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Super Rugby Aotearoa: Round 1 - [13 - 14 June 2020]

TRF_heineken

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Saturday, 13 June 2020

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Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium
Time: 09:05 CAT (SA, GMT+2)

Sunday, 14 June 2020

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Venue: Eden Park
Time: 05:05 CAT (SA, GMT+2)
 
@TRF_heineken , have you confirmed games will be shown in SA? just been talkin to Foxtel in Aus ,afterhearing some rumors, and they cant confirm they will show it...they are in "discussion with SAANZAR and ARU"
 
Hurricanes
Highlanders
 
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The wait is over. Finally!
It seems crowds will be at the matches. Good news.
 
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Team naming, two debutants but Koroi has been part of the national sevens team so not like hes a school boy, strong forward pack and 10,12,13 all tried and true, Hunt at 15 makes me think we're going for a bit of a kick and chance or territory game can see him running it from the back much

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Team naming, two debutants but Koroi has been part of the national sevens team so not like hes a school boy, strong forward pack and 10,12,13 all tried and true, Hunt at 15 makes me think we're going for a bit of a kick and chance or territory game can see him running it from the back much

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Fans are allowed to attend. Let's Go Highlanders!
 
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Hurricanes
Highlanders

Now that fans will be allowed to attend I'm changing my pick. I've already got the Highlanders winning at home, and now I'm going with the Blues to win their home opener too.
 
Team naming, two debutants but Koroi has been part of the national sevens team so not like hes a school boy, strong forward pack and 10,12,13 all tried and true, Hunt at 15 makes me think we're going for a bit of a kick and chance or territory game can see him running it from the back much

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...and the chiefs have a team too. I'm not saying anything about relative importance compared to the highlanders naming but here they are nonetheless

Gallagher Chiefs:


1. Aidan Ross (31)
2. Samisoni Taukei'aho (28)
3. Nepo Laulala (33)
4. Mitchell Brown (38)
5. Tupou Vaa'i**
6. Luke Jacobson (22)
7. Lachlan Boshier (49)
8. Pita Gus Sowakula (20)
9. Brad Weber (77) ©
10. Kaleb Trask (4)
11. Sean Wainui (30)
12. Anton Lienert-Brown (74)
13. Quinn Tupaea (4)
14. Shaun Stevenson (48)
15. Damian McKenzie (76)


Reserves:

16. Bradley Slater (7)
17. Ryan Coxon (5)
18. Ross Geldenhuys (5)
19. Naitoa Ah Kuoi (6)
20. Dylan Nel (1)
21. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (36)
22. Aaron Cruden (94)
23. Etene Nanai-Seturo (11)





Unavailable for selection:

Atu Moli (hips), Angus Ta'avao (quad), Laghlan McWhannell (knee), Michael Allardice (shoulder), Mitchell Karpik (back strain), Nathan Harris (shoulder), Sam Cane (lower back strain), Sam McNicol (ankle).

A very interesting team, a strong team but signs there will be rotation of the squad during the comp. the likes of Ardron, Nankivell, manu, alaimalo available but not picked, sure to feature in latter rounds.

I see this as a critical game for the highlanders who may be at risk of going into a lack of confidence hole if they don't bring results early in the comp. apparently the forwards have had a bit of a rev up about their non-constant effort. Will be interesting to see how they respond. Interesting to see how well Jacobson goes against a revved up highlanders pack, after spending a long time on the sidelines. Will Lachlan Boshier be as effective when the opposition have had several months to analyse his threat?

The key for the highlanders is to prevent the turnovers and to not let the chiefs get on a roll. I wouldn't be surprised to see Hunt coming into the line, but from slight depth, to put the kick cover in two minds before he kicks it behind them, and out. My feeling is both teams will want to win the territorial battle and the game will only open up when the players Start getting tetchy about not being able to throw the ball around.

The team that wins will be the one who gives away the least penalties.
 
Blues hurricanes


TEAMS


BLUES: Beauden Barrett, Mark Telea, Rieko Ioane, TJ Faiane, Caleb Clarke, Otere Black, Sam Nock; Hoskins Sotutu, Blake Gibson, Tom Robinson, Josh Goodhue, Patrick Tuipulotu (capt), Ofa Tu'ungafasi, James Parsons, Alex Hodgman. Reserves: Kurt Eklund, Ezekiel Lindenmuth, Marcel Renata, Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Dalton Papalii, Finlay Christie, Harry Plummer, Matt Duffie.



HURRICANES: Chase Tiatia, Wes Goosen, Vince Aso, Ngani Laumape, Ben Lam, Jackson Garden-Bachop, TJ Perenara (co-captain), Gareth Evans, Du'Plessis Kirifi, Reed Prinsep, Scott Scrafton, James Blackwell, Tyrel Lomax, Dane Coles (co-captain), Fraser Armstrong.

Reserves: Asafo Aumua, Tevita Mafileo, Alex Fidow, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Vaea Fifita, Ardie Savea, Jamie Booth, Billy Proctor.

both teams here are what the coaches see as their top teams, considering fitness.

Some tough selections for the blues in the loos forwards in particular with tony lamborn and Akira ione unable to make the 23, ruru who has improved hugely over the last few years unable to make it, Elsewhere in the backs there's a host of players Competing for next on the list including Narawa, hyland, and joe Marchant, with carter not yet adequately fit and perofeta and Tanielu telea injured. Tu'inukuafe also unavailable due to injury.

for the hurricanes, Ardie will make his comeback via the bench, but the big blow is the loss of Jordie Barrett who has carried the team this year, and will be out for three weeks minimum. Still a solid team though with few debatable selections. They have gone for a 6 2 split on the bench and it looks like tj is first five cover. He's been first five cover before, but I don't know that he's ended up playing there. Looks to me like the hurricanes are going to amp up there power game here, go hard and physical for 80

the key for the blues will be how well rieko ione can defend - individually but also his communication with faiane - against aso and Laumape. And how well will aso go? A player whose form has fluctuated but has been his devastating best at times.

Also, Laumape must be gutted Beauden isn't playing first five.
 
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Ioane sustained a groin strain, he's out...gatland starting...that's a huge blow
 
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Is Marchant really that far down the pecking order or has he been omitted for other reasons?
First, jabby was referring to josh ione of the highlanders, with Bryn gatland now a highlander, easy to get confused.

Marchant probably would be next in the 23 if rieko ione was injured, and he'd probably be straight into the starting lineup.

Macdonald rates Marchant but the two of them both recognise he has found it really hard to adapt to the pace of the game. He works really hard at training and Is trying hard to learn and improve, so it is very likely he will improve and get decent game time through the season.
 

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