ITM Cup 2010

[ripper868]

Round Five ITM Cup Fixtures:
Otago vs Taranaki
Tasman vs Southland
Waikato vs Counties Manukau
Wellington vs Northland
Canterbury vs Auckland
Manawatu vs Hawkes Bay
Bay of Plenty vs North Harbour

Round One Heartland Championship Fixtures:
King Country vs Horowhenua Kapiti
Wanganui vs South Canterbury
Thames Valley vs West Coast
East Coast vs North Otago
Buller vs Wairarapa Bush
Mid Canterbury vs Poverty Bay

 

[Somerset]

Taranaki
Southland
Waikato
Wellington
Canterbury
Hawkes Bay
Bay of Plenty

King Country
Wanganui
West Coast
North Otago
Wairarapa Bush
Mid Canterbury

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Round Five ITM Cup Fixtures:
Otago vs Taranaki
Tasman vs Southland
Waikato vs Counties Manukau
Wellington vs Northland
Canterbury vs Auckland
Manawatu vs Hawkes Bay
Bay of Plenty vs North Harbour

Round One Heartland Championship Fixtures:
King Country vs Horowhenua Kapiti
Wanganui vs South Canterbury
Thames Valley vs West Coast
East Coast vs North Otago
Buller vs Wairarapa Bush
Mid Canterbury vs Poverty Bay

 

[BoyBrumby]

Round Five ITM Cup Fixtures:
Otago vs Taranaki
Tasman vs Southland
Waikato vs Counties Manukau
Wellington vs Northland
Canterbury vs Auckland
Manawatu vs Hawkes Bay
Bay of Plenty vs North Harbour

Round One Heartland Championship Fixtures:
King Country vs Horowhenua Kapiti
Wanganui vs South Canterbury
Thames Valley vs West Coast
East Coast vs North Otago
Buller vs Wairarapa Bush
Mid Canterbury vs Poverty Bay

 

[Hurricane]

Tasman not nearly as good as Southland today. I nearly changed my pick to Southland mid week but figured I would leave it.

This has been said before about Robbie Robertson no doubt but he will be an AB one day. He will have his ups and downs this year but he is steadily gaining more composure.

 

[Somerset]

Tasman not nearly as good as Southland today. I nearly changed my pick to Southland mid week but figured I would leave it.

This has been said before about Robbie Robertson no doubt but he will be an AB one day. He will have his ups and downs this year but he is steadily gaining more composure.

Southland's defence is just too good - probably the best in the competition, although that'll obviously be tested against the sides like Auckland, Wellington and Canterbury, especially if those sides can get some of their ABs back. Robinson's been pretty classy this season - I'm still undecided as to whether hes a better 10 or 15 though his performances this year at 10 have been good so far.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Tasman not nearly as good as Southland today. I nearly changed my pick to Southland mid week but figured I would leave it.

T'was a decent game, which Tasman could have stolen if that try had been allowed. Koonwaiyoo (sic.) was a little bit lucky to stay on the field, but I think the touchy got the call right. The real disappointment was the continual need for the scrums to be moved due to the state of the pitch.

 

[Somerset]

T'was a decent game, which Tasman could have stolen if that try had been allowed. Koonwaiyoo (sic.) was a little bit lucky to stay on the field, but I think the touchy got the call right. The real disappointment was the continual need for the scrums to be moved due to the state of the pitch.

I think both calls to disallow Tasman's first try and to award just a penalty rather than yellow card for the high shot on Kamana were good decisions from the officials. Tasman continuing their decent form though, and you're right, they could well have won the game last night with a lower penalty count and had that try been awarded.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

I think both calls to disallow Tasman's first try and to award just a penalty rather than yellow card for the high shot on Kamana were good decisions from the officials. Tasman continuing their decent form though, and you're right, they could well have won the game last night with a lower penalty count and had that try been awarded.

Yeah, agreed. The refs got the big calls right - no doubt about it, but both could easily have gone Tasman's way on another night.

Probably going to head along to the Wellington vs. Northland game tonight to get another last opportunity to see David Holwell tear it up in the Capital.

 

[Hurricane]

Waikato played well to dismantle the high flying Counties Manakau. Tana Umagas leadership was sorely missed. Waikato won it at the breakdown with key turn overs and great defence in their own 22.

Counties lost their spirit at the end allowing Waikato to run up the scoreboard.

Don't see why this Waikato team couldn't have turned up against Taranaki or Wellington...frustrating team to follow this season.

Waikato's # 10 was still mediocre today - but appeared to have learned from his performance against Waikato last week.

Can't wait for Donald to return to the line up.

 

[Somerset]

Just watched Cruden play a solid 80 minutes against Hawkes Bay. On a Manawatu side that was pretty average, I thought Cruden played well, breaking the line several times, kicking well and generally making good decisions. Obviously he would've benefitted from playing in a more dominant side but at least hes got some game time. Israel Dagg was very impressive for the Magpies, some of his breaks were just superb.

McAlister playing at 10 for Harbour in 15 minutes so I'll be watching his performance closely.

 

[Somerset]

As it turned out McAlister only had 30 minutes at 10 before reverting back to 12 due to an injury substitution. Mike Delany definitely had his measure - I know its his first game back and hes still rusty (and missed four kicks IIRC) but I wouldn't mind him having a spot on the bench in Sydney.

Some strange happenings in the BOP v Harbour game by the way; the crossbar falling off during the warm-ups and hitting a Harbour player before it was repaired with duct-tape, the referees swapping at halftime, multiple first half substitutions, etc.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

McAlister should bugger off back to Europe in my opinion. He's not good enough.

Enjoyed the Wlgn/Northland game last night. David Holwell was excellent again until he got a shoulder in the face from (I think Vito) which saw him blood binned for a while; allowing the Lions to score a couple of tries whilst he was off.

 

[ripper868]

Israel Dagg was very impressive for the Magpies, some of his breaks were just superb.

McAlister playing at 10 for Harbour in 15 minutes so I'll be watching his performance closely.

Dagg my favourite non-aussie at the moment, wreaks class and is great to watch, starting xv in the Ab's is just a Mils Muliaina retirment away

 

[Somerset]

Round Five Results:
HeathDavisSpeed 11
Somerset 11
Voltman 11
BoyBrumby 9
Samuel_Vimes 9
Hurricane 8
Ripper868 7

Standings after Round Five:
Somerset 30
HeathDavisSpeed 28
Samuel_Vimes 28
BoyBrumby 26
Voltman 26
Hurricane 24
Ripper868 21

Round Six ITM Cup Fixtures:
Counties Manukau vs Tasman
Canterbury vs Bay of Plenty
Manawatu vs Wellington
Northland vs Southland
North Harbour vs Waikato
Auckland vs Taranaki
Otago vs Hawkes Bay

Round Two Heartland Championship Fixtures:
Horowhenua Kapiti (L 12-17 to King Country) vs Wanganui (W 13-6 vs South Canterbury)
West Coast (L 18-36 vs Thames Valley) vs King Country (W 17-12 vs Horowhenua Kapiti)
South Canterbury (L 6-13 vs Wanganui) vs Thames Valley (W 36-18 vs West Coast)
Wairarapa Bush (W 23-16 vs Buller) vs Mid Canterbury (L 20-25 vs Poverty Bay)
North Otago (W 116-3 vs East Coast) vs Buller (L 16-23 vs Wairarapa Bush)
Poverty Bay (W 25-20 vs Mid Canterbury) vs East Coast (L 3-116 vs North Otago)
(week 1 result in brackets; 116-3 is not a typo BTW)

 

[Somerset]

McAlister should bugger off back to Europe in my opinion. He's not good enough.

I thought McAlister was excellent when he played for the Maori a few months ago (almost worthy of AB selection) but since has been average at best for Harbour.

Dagg my favourite non-aussie at the moment, wreaks class and is great to watch, starting xv in the Ab's is just a Mils Muliaina retirment away

Agreed, hes in great form and has come on incredibly well this year - clearly the best player in the Highlanders in Super 14, an obvious talent in ITM Cup and impressive in test rugby during his limited appearances so far. Although worth keeping in mind that Cory Jane's also a regular fullback so theres no shortage of talent for the 15 jersey.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Poor old East Coast. They've been woefully outclassed on many occasions and although North Otago are a decent side, that's a massive hiding they've copped there.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Tasman
Canterbury
Wellington
Northland
Waikato
Auckland
Hawke's Bay


W(h)anganui
West Coast
South Canterbury
Wairarapa Bush
North Otago
Poverty Bay

 

[Smudge]

That's more like it. I had heard Thames Valley put in a decent pre-season effort last week, so gave them a hope in my selections, and it worked.

Looks like the East Coast heydays of the early 2000s are long gone, but as I'm a North Otago fan, I'm happy with the result.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Good call, Volty. Still judging them on their game vs. King Country last season and the ineptitude of their pint-sized half-back and right winger.