Kiwis carving up the north. Marty Banks + 95
The strong New Zealand influence at Benetton Treviso has helped the Italian club up to fifth position in Conference B of the Guinness PRO14.
Treviso won 20-16 at Zebre on the weekend for its fifth victory of the championship. Fullback Jayden Hayward, once of Taranaki, Hurricanes and Force fame, scored a try from fullback. Lock Dean Budd, the former Northland and Blues player, now in the Azzurri squad, also crossed the line. Others to feature were former Bay of Plenty wing Monty Ioane, former Waikato, Crusaders and NZU loose forward Whetu Douglas, former Waikato, Blues, NZU and NZ Under 20s hooker Hame Faiva, and the mercurial Marty Banks, who slotted three goals from first five, is also in the mix. He was originally signed for the 2016-17 season but, after a false start, is now a bonafide squad member.
Former All Blacks fullback and former Maple Leafs coach Kieran Crowley is at the helm of Treviso.
Dave Rennie’s Glasgow, with prop Siua Halanukonuka off the bench, blanked Edinburgh 17-0. Phil Burleigh and former Auckland and Bay of Plenty prop Jordan Lay appeared for the Gunners. Ma’afu Fia’s Ospreys beat the Dragons 22-9, while Charlie Piutau and former NZ Under 20s prop Rodney Ah You played for Ulster in the 24-19 win over Munster.
Leinster, featuring James Lowe and Michael Bent, edged Connacht 21-18. Bundee Aki, Tom McCartney and former Otago loose forward Naulia Dawai turned out for the latter.
Hadleigh Parkes’ Scarlets won 14-11 at Cardiff Blues, whose Kiwi contingent was Rey Lee-Lo, Willis Halaholo, Gareth Anscombe, Nick Williams and Taufa’ao Filise.
Two away victories highlighted the latest round of the French Top 14.
David Smith and Alex Tulou scored tries for Castres in the 31-27 win at Clermont. Maama Vaipulu started at No 8 for Castres. Isaia Toeava copped a yellow card for Clermont, while Fritz Lee, marking another former Steelers No 8, actually kicked a penalty goal.
Racing-Metro won 16-12 at Oyonnax. The Parisians fielded Joe Rokocoko, Anthony Tuitavake, Ben Tameifuna, So’otala Fa’aso’o and Census Johnston. For the home side, Ben Botica kicked four penalty goals, and Quentin MacDonald, Rory Grice and Viliami Ma’afu all featured.
https://youtu.be/wxG4nMcJP54?t=17
Former Waikato and Flying Fijians lock Dominiko Waqaniburotu was in the No 7 jersey for Brive in the 29-10 win over Montpellier.
Toulouse’s Joe Tekori and Charlie Faumuina tasted an 18-13 victory over Toulon, whose 9-12-13 combination was Alby Mathewson, Ma’a Nonu and Malakai Fekitoa.
Lyon’s 35-23 win over Pau saw no less than 12 players with Kiwi connections fronting.
Toby Arnold, Rudi Wulf, Toa Halafihi, Josh Bekhuis, Taiasina Tuifua and Mike Harris played for the victors, while Conrad Smith, Benson Stanley, Colin Slade, Tom Taylor, Daniel Ramsay and Jamie Mackintosh featured for Pau. Slade and Taylor shared four goals.
https://youtu.be/FXqb007KaDk?t=18
Ben Volavola’s Bordeaux-Begles succumbed 22-12 to a Stade Francais outfit, which fielded Tony Ensor, Brandon Nansen and Ziggy Fisi’ihoi.
Uini Atonio, Victor Vito and Tawera Kerr-Barlow contributed to La Rochelle’s 47-6 shellacking of Agen.
In the Aviva Premiership, tries to Jack Wilson (a good finish) and Paul Grant were not enough to prevent Todd Blackadder’s Bath falling 31-26 at home to Wasps. James Wilson (12) and Kahn Fotuali’i (9) also featured for the West Country club.
Former Wellington and North Harbour No 8 Mat Luamanu scored a try, from one metre out, in Harlequins’ impressive 50-21 hiding of Northampton in front of nearly 80,000 at Twickenham. Luamanu’s teammates included Alofa Alofa and Jono Kitto. Ahsee Tuala, Piers Francis, Dylan Hartley and Teimana Harrison turned out for Saints.
Gloucester continued its strong recent form, edging Sale 20-16. The Kingsholm Kiwis were Tom Marshall, Jason Woodward, Josh Hohneck, John Afoa and Jeremy Thrush. The Sharks fielded Denny Solomona, Bryn Evans and Halani Aulika.
Saracens’ resurgence continues, wing Sean Maitland scoring a try in the 46-31 victory over the Worcester of Bryce Heem and Jackson Willison.
Thomas Waldrom’s Exeter Chiefs, the defending champs, stay top of the log going into 2018 after a 30-6 shutout of Leicester Tigers, who included Mike FitzGerald, Logovi’i Mulipola and Valentino Mapapalangi.
The sniping runs of halfback Tane Takalua were a feature of Newcastle’s 20-15 win at London Irish. No 8 Nili Latu also started for the Falcons. Mike Coman copped a yellow card for the Exiles, while his teammates included James Marshall, Filo Paulo, Ben Franks, Blair Cowan and Asaeli Tikoirotuma.
Comments on RugbyPass
Except for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments