Mitre 10 Cup Team of the Week - Round 2
Mike Rehu runs through his Mitre 10 Cup Team of the Week for Round 2.
15 – Will Jordan (Tasman)
The Tasman fullback is dangerous, all he needs is a gasp of oxygen against an air-tight defence and he wreaks havoc. With his two tries against Southland, he narrowly beats off the challenge of Cantab George Bridge.
14 – Melani Nanai (Auckland)
This guy can do some freakish stuff, from “how did he do that?” to “why did he do that?”. Auckland is benefitting from his ability to get to the try line; 2 wins from 2 a good start for the beleaguered big city boys.
13 – Brayden Ennor (Canterbury)
Originally I had the tyro Quinn Tupaea from Waikato down at centre but I had a genuinely warm feeling seeing one of the U20 RWC 2017 heroes finally get time in his preferred jersey. After an injury last year and the rise of Jack Goodhue he has had a few sniffs on the wing for the Crusaders but he showed he can set up outsides as well as run straight and hard.
12 – Terrence Hepetema (Bay of Plenty)
Terrence the Terror has a family name that sounds like he’d hurt you and he doesn’t disappoint! Honest, direct and strong he is a great foil for Mike Delany inside him.
11 – Mason Emerson (Hawkes Bay)
Again I had a Waikato player in at left wing, Sevu Reece was exciting with ball in hand but there’s something sizzling about Emerson that compels me to slot him in. He scorches the grass on his sprints down the touchline.
10 – Mike Delany (Bay of Plenty)
The 36-year-old has been instrumental in Bay of Plenty’s 100% record. Nothing phases him, he’s seen it all before and he seems to be a couple of steps ahead of the field at this level.
9 – Brad Webber (Hawkes Bay)
It was almost a Bay of Plenty trifecta for the inside backs as Richard Judd is setting the world alight as well but Webber’s lightning reactions and speed of foot gives him a slight edge.
8 – Gareth Evans (Hawkes Bay)
Again a pairing with Webber, they work together smoothly to lead success for the team. Evans has led from the front, showing an incredible engine and no shortage of bravery. He’d captain this team.
7 – Dillon Hunt (North Harbour)
Dillon Hunt joins his ex-Otago teammate Evans in the loose forward trio. Their ‘southern men’ work rates are on another level. Hunt has added ball-carrying to his repertoire to go alongside his Wreck-it Ralph play at the breakdown
6 – Dalton Papali’i (Auckland)
Papali’i has been a great foil for Blake Gibson in the Auckland team. His workrate and adherence to the basics has allowed Gibson to play a true 7 role and dare I say he is taking care of some of Akira Ioane’s duties as well.
5 – Tom Robinson (Northland)
This young raw forward has the potential to be the next cult hero from Northland, a la Ranger, Maxwell and Jones. He throws his body around like he has 9 lives. Son of an All Black looks set for a Blues contract.
4 – Ben Nee-Nee (North Harbour)
Nee-nee transferred from Auckland and has impressed with his athleticism. Not the tallest lock but outstanding at lineout time. He also has the knack to be in the right place at right time in general play. Is a great foil for the workhorse Gerard Cowley Tuioti.
3 – Angus Ta’avao (Taranaki)
What a year this fella is having. Held the Chiefs scrum together and made Craig Dowd’s Super rugby XV and he’s continuing his form with the Ranfurly Shield holders. Taranaki’s scrum ascendency laid the platform for their successful defence against the Manawatu Turbos.
2 – Andrew Makalio (Tasman)
James Parsons had his best game of the year but couldn’t oust Andrew Makalio from the hooker’s spot. Strong as an ox and a defender magnet with ball in hand; he played a part in Tasman’s first three tries against Southland.
1 – Ruben O’Neill (Taranaki)
Again part of a successful duo, he gave Michael Alaalatoa a bath and toyed with the 135-kilo prop at will.
HEADS UP for Round 3
Best Match-Up
Two unbeaten Premiership teams, North Harbour and Tasman square off 3.30pm HK time this Saturday.
7 All Blacks back
The AB’s management has released 7 of the squad to play in Round 3. Loose forwards Luke Whitelock and Ardie Savea come back. Nehe Milner Skudder, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Liam Coltman, Shannon Frizzell and Time Perry will also bolster their respective provinces.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
27 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
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
27 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
27 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
27 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
27 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to comments