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McKenzie returns to No 10 for Waikato while RTS gets a midfield run for Auckland
Currently sitting undefeated at the top of the Odds conference, Waikato will face a litmus test at home this weekend when they take on an inconsistent Auckland side at FMG Stadium Waikato on Friday.
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Following an opening-round draw with Hawke’s Bay, Waikato have banked victories over Northland, Counties Manukau, Manawatu and Taranaki to sit two points clear of Hawke’s Bay and Wellington atop their pool with a game in hand. At this stage of the competition, however, it’s unlikely any of the sides they’ve come out trumps over will feature in the final rounds of the competition, with Northland the only one of the beaten provinces to currently reside in a quarter-final spot on the ladder.
While Auckland haven’t exactly been a picture of consistency, dropping matches to Bay of Plenty and Northland in recent times, they do possess one of the most potent squads in the competition and with the likes of AJ Lam, Salesi Rayasi and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck to call upon in their backline, Friday’s match should prove a major challenge for Waikato.
Head coach Ross Filipo has again made several changes to his squad that beat Taranaki in New Plymouth last Saturday afternoon, including shifting Damian McKenzie back into the No 10 jersey after getting a taste of action at fullback against the Bulls.
Changes to the forward pack are at lock and in the loose forwards, with Laghlan McWhannell returning to the match-day 23 to partner James Tucker in the second row.
Samipeni Finau will make his return from injury in the blindside flanker role, having not featured over the past two rounds, and will take over from Patrick McCurran who moves to the reserves. The final change to the forward pack sees Liam Messam slot in at number 8 with Luke Jacobson unavailable after getting called into the All Blacks squad.
McKenzie’s return to first five-eighth allows Tepaea Cook-Savage to to suit up at fullback.
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The only change to the reserves sees Tana Tuhakaraina handed the No 21 jersey with a chance to make his second appearance in Waikato colours.
On the other side of the ledger, Blues teammates Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Bryce Heem will combine in the midfield, with AJ Lam shifting from the No 13 jersey out to the right wing.
Lock Jamie Lane and loose forwards Adrian Choat and Jackson Pugh are the only forwards to retain their spots following last weekend’s defeat to the Taniwha, with Jordan Lay, Soane Vikena and Angus Ta’avao forming an entirely new front row, Hamish Dalzell coming in at No 5 and Terrell Peita getting a run on the blindside flank.
Friday night’s match between Waikato and Auckland is set to kick off at 7.05pm from FMG Stadium Waikato.
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Waikato: Tepaea Cook-Savage, Liam Coombes-Fabling, Bailyn Sullivan, Alapati Leuia, Daniel Sinkinson, Damian McKenzie, Xavier Roe, Liam Messam, Mitch Jacobson, Samipeni Finau, Laghlan McWhannell, James Tucker, Sefo Kautai, Rhys Marshall, Ayden Johnstone. Reserves: Pita Anae-Sue, Ollie Norris, George Dyer, Te Rama Ruben, Patrick McCurran, Cortez Ratima, Tana Tuhakaraina, Mosese Dawai.
Auckland: Jordan Trainor, AJ Lam, Bryce Heem, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Salesi Rayasi, Harry Plummer, Taufa Funaki, Jackson Pugh, Adrian Choat, Terrell Peita, Hamish Dalzell, Jamie Lane, Angus Ta’avao, Soane Vikena, Jordan Lay. Reserves: Robbie Abel, Sam Lester, Marcel Renata, Connor Vest, Vaiolini Ekusai, Manu Paea, Simon Hickey, Corey Evans.
Comments on RugbyPass
Don’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
1 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to comments