Wellington 2025
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Not sure the extent of the injuries to Aumua, Higgins and Lakai but our starting 23 for round 1 would be fairly close to the below I would have thought. Have included Love and Proctor from the ABs, but haven't included Kirifi and Savea as they were involved in all three tests.
- Numia
- O'Reilly
- Lauaki
- Delany
- Plummer
- Shields
- Halalilo
- Ropeti
- Preston
- Love
- Filipo
- Savea
- B Proctor
- Clarke
- Harkin
- Poasa
- Yamamoto
- Sheck
- Ieremia
- Irving
- Muriwai
- Garden-Bachop
- M Proctor
@Canes4life Yep that would be the likely line up in my eyes. After watching him for the U20s, it would be good to see Solomon get a good crack in the starting line up this season. Not particularly excited about Savea at 12 but hes probably the only option until Higgins returns, though i am sure Billy P could slot in there well enough.
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@Canes4life Yep that would be the likely line up in my eyes. After watching him for the U20s, it would be good to see Solomon get a good crack in the starting line up this season. Not particularly excited about Savea at 12 but hes probably the only option until Higgins returns, though i am sure Billy P could slot in there well enough.
@DurryMexted said in Wellington 2025:
@Canes4life Yep that would be the likely line up in my eyes. After watching him for the U20s, it would be good to see Solomon get a good crack in the starting line up this season. Not particularly excited about Savea at 12 but hes probably the only option until Higgins returns, though i am sure Billy P could slot in there well enough.
I think when the ABs drop back out, Solomon will be a real chance at starting. Wouldn't mind him getting a good run in the 15 jersey.
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Big fan of Solomon. Want to see him starting every week.
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Am surprised loose forward Jeremiah Avei Collins missed out, as he looks a real talent . Also a couple of Japanese imports there as well
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No room for prop Brad Chrichton either . I assume front rowers josh Southall and Iona Apineru are both injured as haven't seen their names in club rugby this year. Both converted loosies
@Kiwidom Josh Southall coached club rugby in Christchurch for Lincoln Uni this year.
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I rip on the guy but decent effort from JGB. Surprising how low the highest capped players are, but i guess players too often head overseas before they rack up 10+ seasons of NPC
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I rip on the guy but decent effort from JGB. Surprising how low the highest capped players are, but i guess players too often head overseas before they rack up 10+ seasons of NPC
@DurryMexted said in Wellington 2025:
I rip on the guy but decent effort from JGB. Surprising how low the highest capped players are, but i guess players too often head overseas before they rack up 10+ seasons of NPC
Mad respect has to go to Jackson, he will always be a part of two championship winning sides, a long with a Ranfurly Shield win and defence. Tragic circumstances brought him home and he is still an integral player in this side, despite most of us wanting to see Harkin get a crack in the 10 jersey. He performed well on Saturday against Waikato so hopefully he can keep that form up as the season unfolds.
With a number of Wellington players making the step up to international duties recently, experience is vital at this level and Jackson has that in spades.
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Just looking at the team named this week, crazy how much better lasts years team was.
With people leaving/injuries/AB's@Darren said in Wellington 2025:
Just looking at the team named this week, crazy how much better lasts years team was.
With people leaving/injuries/AB'sWhen you note the talent that isn't there compared to last year we've lost a bit of firepower.
- Du Plessis Kirifi (All Blacks)
- Peter Lakai (All Blacks)
- Kyle Preston (All Blacks)
- Billy Proctor and Ruben Love were also available for a few games but are now more involved with the All Blacks
- Peter Umaga-Jensen (Japan)
- Riley Higgins (Injury)
- Pepesani Patafilo (Japan)
Positive is that we have Aumua and O'Reilly back available.
Hopefully if we make the top 8 this year we should get a few players back for the quarter and potentially semi final.
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@Darren said in Wellington 2025:
Just looking at the team named this week, crazy how much better lasts years team was.
With people leaving/injuries/AB'sWhen you note the talent that isn't there compared to last year we've lost a bit of firepower.
- Du Plessis Kirifi (All Blacks)
- Peter Lakai (All Blacks)
- Kyle Preston (All Blacks)
- Billy Proctor and Ruben Love were also available for a few games but are now more involved with the All Blacks
- Peter Umaga-Jensen (Japan)
- Riley Higgins (Injury)
- Pepesani Patafilo (Japan)
Positive is that we have Aumua and O'Reilly back available.
Hopefully if we make the top 8 this year we should get a few players back for the quarter and potentially semi final.
@Canes4life said in Wellington 2025:
@Darren said in Wellington 2025:
- Riley Higgins (Injury)
Riley Higgins is never injured. Riley Higgins chooses not to be utterly dominant for a while.
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@pakman said in Wellington 2025:
Any indications of Higgins return date?
Unlikely to feature in the NPC unfortunately.
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@pakman said in Wellington 2025:
He should have gone off when he broke his leg.
He didn’t know it was broken until the following week. They even had him starting but had to pull him before they got on the plane.
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Extraordinary! But if bones set wrong initially it is very difficult to correct. Hope he gets back to 100.
@pakman said in Wellington 2025:
Extraordinary! But if bones set wrong initially it is very difficult to correct. Hope he gets back to 100.
I remember in the post game he said he just had a dead leg and was confident he would be right but then it was actually worse once the dust settled. Not sure if it was a fracture or a break but he’s been out for a while now and it didn’t sound like he was returning this NPC. A shame because our midfield is mud with Savea at 12.
