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Watch: All Blacks speedsters Rieko Ioane and Damian McKenzie light up Mitre 10 Cup with pair of scintillating tries
The 2020 Mitre 10 Cup campaign is back in full swing, and the New Zealand provincial competition has sprung back into action with a bang thanks to involvement of All Blacks across the country.
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Two internationals, in particular, have caught the eye after capping off a pair of spectacular long range tries across two matches played on Saturday.
Starting at fullback and playing in his first game for Waikato in four years, Damian McKenzie scored one of the best tries in his side’s 53-28 win over Wellington in Hamilton.
With the visiting Lions chasing the game with little under a quarter of an hour to play, Wellington halfback TJ Perenara threw a looping pass intended for teammate Trent Renata well inside enemy territory, but the ball found the ground rather than the fullback’s hand.
Scooping the loose ball from deep inside his own 22 metre mark, McKenzie was quick to pounce on it and canter away downfield, with his lightning pace proving no match for the covering defensive chase by Wellington playmaker Jackson Garden-Bachop.
It capped off an impressive performance by the 25-year-old, who scored a match-high 33 points, kicking five conversions and six penalties in a well-rounded display.
Classy, Damian McKenzie.
Credit: @skysportnz
FULL HIGHLIGHTS ?? https://t.co/iY35B1gn87#WAIvWEL pic.twitter.com/A3Ss3x7sPh
— Mitre 10 Cup (@Mitre10Cup) September 12, 2020
He wasn’t the only All Black to show a clean pair of heels to score in the day’s afternoon matches, with star midfielder Rieko Ioane capitalising on some brilliant playmaking by young playmaker Harry Plummer in Auckland’s 38-6 win over Otago.
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Bursting through the home side’s limp defensive line, Plummer scorched into the opposition’s half at pace and sucked in Otago captain and fullback Michael Collins with a seductive dummy.
He then went on to beat the scramble of Josh Ioane by freeing up Rieko with a tidy inside pass to send the 23-year-old midfielder in near the posts in what turned out to be a rampant victory at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
.@AucklandRugby putting on a bit of a clinic here in Dunedin.
Credit: @skysportnz #OTAvAKL pic.twitter.com/DeSbF2uEEd
— Mitre 10 Cup (@Mitre10Cup) September 12, 2020
With so much free-flowing rugby on offer across New Zealand, it’s clear to see why so many punters have been longing for an All Blacks-laden Mitre 10 Cup this season, and those test stars have undoubtedly delivered thus far.
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