Discarded All Blacks duo primed for Mitre 10 Cup action after being named in Taranaki squad
Unwanted All Blacks duo Waisake Naholo and Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi will have to state their case for World Cup inclusion through the Mitre 10 Cup after being named in the Taranaki squad for the upcoming campaign.
Naholo and Tahuriorangi were left out of All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen’s extended 39-man squad for the Rugby Championship, with the likes of Sevu Reece, George Bridge and Brad Weber preferred in the outside backs and at halfback, respectively.
London Irish-bound Naholo’s exclusion came after the 28-year-old was dogged by bad form early in the Super Rugby season with the Highlanders, which was followed by a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a knee injury, before returning to impress in limited outings.
Tahuriorangi, meanwhile, struggled for game time behind the in-form Weber at the Chiefs, with the diminutive halfback earning selection back into the national side after four years in the international wilderness.
Back-to-back appearances for the Maori All Blacks in consecutive weeks over the past fortnight won’t have quelled Tahuriorangi’s desire to play for the All Blacks again this year, but both he and Naholo will be forced to prove their worth in New Zealand’s premier domestic competition.
They will be supported by a strong core of players named by head coach Willie Rickards, which includes a raft of individuals with Super Rugby experience.
The Bulls will be captained by Chiefs loose froward Mitchell Brown, while Highlanders midfielder Teihorangi Walden is vice-captain.
Other notable names throughout the team include Chiefs sextet Reuben O’Neill, Bradley Slater, Jesse Parete, Lachlan Boshier, Pita Gus Sowakula and Sean Wainui, while Hurricanes duo Ricky Riccitelli and Heiden Bedwell-Curtis have also been named.
New Zealand U20 captain Kaylum Boshier has been picked alongside national teammate Tupou Vaa’i, as has young Blues playmaker Stephen Perofeta, although injury has ruled him out of contention until late August.
In his absence, Daniel Waite will be expected to call the shots in the No 10 jersey.
Naholo’s younger brother and former schoolboy sensation, Kiniviliame Naholo, is also a selection worthy of note.
The ex-Hasting’s Boys’ High School wing scored 40 tries in 20 games en route to claiming the national secondary school title in 2017, the same year of which he featured alongside the likes of Etene Nanai-Seturo, Leicester Fainga’anuku and Quinn Tupaea in a star-studded New Zealand Schools team.
Taranaki kick off their 2019 Mitre 10 Cup season against Counties Manukau in Pukekohe on August 10.
Taranaki Bulls Mitre 10 Cup squad:
FORWARDS
Mitch Brown (c), Reuben O’Neill, Chris Gawler, Jared Proffit, Asaeli Sorovaki, Donald Brighouse, Kyle Stewart, Ricky Riccitelli, Bradley Slater, Scott Mellow, Tupou Vaa’i, Leighton Price, Josh Lord, Jesse Parete, Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, Tom Florence, Kaylum Boshier, Lachlan Boshier, Pita Gus Sowakula.
BACKS
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Lisati Milo-Harris, Warwick Lahmert, Xavier Roe, Stephen Perofeta, Teihorangi Walden (vc), Regan Verney, Sean Wainui, Lukas Halls, Kiniviliame Naholo, Waisake Naholo, Jackson Ormond, Jayson Potroz, Brayton Northcott-Hill.
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Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments