ITM Cup 2010

[Smudge]

Just fixed a typo...

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

Round Eight Heartland Championship Fixtures:
Meads Cup Fixtures:
Thames Valley vs North Otago
South Canterbury vs Poverty Bay
Wanganui vs MID Canterbury

Lochore Cup Fixtures:
Wairarapa Bush vs King Country
East Coast vs Horowhenua Kapiti
Buller vs West Coast

 

[ripper868]

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

Round Eight Heartland Championship Fixtures:
Meads Cup Fixtures:
Thames Valley vs North Otago
South Canterbury vs Poverty Bay
Wanganui vs North Canterbury

Lochore Cup Fixtures:
Wairarapa Bush vs King Country
East Coast vs Horowhenua Kapiti
Buller vs West Coast

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Waikato
Tasman
BOP
Canterbury
Wellington
Auckland
HB

N Otago
S Canterbury
Wanganui

Wairarapa Bush
Horowhenua Kapiti
West Coast

 

[ripper868]

Michael Harris from North Harbour has been picked up by the Reds:
Reds Finalise Their 2011 Squad | Queensland Rugby Union

Kid any good?

 

[Somerset]

From what I've seen of Harris, hes a very consistent performer though not particularly flashy (if anything hes the opposite of Quade Cooper). Reliable goalkicker too.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

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

Round Eight Heartland Championship Fixtures:
Meads Cup Fixtures:
Thames Valley vs North Otago
South Canterbury vs Poverty Bay
Wanganui vs Mid Canterbury

Lochore Cup Fixtures:
Wairarapa Bush vs King Country
East Coast vs Horowhenua Kapiti
Buller vs West Coast

Might head up to Masterton and watch the Mighty Rams take on the 'Bush on Saturday.

 

[ripper868]

From what I've seen of Harris, hes a very consistent performer though not particularly flashy (if anything hes the opposite of Quade Cooper). Reliable goalkicker too.

Will take that, the reds need a back-up 10 as beyond cooper...there isn't much, short of putting Genia at 10...that said, not much depth at 9 now either with Kingi gone...but Kingi is a **** anyway and can rot in Melbourne.

 

[Somerset]

Waikato
Northland
Southland
Canterbury
Wellington
Auckland
Hawkes Bay

North Otago
Poverty Bay
Wanganui

King Country
Horowhenua Kapiti
West Coast

 

[Hurricane]

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

Round Eight Heartland Championship Fixtures:
Meads Cup Fixtures:
Thames Valley vs North Otago
South Canterbury vs Poverty Bay
Wanganui vs Mid Canterbury

Lochore Cup Fixtures:
Wairarapa Bush vs King Country
East Coast vs Horowhenua Kapiti
Buller vs West Coast (Both of these teams are rank)

I am backing Wellington because of Vito and Nonu - and if they don't play they will lose.

I nearly backed Taranki as Weepu is out and I think 1st 5 is more important than 2nd 5.

There is a rumour Gear may play...I took that into account as well. I think he will have more say on the game than Nonu.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Buller vs West Coast (Both of these teams are rank)

Steady on old bean. A bit harsh on the rural Southerners. They're both better than East Coast at the moment, surely.

Interesting week this one, there's a few close games on that list and this could be a decisive week for the compo. I see Somerset and I have very similar picks, but Volty's gone for a few different ones. Could be interesting.

 

[Hurricane]

Steady on old bean. A bit harsh on the rural Southerners. They're both better than East Coast at the moment, surely.

Interesting week this one, there's a few close games on that list and this could be a decisive week for the compo. I see Somerset and I have very similar picks, but Volty's gone for a few different ones. Could be interesting.

In the ITM cup I figure the Wellington Taranaki game could go either way. Should be a cracker.

If I am being too harsh on Buller and West Coast it is because I am not used to watching games of heartland standard. I am comparing it to the ITM cup - and rugby that I grew up watching.

 

[Somerset]

Interesting week this one, there's a few close games on that list and this could be a decisive week for the compo. I see Somerset and I have very similar picks, but Volty's gone for a few different ones. Could be interesting.

I actually noticed that at the TAB, BOP and Tasman are the favourites to beat Southland and Northland respectively, but I've gone against the TAB on both those matches. The Wellington v Taranaki match is shaping up to be an excellent one as well, particularly as Hurricane points out that Wellington have Ma'a Nonu back.

 

[ripper868]

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

Round Eight Heartland Championship Fixtures:
Meads Cup Fixtures:
Thames Valley vs North Otago
South Canterbury vs Poverty Bay
Wanganui vs North Canterbury

Lochore Cup Fixtures:
Wairarapa Bush vs King Country
East Coast vs Horowhenua Kapiti
Buller vs West Coast

Tipping Wellington instead of Naki based on Nonu

 

[BoyBrumby]

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

Round Eight Heartland Championship Fixtures:
Meads Cup Fixtures:
Thames Valley vs North Otago
South Canterbury vs Poverty Bay
Wanganui vs Mid Canterbury

Lochore Cup Fixtures:
Wairarapa Bush vs King Country
East Coast vs Horowhenua Kapiti
Buller vs West Coast

 

[Hurricane]

Tasman won vs Northland. They are such a counterattacking type team. They just thrived on Northland turnovers. Northland are the better team and would beat them 2 out of 3 times.

Tasman are the most unpredictable team in the tournament.

 

[Somerset]

SBW and Fruean both put in very impressive performances in Canterbury's comfortable win against Counties - even though I was initially sceptical about SBW I'd include him in the end of year tour party, and would pick Fruean too. If I get time this evening I might draft up the tour squad I think is likely to be picked ahead of the announcement tomorrow.

 

[Somerset]

Feel free to comment/disagree:
B.Franks, O.Franks, Woodcock, Afoa; Hore, Mealamu, Elliot; Thorn, Donnelly, Whitelock, Boric; McCaw, Read, Kaino, Vito, Braid; Cowan, Weepu, Mathewson; Carter, Cruden; Nonu, Smith, Williams, Fruean; Jane, Muliana, Dagg, Sivivatu, Rokocoko

I'll start with the forwards - I've left out Rutledge because I rate Hika Elliot just as highly and Elliot's already been in the AB environment. I've also included three hookers rather than risk picking two with Hore and Mealamu both under injury clouds. The props and locks pick themselves IMO. I've gone with Braid as the final loose forward rather than Liam Messam; hes been excellent in the ITM Cup and I think its more worthwhile picking a specialist reserve openside flanker than another number 6/8 in Messam.

I considered Andy Ellis but eventually went with Mathewson as the third halfback. Weepu to cover 9 and 10 so haven't included Donald/Slade/Delany as a third flyhalf. Tough call to exclude Rene Ranger but I think his recent injury might count against him and Rokocoko might be favoured. Would've loved to have included one of my favourite players, Toeava, but with my inclusions of SBW and Fruean theres no spare room; plus hes also just returned from injury.

 

[Hurricane]

Slade is going on tour. He played too well in his one game. If anything Cruden is at risk. Reckon they will take both of them at the expense of one of the other backs. Apart from that looks pretty solid. The local paper reckons that Ranger is going over Fruean.

 

[Somerset]

Weepu's surely gone from the tour, apparently broke his leg in the second half tonight so I'd say Slade or Donald will definitely be on tour now (rather than having a third specialist halfback). Re. your comments Hurricane, I don't think Cruden's at risk but admit that leaving out Ranger from my predicted squad is a bit of a gamble.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Was at the Wellington/Naki game. Weepu was in a pretty bad way, but didn't really see what caused it.

Also went along to Wairarapa Bush vs. King Country. Good to see the Rams tear them apart!! The really annoying thing... The game in Masterton was played at about 22 degrees centigrade, not a cloud in the sky or much wind. Head back over the Rimutakas, the sky scuds with grey and spits with rain. Get to the Westpac Stadium and the wind's blowing up a good'un, it's bloody cold and, frankly, 'orrible.

Should have stayed in Masterton.