1
Bay of Plenty unveil star-studded, recruitment-heavy squad for NPC
Former Bay of Plenty coach Clayton McMillan made it clear a few years ago that the best way to ensure continued success at provincial level was to boast a large number of full-time professional players. The latest squad, now coached by Darryl Gibson, boasts exactly that.
ADVERTISEMENT
In total, the Steamers will be able to call upon 19 players, who featured throughout Super Rugby this year – including one from the Super Rugby AU title-winning Reds.
A number of the province’s new signings were telegraphed well in advance, such as the recruitment of Highlanders lock Manaaki Selby-Rickit, Crusaders loose forward Whetukamokamo Douglas and Chiefs wing Sean Wainui, but there were still some surprises in the squad unveiled today.
Chief amongst those is the arrival of Reds flanker Angus Scott-Young, as well as bringing Naitoa Ah Kuoi north from Wellington and former New Zealand Under 20s midfielder Inga Finau in from Canterbury.
Up front, Kurt Eklund, Nathan Vella and former All Black Nathan Harris will offer plenty in the hooking role but the propping stocks are hardly worth shaking a stick at either, with the likes of Aidan Ross, Tevita Mafileo and Jeff Thwaites supported by Fiji representative Haereiti Hetet.
Selby-Rickit and Ah Kuoi could form a dynamic partnership in the second row while the Steamers have access to experienced operators such as Douglas, Scott-Young, Mitch Karpik and potentially Sam Cane in the loose forwards. Chiefs Under 20 flanker Veveni Lasaqa will train with the squad in an apprentice role and looks to have a big future in the game.
Luke Campbell and Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi will again battle it out for the starting halfback spot and will partner with Kaleb Trask or Otere Black – who will miss the opening rounds after undergoing surgery in early July.
ADVERTISEMENT
Elsewhere in the backs, the likes of Finau, Wainui, Emoni Narawa, Chase Tiatia and Joe Webber provide plenty of experience and X-factor.
The one major absence from 2020 is Tongan flanker Zane Kapeli, who ruptured his patellar tendon against Samoa in their Rugby World Cup qualifiers.
Bay of Plenty finished third in last year’s Mitre 10 Cup, going down 19-10 to Tasman in their semi-final. Given their excellent recruitment for the upcoming season, the Steamers will be gunning for a first premiership title since 1976, the year of the NPC’s first inception.
Comments on RugbyPass
Interesting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to comments