Northland Rugby 2022
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Halftime 14-12 NorthlandPlayed on the outer ground at North Harbour Stadium ,
Northland did not use skipper Tom Robinson ,Josh Goodhue and Sam Nock and Moana Pacifika Prop Chris Apoua as previously said picking up an injury in the Northland cub final 2 weeks ago , from all reports he will be back Rounds 4-5 .Harbour had several super rugby players on deck that I could see ,Mark Telea,Shaun Stephenson,Tevita Li ,Cameron Suafua ,Alex Fidow and Michael Curry ,Henry Taefu ,Lotu and Fine Inisi from Moana Pacifika
Some other players I recognised were Harrison Mataele ,Siaosi Nginingini ,(halfback)Chlayton Frans from the Blues 20s ,Jack Heighton and Leturu Tolai ,they were however missing Jamie Booth ,Bryn Gatland and 3 front rowers Nic Mayhew , new signing Kalolo Tuiloma and Karl Tu’nukuafe who has a minuscule problem which unfortunately hasn’t been reported in the news which makes it look that he’s been dropped from the All Blacks , had a good chat with Dr John Mayhew about it ,he should never have been selected by Foster and co with this injury he has had since the end of the super season ..Despite Harbour being under powered up front , this was a good hit for both teams with the visitors looking focused in the opening stages holding the ball for long periods .
Liam Hallam Eames would be first to score on the 13m mark after some sustained carrying from the Taniwha forwards .
Dan Hawkins adding the extrasHarbour however would hit back immediately after a mistake from Northland Fullback Pisi Leilua after dropping the ball at the kick off off recieve the turnover ball moved quickly to Jack Heighton who found a massive whole in the Northland defence line .
Try converted from close range .The next points would not come until around the 33rd minute , after again some excellent forward play which got Northland inside the 22,an accurate cross kick ( Johnny Cooper..?) picking out the impressive Heremaia Murray who would step inside the last tackler to touch down
Cooper adding the extras .
Just before halftime,Harbour put together some magic of their own with a very slick backline move which put the right winger over in the corner .the try unconverted , but move had backline coach Daniel Halangahu’s finger prints all over it .Northland changed virtually their entire starting XV in the 2nd Half , Harbour also making several changes ,bringing on Shaun Stephenson who made real difference especially with his kicking game however it would be the visitors who would hit the ground running the quickest
From a lineout drive from a penalty to the corner
Sam McNamara showing excellent strength and good body position driving over from 5metres out .Cooper adding the extrasHarbour like they had done in the first half would hit back straight away ,Tevita Li breaking the tackle of Jone Macilai before sending impressive flanker Jed Melvin away ,try converted .
21-19 NorthlandA few minutes later from another powerful Taniwha surge Jone Macilai would position himself in the right place to leap over the top of a ruck to touch down in amongst a group of Harbour forwards
Try uncoverted 26-19 NorthlandThe next try would be the try of the game , Josh Moorby who looks a great aquistion to the Taniwha fielding a kick in his own half beating his marker on the outside before flicking an inside pass to Tama Anderson who put the jets on before putting a kick over the top for Moorby to win the touchdown
Tevita li would score after finding some space from an inside ball which was converted , however Northland would lift the intensity again , once again off a strong lineout drive ,Brett Kauika Peterson would pick up the try after strong forward rumble .,Rivers Reihana adding the extras to complete the scoring .
The 2022 Taniwha whilst only preseason has a complete different look about it ,the HP work which has been in progress over the last 8 months has got the team looking very fit , in fact fitter that i have ever seen a Northland team and with that fitness you can actually see shape and what they are trying to achieve .
The forward pack is very mobile , and has a ton of depth at lock especially in fact across the whole squad.
I was really impressed with lock Terepai King who has added bulk to his already tall frame , really impressive lineout target ,also Trent Hape who has come North from Hawkes Bay , his kicking game is very impressive , hes gets so much distance and height in his kicks Northland were able to flood the recievers area which forced mistakes
Late signing Tongan International prop Sila Puafisi who has played in France was excellent at scrumtime and will be very handy with Apoua out for the first 4-5 Rounds ..
Heremaia Murray ,Josh Moorby ,Dan Hawkins and Johnny Cooper all looked in good touch
In the forwards Matt Moulds was physical ,as was Kauika Peterson ,plenty of mobility in the middle row with ,Hallam Eames ,Allen Craig and Sam Caird especially .
Loosefowards lead by Matt Matich in the first were full of work ,Jacob Matiu back in a Tani jersey after a few years away was just a full on work horse ,McNamara and Rush busy .For Harbour Jed Melvin impressed in the forwards ,alson Cameron Suafua when he came on the man is one big human being , as did backs Shaun Stephenson ,Tevita Li and Mark Telea who just so hard to hold , hes one slippery rooster .
The best comment came from a Taniwha player who was in the squad last year , ‘its the same team as last year ,buts it like its got a completely different feel to it’
Northland ,Harbour and BOP meet in a game of 3 halves next Saturday at ECB Rugby Club
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Thanks for the write up @Steven-Harris always good to get your thoughts on these games that most of us don't make it to.
Surprised we've signed a prop from outside Northland when we have Justin Davies ready to go.
I'm really looking forward to watching Northland this year. I think we've got a well balanced squad and Moorby is going to add a bit of extra attacking threat we were missing last year.
I see Renata Robert's TeNana is in the East Coast squad for the Heartland Champs - he's going to cause absolute chaos in that comp!
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@Chiefy07 for some reason I thought Davies had been signed, but yeah, think he had earnt another shot!
Only saw yesterday about Roberts-Te Nana, shame as he did look a player with a bit of upside, but then looking over the outside backs, who do they drop for him?
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Thanks mate ,us Taniwha supporters are resilient if nothing else
From what i saw , theres been a lot of positive shifts in the last yearJust on prop Sila Puafisi , hes been bought in as tighthead cover for Chris Apoua who wont be back until Round 4/5 ,spoke briefly to Chris on Friday mentioned to me he could be back by round 2 , but medics have said otherwise
Puafisi is very experienced tighthead having played for Tonga and top 14 in France , and the word i have heard is hes very strong and hard to shift at scrumtime , Justin Davies is a loosehead but will probably be one of the first cabs of the rank if there is an injury .
JT Pont Bellamy is in the squad for around 5 x weeks ,is promising but very young , just remembering he was propping for Kelston Boys XV this time last year…super excited about this kid ,made Blues 20s this year as an 18 year old and is available next yeat . -
2022 Semco Northland U19 Squad Announcement.
Congratulations to the 32 young men selected to represent the Cambridge Blue through five exciting fixtures.
Saturday 30th July - v NZ Marist Rugby - Pohe Island - KO 230pm
Saturday 6th August v Counties Manukau Rugby - Wellsford Rugby Club - KO 230pm
Saturday 13th August v Auckland Rugby - Pohe Island - KO 230pm
Saturday 20th August v Harbour Rugby - Mahurangi Rugby Club - KO 2pm
Saturday 3rd September v TBC - TBC - KO - TBCOne of the strongest teams I have seen in this age group for a long time
Current Taniwha Squad players
Tama Anderson
JT Pont BellamyNorthland Wider Training Squad
Rory WoodsNorthland Futures
Rome Levi
Kobie Scutt , Kobe Walters and Lucas Payne were in the Blues U20 frameOther players to watch for
Joshua Kacirogoci who is a Fijian midfielder from Kerikeri
TJ Waitai who is a very big ,but mobile prop from Awanui
Tamatea Winiana a halfback/First Five from Wellsford
Henare Leef an outside back from Awanui .
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@Steven-Harris yeah a fair few of them are playing senior footy, and all are upto it, and not afraid of mixing it up!
Where is the coach from, I've not seen his name before, Sonny has been around the traps at this and senior coachign for a while.
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@taniwharugby good coaching team as well ,
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@Steven-Harris ha yeah I edited after, where is the coach from?
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@taniwharugby Cory Anderson is the Mid Northern head coach , Josh has coached Rep age group and Eastern Premiers
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@Steven-Harris ah, so is Cory Anderson, not Abraham like the image says...haha I was surprised Cory wasnt there, he and Sonny have worked together before too I think
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@taniwharugby sorry my bad , not Corey Anderson ,Corey Abraham is from Hikurangi
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@Steven-Harris haha
The loosie Jarvaiyas Mangu from Hika stood out in the game I watched v Kamo.
Bayden Hay was a handy player, had some stints on the bench for Kamo a's this year, but not alot of chances behind Mason Hohaia who played 80 most weeks in the games i saw, although looked like Hay had put on a bit of weight last summer, but am sure that could be easily fixed if he wants to cos he looked in good nick last season.
Xavier Kaipo is a promising one, first few games for OBM this year were mainly on the bench for the a's after starting in the b's but by end of season was starting (in part due to injury) but OBM finished strongly, but shows some promise....bloody strong young fella when he was at my gym last year!
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Game of 3 halves teams for our 2 halves
Second one won't be far off our 1st 15 (maybe 2 or 3 changes)
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@taniwharugby No Rory Woods? I watched him closely first year out o school when he was at my Wellington Football Club. Certainly has a lot of promise but being committed to Napier for the last eight months or so not privy to the manoeuvrings and reasons behind his move to Northland. I guess he may have family up that way or perhaps an overambitious manager/agent trying to push him too far too fast.
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@Higgins he is in the U19 squad named above
https://www.forum.thesilverfern.com/topic/5102/northland-rugby-2022/131?_=1659482210869
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T taniwharugby referenced this topic on
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@taniwharugby Ahh that's good then. Haven't clapped eyes on him for the best part of ten months or so but back then he still had a fair bit of filling out to do to grow into his body, something which only age and maturity will do.
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@Higgins think @Steven-Harris has seen a bit more of him than I have, but he is one of those players that does seem to have that something extra about him.
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@taniwharugby I am genuinely excited about his prospects so will be keeping an eye on him to see how he turns out. At the Axemen he was not rushed, mainly being used in the Under 21s and runs for the second team despite being more than good enough to hold his own in the top side.
