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North v South Match

TRF Mr Fish

Your Piscine Overlord
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I'm really looking forward to said match - I know some members of the wider community disagree but to me any sort of game like this is great fun to watch.

It's been confirmed that players will represent their Super Rugby teams - so Robbie Robinson (from Southland) would turn our for the Norths, should he be selected etc.
 
I'm quite looking forward to the match (as I'm going to it), but it will be interesting to see what the too teams look like. Great that it is an afternoon game too! All of the AB's are unavailable, and it sounds like quite a number of top Super Rugby players have also made themselves unavailable for this match (or their Super Rugby coaches have...), so it will be interesting to see what the teams look like. Apparently the teams will be named on Sunday after the AB's 30-man squad is confirmed.
 
Looking forward to this.

Though what happens if say a player is at a Northern SR team one year, then a Southern SR team the next?
 
i want to know if haskell will be avaliable for us! does it have to be NZ players?
 
Looking forward to this.

Though what happens if say a player is at a Northern SR team one year, then a Southern SR team the next?

So far there's no guarantee that there will be another match. Probably cross that bridge when they get to it :p
 
I'd love this to include All Blacks. Imagine...


1. Wyatt Crockett v Tony Woodcock
2. Andrew Hore v Kevin Mealamu
3. Owen Franks v Ben Tameifuna
4. Sam Whitelock v Ali Williams
5. Josh Bekhuis v Brodie Retallick
6. Adam Thomson v Liam Messam
7. Richie McCaw v Sam Cane
8. Kieran Read v Victor Vito
9. Aaron Smith v Tj Peranara
10. Daniel Carter v Aaron Cruden
11. Hosea Gear v Julian Savea
12. Ryan Crotty v Sonny Bill Williams/Ma'a Nonu
13. Robbie Fruean/Tamati Ellison v Conrad Smith
14. Sean Maitland v Cory Jane
15. Israel Dagg v Andre Taylor

16. Cory Flynn v Hika Elliot
17. Ben Franks v Charlie Faumuina
18. Luke Romano v Jason Eaton
19. Matt Todd v Luke Braid
20. Andy Ellis v Piri Weepu
21. Mike Delany v Beuden Barrett
22. Ben Smith v Lelia Masaga

I think that would be an amazing spectacle. Would be great for picking players as well.
 
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I hope its as brutal as State of Origin. It'll be good to see that Mike Motu'u from The 'Canes (I think thats his name) he'll be sure to liven things up.
 
I hope its as brutal as State of Origin. It'll be good to see that Mike Motu'u from The 'Canes (I think thats his name) he'll be sure to liven things up.

Motu Matu'u? Yeah, he's an amazing hitter. Been really impressing me this season. Certainly is a different prospect than Coles.
 
Squads announced:

NORTH ISLAND

Forwards:
Jeffery Toomaga-Allen (Hurricanes), Toby Smith (Chiefs), Josh Hohneck (Chiefs), Dane Coles (Hurricanes), Tom McCartney (Blues), James Broadhurst (Hurricanes), Michael Fitzgerald (Chiefs), Filo Paulo (Blues), Faifili Levave (Hurricanes), Brad Shields (Hurricanes), Scott Waldrom (Chiefs), Luke Braid (Blues),

Backs:
Brendon Leonard (Chiefs), Alby Mathewson (Blues), Andrew Horrell (Chiefs), Hadleigh Parkes (Blues), Richard Buckman (Hurricanes), Charles Piutau (New Zealand Sevens), David Raikuna (Blues), Lelia Masaga (Chiefs), Lachie Munro (Blues), Robbie Robinson (Chiefs).

SOUTH ISLAND

Forwards:
Jamie Mackintosh (Highlanders), Chris King (Highlanders), Ma'afu Fia (Highlanders), Jason Rutledge (Highlanders), Quentin MacDonald (Crusaders), Jarrad Hoeata (Highlanders), Tom Donnelly (Crusaders), Culum Retallick (Highlanders), Tim Boys (Highlanders), Scott Fuglistaller (Highlanders), Matt Todd (Crusaders), Luke Whitelock (Crusaders).

Backs:
Jimmy Cowan (Highlanders), Willi Heinz (Crusaders), Tom Marshall (Crusaders), Glenn Dickson (Highlanders), Kendrick Lynn (Highlanders), Adam Whitelock (Crusaders), Kade Poki (Highlanders), Buxton Poppali'i (Highlanders), Patrick Osbourne (Crusaders), Kurt Baker (Highlanders).

A few good players in there, but mostly just back up guys.
 
Some interesting sides - hopefully we get a good expansive game of rugby. If I was to pick my preferred lineups out of those squads I'd go with the following:

[TABLE="width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD]MacIntosh[/TD]
[TD]1.[/TD]
[TD]Smith[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]MacDonald[/TD]
[TD]2.[/TD]
[TD]Coles[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Fia[/TD]
[TD]3.[/TD]
[TD]Toomaga-Allen[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Hoeata[/TD]
[TD]4.[/TD]
[TD]Paulo[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Donnelly[/TD]
[TD]5.[/TD]
[TD]Broadhurst[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Boys[/TD]
[TD]6.[/TD]
[TD]Levave[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Todd[/TD]
[TD]7.[/TD]
[TD]Braid[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]L Whitelock[/TD]
[TD]8.[/TD]
[TD]Shields[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Cowan[/TD]
[TD]9.[/TD]
[TD]Leonard[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]T Marshall[/TD]
[TD]10.[/TD]
[TD]Horrell[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Popoali'i[/TD]
[TD]11.[/TD]
[TD]Raikuna[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]A Whitelock[/TD]
[TD]12.[/TD]
[TD]Buckman[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Lynn[/TD]
[TD]13.[/TD]
[TD]Parkes[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Poki[/TD]
[TD]14.[/TD]
[TD]Masaga[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Baker[/TD]
[TD]15.[/TD]
[TD]Robinson[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Rutledge[/TD]
[TD]16.[/TD]
[TD]McCartney[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]King[/TD]
[TD]17.[/TD]
[TD]Hohneck[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Retallick[/TD]
[TD]18.[/TD]
[TD]Fitzgerald[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Fuglistaller[/TD]
[TD]19.[/TD]
[TD]Waldrom[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Heinz[/TD]
[TD]20.[/TD]
[TD]Mathewson[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Dickson[/TD]
[TD]21.[/TD]
[TD]Munro[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Osbourne[/TD]
[TD]22.[/TD]
[TD]Piutau[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Overall I think the North team looks probably the stronger side. The big weakness in the South side is at 10 - their two options at 10 are Dickson (who is a journeyman ITM Cup player, who is better suited to 12), and Tom Marshall who has very limited experience at first-five, but has some real talent. Despite Marshalls lack of experience at 10 I would start him, and use the likes of Popoalii to pop up at first receiver on occasions when required (as he does for Otago). The Norths team biggest weakness looks to be in the midfield, and we may see Horrell start at 12, with Munro starting at 10. There could potentially be some great matchups: Shields vs Whitelock, Braid vs Todd, Smith vs Fia, Leonard vs Cowan.....
 
from my "other" thread, this site has too many different boards.

Squads:

North Island
Forwards:
Jeffery Toomaga-Allen (Hurricanes); Toby Smith (Chiefs); Josh Hohneck (Chiefs); Dane Coles (Hurricanes); Tom McCartney (Blues); James Broadhurst (Hurricanes); Michael Fitzgerald (Chiefs); Filo Paulo (Blues); Faifili Levave (Hurricanes); Brad Shields (Hurricanes); Scott Waldrom (Chiefs); Luke Braid (Blues).

Backs: Brendon Leonard (Chiefs); Alby Mathewson (Blues); Andrew Horrell (Chiefs); Hadleigh Parkes (Blues); Richard Buckman (Hurricanes); Charles Piutau (New Zealand Sevens); David Raikuna (Blues); Lelia Masaga (Chiefs); Lachie Munro (Blues); Robbie Robinson (Chiefs).


South Island
Forwards:
Jamie Mackintosh (Highlanders); Chris King (Highlanders); Ma'afu Fia (Highlanders); Jason Rutledge (Highlanders); Quentin MacDonald (Crusaders); Jarrad Hoeata (Highlanders); Tom Donnelly (Crusaders); Culum Retallick (Highlanders); Tim Boys (Highlanders); Scott Fuglistaller (Highlanders); Matt Todd (Crusaders); Luke Whitelock (Crusaders).

Backs: Jimmy Cowan (Highlanders); Willi Heinz (Crusaders); Tom Marshall (Crusaders); Glenn Dickson (Highlanders); Kendrick Lynn (Highlanders); Adam Whitelock (Crusaders); Kade Poki (Highlanders); Buxton Popoalii (Highlanders); Patrick Osbourne (Crusaders); Kurt Baker (Highlanders).


----
unfortunately even excluding All Blacks it's clearly not the Best players from super rugby with a lot of fringe All Blacks not playing I think mostly because they need the rest more than they need a game. To add to that neither team has a genuine first five? Closest would be Horrell for the North and Marshall for the south?

just looking through the sides I'd say the south have an edge, they seem to have selected a lot closer to what their strongest team would be excluding current All Blacks. With the north Team missing names Like Chiefs Fringe All Blacks: Clarke, Messam, Latimer, Afeaki, Elliot and Also missing blues big names like Ranger and Wulf and missing a genuine #8

South are missing players as well but with Jamie, King, Ruttledge, Hoeata, Donnelly, matt Todd and Luke Whitelock they do at I think have close to their strongest pack.

Will still be an interesting game.
 
A few changes to the North team, with 4 players (Mathewson, Horrell, Fitzgerald, Piutau) pulling out with injury, being replaced by Frae Wilson, James Marshall, Fritz Lee, and Sherwin Stowers.
 
I am a bit disappointed that its not a true "Island of Origin" clash, that is, you play for the Island in which the Senior Rugby club you first played for is located.
 
i agree but can see what they have done, too many guys in the saders and highlanders have come south rather than from the south so the north could prob field a shadow all black team but the south would include several NPC journey men

unless someone has works out squads based on island or origin?

if everyone was avaliable (ab's and all) then it would be much more even with guys like Carter, mccaw, ben smith, cowen and thompson
 

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