Air New Zealand Cup (NPC) 2008 - Discussion and Prediction League

[Somerset]

Looks alright to me - the backs look to at least have a few caps under their belts nowadays, while that tight five won't be disgraced.

You've got an interesting draw with Southland first up. Hopefully Otago can at least make a better start to the ANZC than the Highlanders did to this year's Super 14...

 

[Somerset]

Hoping Taranaki go well. The fowards will be excellent as usual and the backs will be good in certain places but are too limited to counter the top sides. We finally have a First Five-Eighth that actualy has ability since Brock James though. Would be nice if Wellington and everybody else would return their stolen Taranaki players though. Chris Masoe, Luke McCallister and Conrad Smith would have been handy in particualar, though hasn't McCallister left NZ? I'm losing track of all the players leaving.

Didn't actually realise McAlister was originally from Taranaki...there you go.

Just on the poaching of Taranaki players, I remember either last season or the year before you guys had a reasonable good first five for the first half of the season, ended up on the Wellington bench for the final few weeks...found that somewhat typical of modern sport.

 

[Smudge]

You've got an interesting draw with Southland first up. Hopefully Otago can at least make a better start to the ANZC than the Highlanders did to this year's Super 14...

Depends if we get arse-****ed by the referees like the Highlanders did.

 

[Flem274*]

Didn't actually realise McAlister was originally from Taranaki...there you go.

Just on the poaching of Taranaki players, I remember either last season or the year before you guys had a reasonable good first five for the first half of the season, ended up on the Wellington bench for the final few weeks...found that somewhat typical of modern sport.

We've countered that by nicking a Wellington First Five though if Wellington have a few injuries if he's on loan as I suspect he is he'll be going back I'd imagine. Which means we'll be back to the mighty Jack Cameron.

Don't get injured Gopperth.

 

[Somerset]

We've countered that by nicking a Wellington First Five though if Wellington have a few injuries if he's on loan as I suspect he is he'll be going back I'd imagine. Which means we'll be back to the mighty Jack Cameron.

Don't get injured Gopperth.

Gopperth has actually been loaned to North Harbour, it'll be Daniel Kirkpatrick playing first five for Wellington I'd imagine.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Come join my pool in SuperBru Air New Zealand Cup, the ultimate Air New Zealand Cup prediction game! It's easy - just go to the website and enter the pool code barndata to join my pool, CricketWeb.

Website: http://www.superbru.com/airnzcup
Pool code: barndata

See the above guys! Only 4 competitors so far, and 2 of those are Northern Hemisphere types!!

Anyway, here's a few ins-and-outs for some of the teams... More to follow:

Northland:	Ins: 	Deformes (Chile), Kaino (Counties), Payne (Waikato), Rodley & Veale (Harbour), Urlich (Japan)
		Outs: 	Paringatai (Japan), Dow, Brad Taylor, Levi, Tamou (Italy), Bowden (Otago), 
			Koonwaiyou (Southland)
Harbour:	Ins: 	France (Taranaki), Gopperth (Wlgn), Helleur (Auck), Purdy (England), Ravulo (Poverty Bay), 
			Smylie (Otago), Tuitoga (Wlgn)
		Outs: 	Lawrence (BoP), Pisi (France), Pululeuligaga (France), Rawlinson (Englnad), 
			Nick Williams (injury)
Auckland:	Ins: 	Lotawa (Sthlnd)
		Outs: 	Devine (retired), Flavell (Japan), Forbes (Counties), Helleur (Harbour), Howlett (Ireland),
			Lavea (Counties), Macdonald (Japan), Mika (Japan), Nacewa (Ireland), Po-Ching (Counties), 
			Taumoepeau (France), Tuitupoi (England), Ward (France), Ali Williams (Tasman)
Counties:	Ins: 	Beneke (Auckland), Forbes (Auckland), Lavea (Auckland), Murch (Sthlnd), Po-Ching (Auckland),
			Ropati (Japan)
		Outs: 	Kepu (Australia), Maher & Ormsby (England), Sa'u (Japan), Staniforth (Australia), 
			Tuifua (Taranaki)
Waikato:	Ins: 	Bruce (Otago), Harding (Wlgn), Lavave (Wlgn), O'Neill (Cant)
		Outs: 	Bates (Japan), Burman, Leonard (Injury), Gibbes (Retired), Holah (Wales), 
			Kinikinilau (Japan), Payne (Northland), Ripia (Taranaki), Setephano (Otago), Willis (Wales)

 

[Smudge]

Oops - I'll join the pool soon. I've joined up to Superbru, but not that specific pool.

Shame to see Counties midfielder Male Sa'u take the easy money in Japan - small, squat guy who is an age-grade rep.

 

[Somerset]

Well you can see why Auckland's chances aren't rated so highly this year after going through unbeaten last year, with so many reasonable players not returning.

Just on Hawkes Bay, I'm sure the Magpies have mixed feelings now that they might lose Elliot for a few matches after his AB call up.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Another interesting one. Wellington have sent Bernie Upton on loan to North Harbour after they couldn't promise him a first team spot.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

More ins and outs:

BoP:	 Ins:	David (Wlgn), Hunt (Wlgn), Lawrence (Harbour), Savage (Harbour)
	 Outs:	Castle (France), Davison (France), Smith (Japan), Schuster (Japan)
		Tahana (Italy), Murray Williams (Japan)
Hawke's	 Ins:	Cuezzo (Argentina), Dixon, Jackman, Keys, Petia, Reed, Simpson (Cant), 
		Snyman (South Africa)
	 Outs:	Batger (Australia), Lokotui (France), Newland (Injury), Norman (Manawatu)
		Raikabula (Manawatu), Symes, Webb (Wales), Wilson (Italy)
Taranaki Ins:	Niwa (Aus), Ripia (Waik), Spratt (Wales), I & T Tuifua (Counties), Tulou (Wlgn)
	 Outs	France (Harbour), Harvey (Italy), Hoeata, Ireland (Injured), Mackay (Auck)
		Soqeta (Japan), Stark (Grance), Tagicakibau (England), Stewart
Manawatu Ins:	Crosswell, Cruden, Lealamanua (Tasman), Raikabula (Hawkes), Tietjens (Otago)
	 Outs:	Allen (Waik), Fa'aoso, Mulder (Injured), Lubbe (Saf), Robinson (Wlgn)
		Rowe, Sewabu (retired)
Wellin'n Ins:	Robinson (Manawatu)
	 Outs:	Gopperth, Upton (Harbour), Harding, Levave (Waik), Hunt (BoP), Mahoney (Italy)
		Kopelani, Paku, Umaga (France), Nikora (Tasman), Tulou (Taranaki), Fruean (Inj)

Some big losses for Wellington there.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Big city clubs seem to lose a fair few players.

Canterbury to walk it then?

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Tasman:
Ins: Crutchley (Hawkes), Gregory (Cant), Jackson (unatt.), Lam (Canberra), Nikora (Wlgn), Pehi (Wlgn), Sasagi (North Otago), Mulipola (Otago)
Outs: Bentley (England), Jack (England), Lempriere (Caribbean), Marfell (dropped), Nixon (Cant), Ralph (Japan), Taylor (England), Winslade (Europe), Stewart (Injured)

Canterbury:

Ins: None
Outs: Gear (England), Laulala (injured), Leo'o (France), O'Neill (Waikato), Senio (France), Yates (Japan)

Otago:

Ins: Bowden (Northland), Joubert (South Africa), Mulipola (Tasman), Setephano (Waik.)
Outs: Bruce (Waikato), Hore (Italy), King (Southland), O'Connell (inj), Saunders (Sthlnd), Ben W Smith (Italy), Smylie (Harbour), Soakai (inj.), Taylor (inj.), Vaisola (dropped), Whitelock (Cant), Zampach (injured)

Southland:

Ins: King (Otago), Koonwaiyou (Northland), Saunders (Otago), Tuamoheloa (North Otago)
Outs: Clarke (Aus), Dawson (Japan), Dermody (England), Harrison (Ireland), Murch (Caounties), Lotawa (Auckland), Tongo Tongo (Japan)

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Canterbury to walk it then?

Doubt it. Auckland are still very strong, despite their losses. Wellington are strong enough to be able to send Jimmy Gopperth and Bernie Upton out on loan to North Harbour, which suggests they'll be there or there abouts. Waikato have got in players to replace their big losses.

Hawkes Bay still look pretty good, as they're gonna be less hard hit by the All Blacks unavailability early on in the season.

 

[Flem274*]

Sorry to lose France. He and Goodin were inconsistent and by no means All Black quality, but they always had an impact and when one was inevitably playing like ****, we could put the other one on.

Harvey is a loss, he was a handy player. If Ripia gets called back to Waikato or Wellington we'll have a problem: no kicker. Ireland is injured and Stewart has left and last years "first five" Jack Cameron is a woeful kicker. Spose there's Austin, but he's really a high bomb/chip kick specialist.

I'm trying to remember if it was Soqueta or someone else (Malo rings a bell) who was the rather awful forward we had who was there for his ability to smash people when running with the ball. Problem was he couldn't do much else.

And I vote we've had the best ever prop import in that fat guy from France a few seasons ago. He wasn't very good but he was bloody huge and funny to watch so he'd get my vote.

I'll stop rambling about our no hope team now.

 

[Smudge]

Ezra Taylor should be back sometime during the season, I think, although he'll be behind Setephano who is a massive acquisition for us.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

How did you manage to lure Setephano down South? Too much competition for a space at the Chiefs?? Surely not!

Still a couple of decent losses there for Otago. (the other) Hore and Bruce are decent players.

 

[Smudge]

How did you manage to lure Setephano down South? Too much competition for a space at the Chiefs?? Surely not!

Still a couple of decent losses there for Otago. (the other) Hore and Bruce are decent players.

Charlie Hore had a useful Air NZ Cup last year but he is well and truly at the end of his shelf life - I'd much rather have Bowden and Noakes (a left-footer I saw a bit of last season) ahead of a man at the end of his career. Bruce - I could take or leave him and Bancroft is talented enough. That said, having both of them would be better.

Setephano obviously decided the loose forward stocks were too full at the Chiefs and once Newby leaves at the end of the season, he can make the #8 spot his own (which he will anyway, as Newby will be playing 7).

 

[Somerset]

Big city clubs seem to lose a fair few players.

Canterbury to walk it then?

I don't think Canterbury are necessarily a shoe-in for winning the title, I think Wellington has an excellent chance and although Auckland's lost a heap of players they shouldn't be discounted either.

 

[Chubb]

Go Magpies! I hope Hawkes Bay can win the thing this year. Classy team from what I've seen of them, though that isn't much. I don't have Sky and coverage of the NPC in other mediums in Britain is very slight. They're still my team though... I know Waipukurau's a ****hole, but it's still my dad's home.

 

[Somerset]

Finally signed up, hoping to see a few decent games tonight though with the weather thats hit the country over the last few days I'd say conditions may dictate how most sides decide to play.

Have picked Northland to upset Waikato tonight. Waikato don't look that strong to be honest and Northland lost just one home game last season. Holwell may be a big influence. Have gone with Tasman to win at home against Bay of Plenty. Have heard that the Bay have had major problems getting to Blenheim for the game so thats hardly an ideal preparation but it should also be a tight opening match for both sides.

Picking Auckland, Canterbury and Wellington to post reasonably confortable wins over the weekend and have gone with Otago to beat Southland in the southern derby.