Northland Rugby 2022
-
@steven-harris said in Blues vs Moana Pasifika 2022:
@tim Northland have contracted 28 players only 7 spots to fill,1 x hooker,1 x prop,3 x loose forwards,1 x halfback and 1 outside back
I'm still pretty dark about 2 of those 28 being signed before club footy, on the fence for a couple others too.
As to the other spots, I'd let the hooker one go to Wright, and the prop, either Davies (who I know has been working his arse off in the off-season and in good shape) or a young buck that comes through.
3 loosies is tough, ideally Matich, Matiu and another, unsure if there are any big munters at 8 out there.
No idea on the 3rd 9, are a few that have been knocking about for a couple of seasons now, but not had alot of chances and when given, havtn taken them as well as they could have.
An outside, again, no idea, but Aseri Vatuinaruku would be top of mind for me (unsure if he is about still though)
-
SIGNINGS
The Semco Northland Taniwha have retained Johnny Cooper (First Five), Kaliopasi Uluilakepa (Prop), Blake Hohaia (Midfield), recruited Bruce Kauika-Petersen (Hooker) and Jarred Adams (Prop) for the 2022 NPC Season.
Johnny Cooper (14 caps) and Blake Hohaia (39 caps) have been retained in 2022 after an impressive continuing off-season programme. Both players bring experience and will be looking for a strong start for their respective club teams in Northland.
Kaliopasi Uluilakepa (9 caps) is a regular starter in Super Rugby Pacific for the Fijian Drua, playing both sides of the scrum for an ever improving Drua team who are in their first year of the competition.
Bruce Kauika-Petersen had relocated from Wellington in February where he has had two years NPC experience with The Lions. Bruce has had injury cover opportunities with The Blues and Hurricanes in 2022.
Jarred Adams is currently playing Top League 3 in Japan for the Manukata Sanix Blues and will join the HP squad in mid June. Recruited as a prop who can comfortably play both sides of the scrum Jarred has had previous NPC experience with Auckland and Manawatu.
In total 28 players have been contracted for the 2022 NPC season with further contracts open through the Northland club season which kicks off on the 23rd April.
-
Adams is a good addition. Still only 25 too
-
-
@taniwharugby
There are definitely a couple who need to deliver given the coaches have given them a lot of opportunities in the past and have made the squad based on fitness KPIs that have been put in place across the whole squad ..I would like to think that when we get to the pointy end of the season that both players are primarily in the squad as injury cover ..
Would like to see others given an opportunity and stuck with -
@steven-harris well not just those ones.
Hopefully with them being super fit, they will carve up at club footy this year.
I see Hallam-Eames is back up here now too.
Any more news on Cairds recovery?
-
@taniwharugby should be good to go next week, but hearing he might be coming back via club rugby in Dunedin .
-
@steven-harris Is Hallam-Eames going to play club footy up here, or staying with Grammar-Tech?
I see many of the contracted players were doing fitness testing yesterday, so hopefully these guys can keep it up.
-
With much of the squad being common knowledge
Thought i would throw up the 28 contracted players thus far , as previously said , just 7 spots up for grabs although if both Ofa Tu’ungafasi and Jack Goodhue are involved with the All Blacks there will be a couple of extra spots for another prop and and an outside back.
Former Counties Manukau and Highlanders winger Tavita Nabura has been mentioned but much will depend on his injury rehab..
I have heard a winger from the South Island ..’sorry got to keep you guessing ‘ has reached out to the Taniwha , so he is also an option.Also a current Fijian Drua player as a loose forward option .
-
@taniwharugby staying at GT
-
@steven-harris Should be playing in Northland then. Need guys like that playing club rugby up here to lift the overall standard
-
Stunning day for the opening round of Club footy in Prems, and several close games too and no blow outs!
Went along to Kamo-Waipu.
Pretty good game really, Kamo received a RC right on halftime just before Waipu scored as Kamo lead 15-12 at the break.
Waipu had a wind at ther back in the first spell, and as they turned at the spell, the wind did as well, giving them the wind for 80 mins.
Kamo did well in the 2nd spell with 14, a touch finder into the wind was left to bounce by Pisi Leilua, regathered nicely by Jayden Laupepe, superb off load to Blake Hohaia at pace who drew and passed to put Tamati tua in space to gallop 50m to score.
Waipu hit back with 2 quick tries to then take the lead, with about 15 to go, but then a nice 40m surge by flanker Kobe Walters and a nice cut out pass inside to Blake Hohaia put Kamo back in the lead 25-24 which was the final score.
For Kamo, Tua was the stand out back, pace, power and good defence, Nikau Graham is a superb running 10, but has poor kicking game, Kobe Walters and Lyrik Joyce were probably the pick of the pack.
For Waipu, new Northland signing Bruce Kauika-Peterson is very busy, good throwing, good at the breakdown and loves to run with the ball. Tom Strachan (son of Ant) looks a tidy 9 for Waipu too, Pisi is rocks and diamonds at FB, showed some serious gas to open Waipus season, but twice in the 2nd half let a kicked ball bounce, once lead to a Kamo try the other time he ended up knocking it on inside his own 22 with less than 5 on the clock.
Kamo's RC was due to a swinging arm that hit the head, Waipu received a YC with about 10 to go for a cynical play.
I see a spritely David Holwell was running around for the MN reserves today too!
-
@taniwharugby good report, cracking day up here.
I had brunch at the same Cafe as some of the Waipu lads in Kamo... Thought it was still preseason though, not actually club already.
If the schedule had allowed, would have been great to get along to a game
-
Round 2 draw for tomorrow:
I'm heading along to OBM v HH, the former will be keen to bounce back after a loss last week while HH will be keen to pick up a 2nd win
KK and Kamo lineups posted on IG
-
@taniwharugby said in NZ Club Rugby 2022 ( General):
Round 2 draw for tomorrow:
I'm heading along to OBM v HH, the former will be keen to bounce back after a loss last week while HH will be keen to pick up a 2nd win
KK and Kamo lineups posted on IG
It must be getting tough in the north when Kerikeri has started importing midfield players from the (once) mighty Waitete club..
-
Some interesting results today, none more so that Waipu picking up a draw v Mid Northern, big result really, MN would have been heavy favorites.
I went along to OBM v HH, which was OBMs first game at thier new home at Pohe Island and with Matt Harrison playing his 200th match.
Game was a bit scrappy, very damp 1st half, and despite OBM dominating almost all facets of the game, they turned at halftime tied 5-5.
2nd spell, against the run of play HH gone on the board 1st with a 60m try, then 10 mins later a 50m intercept, which set them up to seal what I expect was seen by most as an upset win, although HH started without 3 of thier starting pack.
For HH, Esile Fono was thier best, in fact, best on the park. Is in the Northland HP Squad as a prop, but started this game at 8, but as HH was getting mullered at scrumtime, he moved into the front row, is a very tall rangy prop, but runs and hits hard and good work rate, still a bit to leanr at scrumtime, but could be good off the bench at higher levels if he gets a shot.
Melino Foto at 7 was everywhere, huge workrate while young Tama Anderson with some nice touches at FB, on attack, defence and his boot.No one really stood out in OBM, which says something really given thier dominance in the opening 40. What was noticeable was that thier scrum was massively dominant in the 1st half, they subbed off prop Tom Stevens and HH had almost parity, Stevens went back on, and OBM got the upper hand again. A few players had some nice touches here and there, but all in all they will be very disappointed with the result, as I reckon if a few passes had stuck in the opening half, the end result woulda been different.
-
A very nice win for the boys from Te Mai Road. Is your favourite Taniwha 1st five still playing for them?
And is Moerewa/UK dealing to Wellsford a bit of surprise or not? -
@Pepe haha yes he still steering the good ship HH...
Nah wellsford not that strong at moment, surprisingly Ross Wright started today, despite a RC last week...but they probably should have won, but not that surprised MUKK got up, have a couple of old warriors in Buster Tahere and Aorangi Stokes driving the pack, Ryan Nankivell at 10 looks a talent.
-
Northland ref Boris Jurlina with his 200th game
