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Air New Zealand Cup (NPC) 2007

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Awesome win for Southland, feels good to knock over our big brother. Canterbury were on fire in the first half of the Shield game against Waikato, Stephen Brett is a superstar.
Brett looks like he could be the next Gavin Henson as much as being the next Dan Carter... Always looks as interested in making sure his hair-do is in style as playing the game... But yeah, he's a pretty useful player to have in your side!!

Hawkes Bay to hold the shield, you heard it here first..
That'd be great... I hope the old Cantabs don't hold it for long, bunch of arrogant ****s! Bastards stole my hope of seeing a Mooloo vs Wellington Shield match in a couple of weeks.
 

JASON

Cricketer Of The Year
I guess the Ranfurly shield is now likely to stay put at Canterbury for a long long time to come...(Unless Wellington play the Cantabs and beat them...I can't see any of the other challengers beating Canterbury this season)
 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Unless Wellington play the Cantabs and beat them...I can't see any of the other challengers beating Canterbury this season
Fingers crossed!! It'll largely depend on which 'Wellington' turn up... Soooo erratic. Counties could have beaten them with a bit more luck on the weekend.... Manawatu had a good chance at beating a woeful Harbour team again today.

Frankly, I can't see anyone other than Auckland or Canterbury winning this year unfortunately.
 

Perm

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Big week for some of the smaller unions. Tasman went down narrowly to Waikato 23-25, Northland were really pushing Auckland before losing 25-33 and Manawatu had a 25 all draw with Otago. Good week for Southland, put in a good performance.

I watched the whole game from Otago, was bitterly disappointed that #19 Paul Grant didn't get any game time. He is an ex-student at our school, only 19 years old. Feel proud to say I've played with and against him, I remember tackling him :cool:
 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I was at the Wellington/Harbour game last night... Some excellent play from Wellington (along with some of the usual dross). An excellent performance from Shannon Paku and Wellington's fifth(?) try was a great sight to behold!
 

Sw1fty

School Boy/Girl Captain
I guess the Ranfurly shield is now likely to stay put at Canterbury for a long long time to come...(Unless Wellington play the Cantabs and beat them...I can't see any of the other challengers beating Canterbury this season)
Auckland will have a challenge on Sept 29. Should be a cracker of a game. The Blue & Whites haven't won in Christchurch since 2003 and Canterbury will be aiming to keep it that way to capture the top qualifying spot on the ladder.
 
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Perm

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Big game tonight, Otago vs North Harbour. My man Paul Grant is bracketed in the reserves so hopefully he makes the 22 and gets some game time.
 

Athlai

Not Terrible
Ahaha, I love the amount of beer drinking pizza eating going on here. Love the house of pain.
 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I guess I have to drop them now - They lost to Manawatu 31-18 at Palmerston North.:ph34r:
Ohhoho! I saw the result and thought of you... Then laughed that you'd lost to the Mighty Younghearts! Oh, how I laughed!

Ahaha, I love the amount of beer drinking pizza eating going on here. Love the house of pain.
Do what??

I went to the Waikato Stadium and saw Wellington give the *mighty* Waikato a good old fashioned spanking. Liam Messem got knocked out, and that was about the best the Mooloos had to offer. Wellington have played well two games in a row. That's a big shock.

On a related matter, I'll be very surprised if Waikato win anything this year. I feel Canterbury may have demolished them mentally after the poor Shield defence.

Top Eight in order:

Auckland
Cantabs
Wellington
Hawke's Bay
Waikato
Southland
Taranaki
Otago
 

Perm

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
**** sake, Paul Grant got some game time last night and I ****en missed it because I was sick and in bed. So bloody pissed off right now.
 

Perm

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
**** sake, Paul Grant got some game time last night and I ****en missed it because I was sick and in bed. So bloody pissed off right now.
Watched a replay, he made a try-saving tackle. :cool:

Good to see Southland continuing their strong season, sitting in 5th at the moment. Been very impressed with Hawkes Bay this season, I've always said they have some of the talent to be successful, so it's excellent to see them doing well. What's happened to Israel Dagg though? He was a schoolboy playing for them last year but I haven't seen him much this season.
 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Best call, another loss for them in the weekend.
Yeah. Felt good for Hawke's Bay to gain the home semi. They've had a great story this year and they're in 4th place on merit - the only blemishes on their record are the away thrashing in Christchurch and twenty minutes / half an hour of the home game against Auckland. They were the better team for most of the match against Waikato.

Unlike the Super 14, not having the All Blacks available has made this the most interesting NPC for years. Manawatu have looked bloody good too (considering how bad they usually are)

Still some interesting games this weekend. Good year for Southland too, considering how bad I thought they'd fare after the early home loss to the Magpies.

Would you prefer to play Wellington or Hawke's Bay in the Quarters?? Tough call...
 

Perm

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Yeah. Felt good for Hawke's Bay to gain the home semi. They've had a great story this year and they're in 4th place on merit - the only blemishes on their record are the away thrashing in Christchurch and twenty minutes / half an hour of the home game against Auckland. They were the better team for most of the match against Waikato.

Unlike the Super 14, not having the All Blacks available has made this the most interesting NPC for years. Manawatu have looked bloody good too (considering how bad they usually are)

Still some interesting games this weekend. Good year for Southland too, considering how bad I thought they'd fare after the early home loss to the Magpies.

Would you prefer to play Wellington or Hawke's Bay in the Quarters?? Tough call...
Yeah, it's good to see the All Blacks not playing, because it's even out the competition without lowering the standard that much. Coupled with some of the newer teams doing well and the Ranfurly Shield getting handed around a bit, this Air New Zealand Cup has been great.

Manawatu have been big improvers, they've got some very good players in their ranks and they'll continue to improve. Hayden Triggs was rewarded with a Super 14 contract last season, and I expect a few more to get them. Guys like Bosch, Matty James and Bradknott have superb.
 

Perm

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Auckland take the Ranfurly Shield off Canterbury, 26-15. Pretty good game.
 

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