, 15. Tony Ensor.
Reserves: 16. Shota Horie, 17. Jacob Ellison, 18. Justin Ives, 19. TJ Ioane, 20. Brad Weber, 21. Peter Breen, 22. Adam Hill.
Wellington: 1. Reg Goodes, 2. Dane Coles, 3. Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen, 4. Jeremy Thrush (capt), 5. Ross Filipo, 6. Mark Reddish, 7. Ardie Savea, 8. Genesis Mamea, 9. Frae Wilson, 10. Lima Sopoaga, 11. Jason Woodward, 12. Shaun Treeby, 13. Tim Bateman, 14. Alipate Leiua, 15. Charlie Ngatai.
Reserves: 16. Motu Matu'u, 17. Whetu Henry, 18. Arden David-Perrot, 19. Kaipati Gaualofa, 20. Kayne Hammington, 21. Matt Proctor, 22. Scott Fuglistaller.
Preview: Otago v Wellington
Otago and Wellington have played some entertaining matches down the years, and others that were just plain tough. This time both teams will look to make their playoff places more advantageous – both were already secure before the round started, but home field comes into the reckoning now.
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HEAD TO HEAD: Played 111; Otago 39, Wellington 63, drawn 9.
LAST TIME: August 14, 2010 (Dunedin) – Otago 22-35 Wellington.
WALKING WOUNDED: Otago skipper Paul Grant's season ended after the first quarter at Palmerston North when he suffered a dislocated shoulder; Glenn Dickson takes over as captain. Only Rob Verbakel wears the same jersey as at Palmerston North in Otago's pack, but the backline is more settled with only one change. Wellington will be pleased to get Reg Goodes back after the young prop has missed most of the year with a fractured eye-socket, while Dane Coles and Shaun Treeby return after sitting on the bench against Harbour. There was a midweek scare over Lima Sopoaga, but the team was named assuming he'd be fit to play.
FORM:
Otago:
Round 4: lost to Counties-Manukau 12-43 (a)
Round 5: beat North Harbour 54-25 (h)
Round 6: beat Tasman 39-13 (h)
Round 7: lost to Hawke's Bay 15-21 (a)
Round 8: beat Manawatu 51-35 (a)
Wellington:
Round 4: lost to Canterbury 12-20 (a)
Round 5: beat Waikato 29-13 (h)
Round 6: lost to Auckland 30-43 (a)
Round 7: beat Bay of Plenty 36-26 (a)
Round 8: beat North Harbour 34-28 (h)
Otago recovered well from its weekend disappointment against Hawke's Bay, beating Manawatu comfortably during the week even if there were some untidy patches. Otago was on the board inside two minutes and steadily built a lead, although this was threatened for a while as the defence got a bit slack in the second spell. But a few stern words got everyone's mind on the job again, and they closed the game out in good style by posting 50 points for the second time this season.
Wellington's showing against North Harbour was hardly their best of the season; rather, they played like a team that expected to win by 60 without doing the hard yards and then, when Harbour refused to lie down, one that was happy to score its four tries and get out with a win. That was accomplished, but not without a few nervous moments. When Wellington did play accurately, they were very dangerous but too much was left up to individuals to make it an impressive victory.
WHO'S HOT: Otago's much-changed pack will need to settle quickly for this game, and Gareth Evans, one of a number of good loosies in the side, will have a job to fill Paul Grant's big boots at No 8. Evans has been going well at flanker, doing the tough stuff around the breakdown and he is a dangerous runner, so his form is certainly good. Otago has an extremely quick back three, and both Buxton Popoali'i and Tony Ensor have been giving defences fits this year. They offer different challenges – Popoali'i has the ability to change direction at speed and operate in a confined space, while the taller Ensor may lack the agility but would give nothing away in straight-line speed. Theis pair has either created or scored a number of Otago's tries in 2012 and many have been from long range, so shutting them down is a high priority for Wellington.
Dane Coles has enjoyed a big season for Wellington, and he has been one of the major contributors for a team that is travelling well. His mobility is well known now but still just as hard to combat, while his set-piece work has been accurate. Young Ardie Savea has put in an outstanding first season to date and some of his tries have been out of the ordinary, including the fine solo score against Harbour. He's more than a ball-runner, though, and is quite happy to get his hands dirty around the rucks and mauls where he wins a few turnovers. Alipate Leiua is having his best season yet for Wellington, carrying the ball strongly and always threatening defences. He's also tightened up his defence and handling, which have been a bit iffy at times in the past, and now rates as one of the best wingers going around in the ITM Cup; he's certainly a player Wellington relies upon in 2012.
WE THINK: If Wellington is as sleepy as it was against North Harbour, it will probably lose this game. Having said that, one suspects Otago will be regarded, consciously or otherwise, as a bigger threat and the preparations will be made accordingly. The Dark Blues are going well and scoring plenty of points but Wellington is as well, so prepare for a high-scoring encounter and maybe a Wellington win by a ten-point margin, although it could be fun getting there.
TEAMS:
Otago: 1. Aki Seiuli, 2. Liam Coltman, 3. Hisa Sasagi, 4. Tom Franklin, 5. Rob Verbakel, 6. Lee Allen, 7. Hugh Blake, 8. Gareth Evans, 9. Fumiaki Tanaka, 10. Hayden Parker, 11. Buxton Popoali'i, 12. Glenn Dickson, 13. Jayden Spence, 14. Marshall Suckling, 15. Tony Ensor.
Reserves: 16. Shota Horie, 17. Jacob Ellison, 18. Justin Ives, 19. TJ Ioane, 20. Brad Weber, 21. Peter Breen, 22. Adam Hill.
Wellington: 1. Reg Goodes, 2. Dane Coles, 3. Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen, 4. Jeremy Thrush (capt), 5. Ross Filipo, 6. Mark Reddish, 7. Ardie Savea, 8. Genesis Mamea, 9. Frae Wilson, 10. Lima Sopoaga, 11. Jason Woodward, 12. Shaun Treeby, 13. Tim Bateman, 14. Alipate Leiua, 15. Charlie Ngatai.
Reserves: 16. Motu Matu'u, 17. Whetu Henry, 18. Arden David-Perrot, 19. Kaipati Gaualofa, 20. Kayne Hammington, 21. Matt Proctor, 22. Scott Fuglistaller.
Pete says, it is very simple. Lions must win this to have a good chance of home advantage in play offs.
Otago won't go down without a fight as they too need to win to ensure home advantage come play offs in their division.
Lions by 15
Game over and Lions walked this. Won by 49-22
Southland v Taranaki
Last year Taranaki took the Ranfurly Shield off Southland in a tough game; this year both teams come into the match having received thorough hidings in their most recent matches. With the playoffs looming, somebody has to get things sorted by 2.35pm Sunday.
VENUE & TIME: Rugby Park, Invercargill, Sunday October 7 @ 1435
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 52; Southland 20, Taranaki 31, drawn 1.
LAST TIME: August 24, 2011 (Invercargill, RS) - Southland 12-15 Taranaki.
WALKING WOUNDED: Both teams are showing plenty of changes from their most recent outings. Southland has Jason Rutledge and Nemia Kenatale back after they missed the Canterbury debacle, while the two Alex's, Ryan and Taylor, return to the middle row. Taranaki has lost both Andre Taylor and Willie Rickards with concussion, and the team has received a major shake-up in the loose forwards and inside backs with only Frazier Climo of the backs starting in the same jersey as he did on Wednesday.
FORM:
Southland:
Round 4: lost to Tasman 10-13 (a)
Round 5: beat Hawke's Bay 35-7 (h)
Round 6: beat North Harbour 27-17 (a)
Round 7: beat Northland 16-12 (h)
Round 8: lost to Canterbury 0-84 (a)
Taranaki:
Round 4: beat Canterbury 18-9 (h, RS)
Round 5: lost to Auckland 32-43 (a)
Round 6: beat Northland 32-31 (a)
Round 7: beat Manawatu 59-18 (h, RS)
Round 8: lost to Waikato 10-46 (h, RS)
Southland's promising run came to a screaming halt at Addington last weekend, when Canterbury ran up one of the biggest scores and biggest margins in provincial championship history. No team that loses by 0-84 can play well, and Southland didn't. Way too many missed tackles and line breaks let the red-and-blacks do pretty much as they pleased all day. During the week Jamie Mackintosh penned an open letter of apology to the fans. Guess whose supporters enjoyed the game more.
Taranaki also got thrashed in its latest game, but this was a Shield defence and the amber-and-blacks hardly raised a whimper of protest as Waikato ran roughshod over them from the opening whistle to the last. The Taranaki forwards were passive (Waikato won the breakdown turnovers 9-1) and the backs ineffective, which made it a long night for the faithful. Most of them took matters into their own hands and left long before the end; nobody could blame them for that either.
WHO'S HOT: After a couple of beltings like these two sides received, nobody was in even lukewarm form for either. The big test will clearly be how they recover mentally and respond physically and the two skippers, Jamie Mackintosh and Craig Clarke, have big parts to play in that. Both are proud men who will hate those results and we can expect to see them both at the forefront of far more vigorous packs. In fact, the forward exchanges promise to be really rugged, since a lot of embarrassment will need to be worked out. Among the Southland backs the newish halfback pairing of Nemia Kenatale and Scott Eade has promise; Kenatale has been clearing the ball well and using some good options to upset his opposition while Eade looks most promising with his good hands, steady boot and courage under fire. A new combination in the Taranaki backline has interesting possibilities too; Kurt Baker at centre and Jackson Ormond on the wing are both really quick, both have an eye for an opening and both know how to finish. Baker has been in good touch for most of this season while Ormond has mainly been a bit player, but those who remember how he lit Auckland up in 2011 will have a healthy regard for his ability.
WE THINK: It's never easy recovering from a bad loss and the road back up the hill is always a lot longer than the one down, so this match is likely to be one of those games where style goes west and effectiveness is paramount. Both teams can play controlled rugby through the forwards and may well cancel each other out, which leaves the more dangerous Taranaki backline the swing factor in our call. We'll have the visitors, probably by a few points, but don't expect frills and glitz.
TEAMS:
Southland: 1. Jamie Mackintosh (capt), 2. Jason Rutledge, 3. Nick Barrett, 4. Josh Bekhuis, 5. Alex Ryan, 6. Alex Taylor, 7. Tim Boys, 8. Elliot Dixon, 9. Nemia Kenatale, 10. Scott Eade, 11. Tim Cornforth, 12. Matt Saunders, 13. Cardiff Vaega, 14. Mark Wells, 15. Marty McKenzie.
Reserves: 16. Brayden Mitchell, 17. Micheal Peterson, 18. Michael Fatialofa, 19. Dion Bates, 20. Tayler Adams, 21. Matt Gandy, 22. Keanu Kahukura.
Taranaki: 1. Chris King, 2. Timo Tutavaha, 3. Michael Bent, 4. Craig Clarke (capt), 5. Jason Eaton, 6. Kane Barrett, 7. Bernie Hall, 8. Jarrad Hoeata, 9. Brett Goodin, 10. Jack Cameron, 11. Frazier Climo, 12. Isaia Tuifua, 13. Kurt Baker, 14. Jackson Ormond, 15. James Marshall.
Reserves: 16. Laurence Corlett, 17. Carl Carmichael, 18. James Broadhurst, 19. Blade Thomson, 20. Jamison Gibson-Park, 21. Jayden Hayward, 22. Seta Tamanivalu.
Game over and Lions walked this. Won by 49-22
Southland v Taranaki
Last year Taranaki took the Ranfurly Shield off Southland in a tough game; this year both teams come into the match having received thorough hidings in their most recent matches. With the playoffs looming, somebody has to get things sorted by 2.35pm Sunday.
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 52; Southland 20, Taranaki 31, drawn 1.
LAST TIME: August 24, 2011 (Invercargill, RS) - Southland 12-15 Taranaki.
WALKING WOUNDED: Both teams are showing plenty of changes from their most recent outings. Southland has Jason Rutledge and Nemia Kenatale back after they missed the Canterbury debacle, while the two Alex's, Ryan and Taylor, return to the middle row. Taranaki has lost both Andre Taylor and Willie Rickards with concussion, and the team has received a major shake-up in the loose forwards and inside backs with only Frazier Climo of the backs starting in the same jersey as he did on Wednesday.
FORM:
Southland:
Round 4: lost to Tasman 10-13 (a)
Round 5: beat Hawke's Bay 35-7 (h)
Round 6: beat North Harbour 27-17 (a)
Round 7: beat Northland 16-12 (h)
Round 8: lost to Canterbury 0-84 (a)
Taranaki:
Round 4: beat Canterbury 18-9 (h, RS)
Round 5: lost to Auckland 32-43 (a)
Round 6: beat Northland 32-31 (a)
Round 7: beat Manawatu 59-18 (h, RS)
Round 8: lost to Waikato 10-46 (h, RS)
Southland's promising run came to a screaming halt at Addington last weekend, when Canterbury ran up one of the biggest scores and biggest margins in provincial championship history. No team that loses by 0-84 can play well, and Southland didn't. Way too many missed tackles and line breaks let the red-and-blacks do pretty much as they pleased all day. During the week Jamie Mackintosh penned an open letter of apology to the fans. Guess whose supporters enjoyed the game more.
Taranaki also got thrashed in its latest game, but this was a Shield defence and the amber-and-blacks hardly raised a whimper of protest as Waikato ran roughshod over them from the opening whistle to the last. The Taranaki forwards were passive (Waikato won the breakdown turnovers 9-1) and the backs ineffective, which made it a long night for the faithful. Most of them took matters into their own hands and left long before the end; nobody could blame them for that either.
WHO'S HOT: After a couple of beltings like these two sides received, nobody was in even lukewarm form for either. The big test will clearly be how they recover mentally and respond physically and the two skippers, Jamie Mackintosh and Craig Clarke, have big parts to play in that. Both are proud men who will hate those results and we can expect to see them both at the forefront of far more vigorous packs. In fact, the forward exchanges promise to be really rugged, since a lot of embarrassment will need to be worked out. Among the Southland backs the newish halfback pairing of Nemia Kenatale and Scott Eade has promise; Kenatale has been clearing the ball well and using some good options to upset his opposition while Eade looks most promising with his good hands, steady boot and courage under fire. A new combination in the Taranaki backline has interesting possibilities too; Kurt Baker at centre and Jackson Ormond on the wing are both really quick, both have an eye for an opening and both know how to finish. Baker has been in good touch for most of this season while Ormond has mainly been a bit player, but those who remember how he lit Auckland up in 2011 will have a healthy regard for his ability.
WE THINK: It's never easy recovering from a bad loss and the road back up the hill is always a lot longer than the one down, so this match is likely to be one of those games where style goes west and effectiveness is paramount. Both teams can play controlled rugby through the forwards and may well cancel each other out, which leaves the more dangerous Taranaki backline the swing factor in our call. We'll have the visitors, probably by a few points, but don't expect frills and glitz.
TEAMS:
Southland: 1. Jamie Mackintosh (capt), 2. Jason Rutledge, 3. Nick Barrett, 4. Josh Bekhuis, 5. Alex Ryan, 6. Alex Taylor, 7. Tim Boys, 8. Elliot Dixon, 9. Nemia Kenatale, 10. Scott Eade, 11. Tim Cornforth, 12. Matt Saunders, 13. Cardiff Vaega, 14. Mark Wells, 15. Marty McKenzie.
Reserves: 16. Brayden Mitchell, 17. Micheal Peterson, 18. Michael Fatialofa, 19. Dion Bates, 20. Tayler Adams, 21. Matt Gandy, 22. Keanu Kahukura.
Taranaki: 1. Chris King, 2. Timo Tutavaha, 3. Michael Bent, 4. Craig Clarke (capt), 5. Jason Eaton, 6. Kane Barrett, 7. Bernie Hall, 8. Jarrad Hoeata, 9. Brett Goodin, 10. Jack Cameron, 11. Frazier Climo, 12. Isaia Tuifua, 13. Kurt Baker, 14. Jackson Ormond, 15. James Marshall.
Reserves: 16. Laurence Corlett, 17. Carl Carmichael, 18. James Broadhurst, 19. Blade Thomson, 20. Jamison Gibson-Park, 21. Jayden Hayward, 22. Seta Tamanivalu.
Pete says; with so many chenges on both teams I have to agree that Naki from top division should beat Stags.
Southland could make final 4 of div 2. Naki have to win in order to secure home advantage in play offs.
Naki by 10.
Preview: NorthHarbour v Auckland
Not that long ago the Battle of the Bridge was one of the big games on
the provincial calendar, but with North Harbour falling on hard times
that's not so at the moment. But it remains an important game for
Auckland, who really need to win and win well if they want a home semi.
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 34; North Harbour 6, Auckland 27, drawn 1.
LAST TIME: August 7, 2011 (Albany) - North Harbour 13-29 Auckland.
WALKING WOUNDED: North Harbour has made several changes from the team that played at Wellington, mainly in the loose forwards and midfield backs. Auckland is not showing many changes, although Ali Williams and Daniel Braid both get starts after both have been out for lengthy periods with injury. Ofa Tu'ungafasi, who broke a thumb last week, may be done for the season.
FORM:
North Harbour:
Round 4: lost to Northland 17-18 (a)
Round 5: lost to Manawatu 20-23 (h)
Round 6: lost to Otago 25-54 (a)
Round 7: lost to Southland 17-27 (h)
Round 8: lost to Wellington 28-34 (a)
Auckland:
Round 4: beat Waikato 32-22 (h)
Round 5: lost to Bay of Plenty 16-37 (a)
Round 6: beat Taranaki 43-32 (h)
Round 7: beat Wellington 43-30 (h)
Round 8: beat Counties-Manukau 22-18 (h)
North Harbour gave its best performance of the season at Wellington and, at the death, was in the unlikely position of perhaps stealing a win. They had to go 80m of the final series to manage that, and got about halfway before losing control of the ball. Wellington started like a team that expected to win by 60, but Harbour was having none of that and broke even in the second spell, which has been a rarity this year. It might have been a loss, but Harbour has had a lot of worse ones this year.
Auckland had to work hard against Counties-Manukau at Eden Park, and may have had to work harder if a few calls had gone against them. They never really got control of the game but Counties made too many rushed plays and too many errors to keep the pressure on for any length of time. Auckland was good enough to finish its one really good chance, and Gareth Anscombe's boot was on target as usual, so a four-point margin was good enough for four competition points.
WHO'S HOT: Ben Afeaki has not enjoyed the 2012 season too much, since he has worked hard for little reward and the captaincy sometimes seems to sit like a bag of bricks on his shoulders. But his performance level remains strong, his scrum work is good and he is still ready to hit up into contact, and he does it all for 80 minutes each week. Codey Rei made the most of his run at first-five last week and turned in the best effort of any player who has been handed the No 10 shirt this year. He ran well, kicked nicely and spread the ball when it was on. Rudi Wulf has hardly featured this season, for whatever reasons, but Harbour would really like one game out of him at something like his old standard. His skills don't seem to be diminished, but he's rarely involved and if ever Harbour wants a big game from a decorated player, this week is it.
There will be much interest in Ali Williams return, especially as Steve Hansen and friends seem very keen to take him north at the end of the year. Nobody expects Williams to play like Colin Meads straight after his long break, but there will still be pressure on to deliver something in what is almost certainly going to be a truncated outing. His locking partner Liaki Moli has been going well in 2012, and has been good in both tight and open play. He gets around quickly for a big man, and is continuing to develop a well-rounded game. Auckland centre Malakai Fekitoa has been solid in his first season and is perhaps the least talked-about of the new faces in the backline, but he does little wrong and a lot right. He runs hard and times his passes nicely, while he's also proving to be a rugged defender who is difficult to get past.
WE THINK: For all North Harbour's improved showing last week, it's still impossible to take them in this match. Wellington was hardly overwhelming and Auckland will have looked at and learned from that casual attitude. If Auckland does not pile up a decent win, and collect a bonus point, there will be some unhappy coaches waiting for the players afterwards - if the unthinkable happens and they lose, the Auks might as well skip the dressing room and just walk home.
TEAMS:
North Harbour: 1. Alex Woonton, 2. James Parsons, 3. Ben Afeaki (capt), 4. Chris Smith, 5. Filo Paulo, 6. Glenn Preston, 7. Malakai Ravulo, 8. Viliami Fihaki, 9. Brenton Helleur, 10. Codey Rei, 11. Rudi Wulf, 12. Pita Ahki, 13. Francis Saili, 14. Nafi Tuitavake, 15. Luke Devcich.
Reserves: 16. Manu Leiataua, 17. Salesi Manu, 18. Api Ratuniyarawa, 19. Sam Hayes-Stevenson, 20. Bryn Hall, 21. Cory Aporo, 22. David Raikuna.
Auckland:1. Pauliasi Manu, 2. Tom McCartney, 3. Angus Ta'avao, 4. Liaki Moli, 5. Ali Williams, 6. Steven Luatua, 7. Daniel Braid (capt), 8. Joe Edwards, 9. Alby Mathewson, 10. Gareth Anscombe, 11. Lolagi Visinia, 12. Hadleigh Parkes, 13. Malakai Fekitoa, 14. Ben Lam, 15.Charles Piutau.
Reserves: 16. Nathan Vella, 17. Siosiua Halonukonuka, 18. Nathan Hughes, 19. Nepia Fox-Matamua, 20. Scott Patterson, 21. Simon Hickey, 22. Dave Thomas.
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