Form Players in the ITM cup.

[Larksea]

some great action in the ITM cup, unless your an Otago supprter

standout players for me, have to start with southland first.

Jamie MacIntosh - He's looking very impressive in all aspects of his game, he's won NPC player of the year before and he must be in the running again.

joe tuineau - Got super14 written all over him

jason rutledge - One of three very well performed hookers in the ITM cup, lots of experience and a huge workrate.

Robbie Robinson - playing well behind the stags pack. His kicking for goal has been impressive and he's had to make some important ones too.

Canterbury next.

Maitland - very impressive season, he's got a huge skillset and he gets to show more of them when he plays 15.

Borlaise & Crockett - Been impressive in the front row, shame Borlaise is going overseas. He's Huge... Some real potential there.

Slade - have to say I've always liked him much more than Brett so I'm glad the AB coaches stepped in and asked that he play 10 and not get stuck at 15 to make room for brett.

Luke Romano - new guy, never heard of him before this ITM but he looks good.

Sonny Bill & Fruen - both in awesome form. Both in EOY tour selection frame. Sonny bill for sure because not only have the NZRU spent up big on him... It's also paying off.

Wellington - Got to be honest i've not seen as much of their games as the others. But from what I have seen.

Thrush - looks in good form again.

Gear & Savea - potent combination for sure.

Faifali Levave - and he's only 23? Seems like he's been around for a few years. Maybe just coming into his own. Another nail in the coffin for Rodney's carrier?

Waikato

Big 3 for starters, when these three are on their game the moo loo is at it's best.

Leonard - he's got better and better every game. He'll be busting down the AB selectors doors for sure. Two trys on the weekend, hope he's back soon after that sickening head clash. He's been cleared of any serious injury though I doubt he will play this weekend. He was out cold.

Messam - he's on fire, they will miss him while he's at the games.

Donald - only a couple of games back and two very important wins for waikato. The backs are just looking that much more dangerous with him there. Renata did an ok job while he was out but the impact he's made since he's been back has been big.

save tokula - been busting open defences all season

Aled - even with the odd black mark on his lineout throwing. He's been huge around the rucks & mauls.

Auckland - heck even though i live here I havn't seen many of their games.

That NZ <20 lock, with the big hair & headgear. He looks the business.

Braid - I think he makes quite a good captian, good talker.

Faumuina - impressive. at his best he's a real game breaker, strange for a prop.

Looking forward to seeing Toeava beack soon.

BOP

mike delany - bay were pretty lost without him and he's helped them out a lot since he's been back. He does kic a lot though. I think he wastes a lot of ball. When he runs he does really well, seems to catch defenders out who think he's just going to kick.

Moa - the guy is like the Lauaki of halfbacks!

McGougan - really impressed me when he came back from injury though I've not seen him play much lately.

Masanga - been scoring a lot of trys though I dont think he's back to his best yet after injury.

I know I've not done all the teams. i've kind of ran out of steam. The Naki & northland being the obvious ones.

 

[Dizzy]

No Counties players in there?..
Ahsee Tuala and Tim Nanai-Williams have been outstanding players this season. As well as Umaga

 

[Larksea]

yeah as I said I've missed teams, people can add their own thoughts!

Otago...

well bottom of the ladder for them. sad sad story.

Ben smith - he is a class player no doubt. Otago need to clone him, they need a couple more ben smiths in the backline.

Kees - maybe we will see him in super rugby?

Thompson - before he was injured he was again a standout player in an average side.

 

[Darwin]

A really good list there Larksea - I'd certainly agree with the vast majority of that. I'll just add a few more players that have impressed me.

Southland: Another player I would add is Kenny Lynn. He was Southland's main attacking weapon through the first half of the competition - they certainly missed his attacking prowess against Taranaki in the weekend.

Otago: The only player I'd add apart from Smith and Thomson would be prop Halani Aulika - while I'm not yet convinced about his scrummaging, his ball running (and try scoring ability) has been exceptional all season.

Canterbury: I'm not at all convinced about Maitland as a fullback. When he gets the ball he seldom (if ever) passes - he seems to completely forget that there are 14 other players his team! This may have been ok for Cullen, but for all Maitland's attacking ability, he's not Cullen! He's certainly a very impressive attacking player - he's very strong and he has some genuine pace, however I think he's a far better wing than he is a fullback.
Another couple of Canterbury players who have impressed me have been Matt Todd (whose played at 6, but is a genuine opeside flanker), and 19 year old wing Veainu - he's made almost no mistakes the whole season, and has been very elusive with the ball in hand.

Tasman: Joe Wheeler has been brilliant at number 8, while 20 years old Tom Marshall has probably been the standout in the backline in the games I've seen.

Waikato: I've been very impressed with Toby Smith at loose-head prop. He's destroyed a few props at scrum time and has been very impressive around the field - he's got future All Black written all over him.

Auckland: The under 20 lock you are referring to is Liaki Moli - I agree he certainly has been impressive.

North Harbour: Mike Harris has had a good season at first-five - he looks certain to grab a Blues contract this year.

Northland: Payne and Ranger have been devastating in the backline. Probably the pick of their forward pack in my mind has been openside flanker Dan Pryor, who I'd never even heard of before this season..

 

[jawmalawm24]

This is my form team so far

1.Charlie Faumuina
2.Jason Rutledge
3.Jamie Mackintosh
4.Joe Tuineau
5.Luke Romano
6.Liam Messam
7.Karl Lowe
8.Colin Bourke
9.Brendon Leonard
10.Colin Slade
11.Hosea Gear
12.Rene Ranger
13.Robert Fruean
14.Lelia Masaga
15.Tim Nanai-Williams

 

[Dizzy]

1. Faumuina
2. Elliot
3. Mackintosh
4. Unsure
5. Unsure
6. Messam
7. Lowe
8. Lee
9. Fotuali'i
10. Slade
11. Gear
12. Williams
13. Fruean
14. Ranger
15. Nanai-Williams

 

[nickdnz]

1. Charlie Faumuina
2. Jason Rutlege
3. Nathan White
4. Josh Bekhuis
5. Luke Romano
6. Liam Messam
7. Daniel Braid
8. Nasi Manu
9. Taniela Moa (Really has impressed me, not just his physical size and strength, but his passing and kicking from the base of the ruck has been impressive)
10. Colin Slade
11. Hosea Gear
12. Sonny Bill Williams (not really anyone else, though I'd prefer to put Rene Ranger here).
13. Robert Fruean
14. Lelia Masage/Julian Savea
15. Tim Nanai-Williams

 

[Larksea]

just add for northland

jared Payne - awesome form for sure, he and ranger working together has to be one of the more exciting combinations in the ITM cup.

Lachie Munro - think he may be in for a super contract for next season.

Another player that has really impressed me from Waikato is the young prop Toby Smith. This Kid is seriously impressive, maybe even future AB material.

 

[Darwin]

Some good looking squads! I may be being slightly pedantic, but it is worth noting that Jamie MacIntosh is a loose-head prop - as such he wears the number 1 jersey (rather than 3). Likewise Charlie Faumuina generally plays tighthead prop (though is capable of playing loosehead), as such he wears the number 3 jersey.

 

[ranger]

Im not sold on Romano at all. It seems to be a bit of double standards, when he did his impression of a back and beat those tacklers everyone decided he was amazing. When Ross does it in every game people say that he has to tighten up. I think they both need to play tighter, but if we are giving out awards for ball skills Isaac Ross has been much better than Romano this year.

Glen Gregory from Tasman has been much better, he is really a 6 covering lock but he has been getting through so much grafting work its ridiculous. Its like watching a taller Ruben Thorne toiling away for the Makos. I really hope the Crusaders pick him up, his blue collar game is exactly what they need to balance out their pack, it would be a better option than Whitelock at 6.

Jamie Macintosh is another who isn't really impressing me, Southlands scrum hasnt actually been all that great. Macintosh seems like he is gaining all this praise for being at the helm of a winning team. They play well as a pack around the field and maybe he can be commended for his leadership, but his individual play hasn't been that outstanding.

Id go with:

1)Charlie Faumuina (Position switch needed)
2)Jason Rutledge
3)Toby Smith
4)Josh Bekhuis
5)Glen Gregory
6)Jared Hoeata
7)Matt Todd (Moved to accomodate)
8)Pretty much any 8 in the competition, they have been excellent on the whole
9)Kahn Fotuaili'i (Been playing well in very trying conditions)
10)David Holwell
11)Hosea Gear
12)SBW/Christian Lealifano
13)Robbie Fruean
14)Telusa Veainu
15)Jared Payne/Ben Smith (Moved to accomodate)

 

[Sam Owen]

If I had to pick a team to play in the top 14 this week I'd go with these players as I think they're in good form..

1. Charlie Faumuina
2. Hika Elliot
3. Jamie McIntosh
4. Josh Bekhuis
5. Issac Ross
6. Liam Messam
7. Karl Lowe
8. Faafili Levave
9. Brendon Leonard
10. Colin Slade
11. Hosea Gear
12. Tana Umaga
13. Robbie Fruean
14. Rene Ranger
15. Tim Nanai-Williams

16. Kahn Fotu'alii
17. Sonny Bill Williams
18. Julian Savea
19. Mathew Luamanu
20. Joe Tuineau
21. Simon Lemalu
22. Jason Rutledge

 

[DavidHolwell'sEars]

10)David Holwell

Yeah bro! Good call.

 

[BjR]

1. Toby Smith
2. Jason Rutledge
3. Charlie Faumunia
4. Joshua Beckuis
5. Joe Tuinau
6. Liam Messam
7. Fafi'li Levave
8. Colin Bourke
9. Brendon Leonard
10. Mike Delany
11. Hosea Gear
12. Sonny-Bill Williams
13. Tave Tokula
14. Lelia Masaga
15. Tim Nani-Williams

 

[Dizzy]

If I had to pick a team to play in the top 14 this week I'd go with these players as I think they're in good form..

1. Charlie Faumuina
2. Hika Elliot
3. Jamie McIntosh
4. Josh Bekhuis
5. Issac Ross
6. Liam Messam
7. Karl Lowe
8. Faafili Levave
9. Brendon Leonard
10. Colin Slade
11. Hosea Gear
12. Tana Umaga
13. Robbie Fruean
14. Rene Ranger
15. Tim Nanai-Williams

16. Kahn Fotu'alii
17. Sonny Bill Williams
18. Julian Savea
19. Mathew Luamanu
20. Joe Tuineau
21. Simon Lemalu
22. Jason Rutledge

Nice, I thought I'd be the only one to pick him and I'd look real biased so I didn't.

 

[Muzzy]

1. Jamie MacIntosh
2. Jason Rutledge (tough call between him and Elliot, but Rutledge was more consistant imo)
3. Nathan White
4. Dean Budd
5. Issac Ross
6. Jarrad Hoeata
7. Daniel Braid (if Kolomaitangi played more games for Counties i would have chose him, he has the most turnovers in the season)
8. Matt Luamanu
9. Alby Mathewson
10 Colin Slade
11 Hosea Gear
12 Steven Brett
13 Save Tokula/Robbie Fruen
14 Rene Ranger
15 Jarrad Payne/Lachie Munro

 

[nharbour]

Mike Harris and Matt Luamanu

 

[SnapperNZ]

Ditto on Michael Harris & Matt Laumanu ....... about the only North Harbour players that showed good & consistent form throughout the season, got well deserved Super 15 contracts.

Happy to see the solid Jared Payne among the lot. Will be good to see him running play in the Blues backline

 

[Sam Owen]

Ditto on Michael Harris & Matt Laumanu ....... about the only North Harbour players that showed good & consistent form throughout the season, got well deserved Super 15 contracts.

Happy to see the solid Jared Payne among the lot. Will be good to see him running play in the Blues backline

Trippleo on Matt Luamanu.

I'd like to see Jared put on a few kgs in muscle, I reckon it'll be right for him. Extra weight isnt right for everyone theres that balance and I think for Jared more muscle is required. Jared would be good in the Blues backline, totally agree.

 

[FlukeArtist]

How could anyone pick Taniela "brain explosion" Moa??!!!???

I was so stoked when Auckland finally got rid of that liability (watch Blues v Waratahs earlier thsi year for typical Moa play)

I reckon Colin Bourke is dam unlucky not to be in the ABs - I have yet to work out why Messam gets a shot- the guy is not International Calibre, and like Donald, someone else should be given their places in the squad.

 

[Muzzy]

How could anyone pick Taniela "brain explosion" Moa??!!!???

I was so stoked when Auckland finally got rid of that liability (watch Blues v Waratahs earlier thsi year for typical Moa play)

I reckon Colin Bourke is dam unlucky not to be in the ABs - I have yet to work out why Messam gets a shot- the guy is not International Calibre, and like Donald, someone else should be given their places in the squad.

you're right, i don't think Messam is that great either, but they might have picked him because he's played both flanker and number 8 for waikato and the chiefs, where Bourke has only played number 8, i doubt either of these guys would be in the AB's main starting line up so maybe they'd rather have a more versatile player for their bench or reserves.

Moa did have some brain explosions for the blues earlier this year, but he's been playing great for Bay of Plenty so i'm not surprised to see him back, only thing i am surprised about is that he's in the blues and not the chiefs