ITM Cup 2010

I think it's gonna be a very interesting season.

Auckland sees a return of many old players, which should help them hugely. A good off season sign up of Matt Berquist from Hawkes Bay. Once again Auckland will have several Ponsonby players!

There is heaps of other interesting things happening around different unions. Like Counties will see a return of Umaga, to both coach and play! The guy is a machine.

Waikato will see a former Brumbies player Christian Lealiifano, which is really cool to see.

Canterbury is the most talked union of them all, due to SBW signing. I hope he really delivers.

Glenn Jackson, a former player, is back to NZ and will be referring for the first time.

Those are my points of interests. Feel free to add.

ITM Cup is a stupid name. Why don't they call it the "ITM NPC" or the "Air NZ NPC". Just put sponsor in front of "NPC."

It's not a cup competition really.

Totally agree this should be an interesting season for many reasons










Jubilee year for the union who gloriously smote all before it to somehow immedialty leap 2 divisions apon its inception and have stayed up the top





Souhland has the shield! Setting up a potentially massive game vs its close rivals Otago. Southland could score a huge coup by denying Otago the log of wood again


SBW as mentioned


The pressure of the top tier/bottom tier promotion/relegation battles

+1 -- name sounds fkn stupid.

Will only watch to see how SBW goes tbh

Taranaki and Hawkes Bay both have great squads!!


Sounds like Jamie Joseph may be gapping it from Wellington too.

Fuck, good one Maestro, I completely forgot about promotion/relegation this season! It will make the season so much more interesting. :>

Edit: SEE YA NORTHLAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What the shit? relegation? YUSSSSS!!!

Anybody want to make a banner saying "Harbour Division 2 in 2011" ?? I'll display it proudly!

Harbour have named one of the weakess sqauds in the comp, they will do extremely well to stay up

Promotional /Re;lgation is next season I think ...this season is about establishing who goes where. This is gonna make the NPC so much more epic with stories about bigger unions being threatened with the drop, and then trying to get back up. etc

See rattues article today, he advocates chopping Harbour and as usual its hard to argue with him

Season opener tonight, Taranaki vs Northland. Go the mighty Taniwhas!

Thursday night footy?

Interesting.



gc.

Yeah dude. Games have been played on Thursday nights for the last couple years.

Haha yeah it's epic! Thurs through Sunday = solid games

Thurs night games are usually shit though
NOT happy with Auckland having so many Sunday arvo games.

Shit, didn't expect Northland to take that game! haha... good stuff!

RAAAAAAAAAAAANGER.



gc.

Taranaki didn't fire a shot - it only goes to show what a shit coach Colin Cooper is, imagine what the Hurricanes could have done with a decent coach.

Auckland: greatest team ever.



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STAG RUGBY!!!

Looking forward to the shield defense this weekend

Counties!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They have adopted to the rules the best imo. Comp is starting to look interesting.

Such a shame about the Counties not taking the shield.

And how about that Northland!

Brent Ward has ton be the best fullback in NZ!

Hawkes Bay are looking in real trouble so far this season IMHO. The backs are a total mess after three games, that Luke Rooney looks a complete turkey, God only knows what Henry did to Guilford but he has been a mess, Shoemark is slower than my grandmother and Kirkpatrick is a revolving door. They've got no ball carriers in the forwards now Waldrom has gone and they are lacking in desperation and are curiosly hesitant. Might be a long season for me!

Still, I LOVE the ITM cup - I really enjoyed the Auckland vs. BOP game, both sides went at it like a couple of randy rabbits, and it was played in fine spirit. In about the 55th minute Ward was taken a bit high, and the ref blew the penalty then made the ominous double peep on the whistle. Ward lay on the ground with his eyes shut like he'd be decapitated, and one of the BOP players, with a look of bemused disgust, said something and Ward started laughing, before bouncing to his feet and pretending to almost fall over in front of the ref. No one was sent off. The sportsmanship and enjoyment displayed in contrast with soccer couldn't be more stark.

As per usual, the best non-international rugby of the year is the ITM cup.

The STAG RUGBY machine just keeps on rolling

Auckland grit out another good win!

I don't know man. They look like a bunch of headless chickens at times.

WTF was with the ref STH vs HBY yesterday? HB player clearly drops the ball over the line and slaps himself over the head about it yet the ref awards the try? Then at the end of the game there was clear interference with players running in front of the ball carrier and the ref goes upstairs... to check the grounding. What a fucking shocker. Just as well Southland are such an awesome team :>

This SBW thing is turning into such a farce. Can't start training cos he has some sort of surgery, then does a hamstring injury playing for some club side. Now we find out he went skiing last weekend without clearing it at the same time Canterbury were losing their game.

Clearly, the guy is an idiot.

lolz, he's a fucking liability. I certainly hope I'm wrong.

Auckland sucked so bad tonight...

Canterbury got away with murder at the breakdown, but equally you'd have to go a long way to see a more pathetic forward display than Auckland put on. The Canterbury pack just monstered them.

You're right fishy. Canterbury cheated @ the breakdown AND had a fuckton of interference with guys in front of runners, but Auckland should have won.

The STAG RUGBY machine keeps on rolling :>

I'm more impressed with Robbie Fruean than SBW atm.

That was the worst 80 minutes of any code I've watched in my life... SO FUCKING PAINFUL!!

And yeah Roman, that Fruean fella is a beast

Very boring game, filled with mistakes and handling errors. I think both team were trying too hard, possibly knowing that the media attention was on this match.

Fruean needs to be considered for the end of the year AB's tour. He is unstoppable in opposition's 22, big, strong and very quick. I hardly see him make any mistakes too.

Wow! Manawatu totally tipped over a complacent Wellington, who thought they just had to turn up to win and then just whined at the referee when things didn't go to script. 36-24 to the Turbos!

<3 that final try! Was jumping up and down

Gritty performance today by Auckland. If Pakalani put on 5-7kg of muscle he'd be a truly class player.
Wasn't too pleased with the handling by either side today. Bit of grease in the grass?

Sorry pssssssssst. NORTH HARBOUR specialise in Southern Ranfury Shield grabs

lolz, they will get thrashed by Southland.

Thats what they said when we went to CANTERBURY bro, look how that turned out

bahahahahaha... they were so shit! The second division is actually too good for them.

Whaddaya mean they were shit!? That falcon was awesome! Our 1st try was the try of the season too bro. How many teams have scored 3 tries and 21 points in Invercargil this season? Last season? Im not enough of a train spotter but its probably none

Every harbour game I have seen this year has been thoroughly entertaining, we are expansive, elusive and at set peice and defence time.....completly shit . This combination makes us the most entertianing provincial team in the world. Would rather watch Harbour anyday than the turgid wins that Cant/Auck/Waikato grind out

Maestro, that is just sad.

Just been watching SBW against Northland. The guy is a star - far, far to good to be kicking around in the ITM cup alone this year. He'll be on the plane to the UK at te end of the year and after that Nonu should be praying he stays fit, because once SBW has the All Black 12 jersey on he'll make it his own.

I must admit, he was on fire FB.

SBW was good, Fruean was better, as was Brett. Your point?
SBW does nothing but bust the line and offload. That's awesome, sure, but that's Nonu's skillset - except Nonu also has a bit of pace. SBW has shown nothing defensively yet.
Not saying SBW sucks, only that he needs to show more.
Also if SBW was as All Black class as you say, mate, Cunterbury would have won by more than 4. World class players lead to demolition jobs, not lucky wins.

Everything you say here vadz just exposes the fact you desperatly want SBW to fail to satisfy some weird notion of yours that NPC rugby measures up to the NRL.

OF COURSE he has more to prove! He has only played 1 and a half games! And on those games he has done VERY well. By just about everybodies reckoning.

They will never say it...but privatly Henry and co are creaming their pants at the idea of obtaining a player like SBW to help them win the next world cup becuase hes a player with X Factor who can do unpredictable things. He is also an extremely hard man who is afraid of no one and would never back down to a snarling frog.

Yet here you are....jabbering on about bloody Robbie Fruen and accusing SBW of having weaknesses he has never shown. You fkn crack me up aye

Have you seen Fruean play?

I would much rather have him on the plane as a utility player than take Sonny Bill Williams.,,,


Lets see: IRB Player of the Year- Check.
An influential member of a World Championship Winning Team- Check

What has SBW done? Played two years in the yawnfest that is Northern hemisphere Rugby.



fishboy- your anti-Nonu stance is getting a bit boring son.

Then you would be doing our goal of winning the next world cup a great disservice. Thankfully its obvious the selectors will disagree with you, and vadz, and the other minority league haters/tall poppy cutters.

Ive seen Fruen play 2 games this season, hes looked great.....but thats really not the point. Man for man is not the issue here, its whether we take a potentially superstar player on a trip that mean flatly nothing, with a view to developing him into a trump card for the big prize.

Lol. wasn't he afraid of his contract and ended up skipping the country cos he's such a pussy?

No that was greed.

SBW will be an outstanding player if the coaches and management can control his behaviour. He has the potential to be a legend, but he also comes across as having the potential to one day be put in jail for sleeping with an underage girl.

bigotry against leaguies imo :>

And darkies?

heh, tbh, i think SBW is one of the least likely people in the comp to get in trouble over anything...

I can barely believe Im reading such nonsense..... now he's a potential statutory rapist!!!!.....and you base this allegation on what, exactly

WTF Wipeout.



gc.

League player? For the Bulldogs? Surely that's enough evidence for him to be added to the sex offenders register.

Why? Historical is the strongest predictor of future events.

Auckland score 19 points in last 5 minutes Epic. Title... here. We. Come!

They had to leave it till the last 5 minutes tho...

Gareth (PONSONBY!!!!!!) looked fucking sharp too!

Gutsy, Glorious raid on the Crusaders B team. Thats 3 wins this season too fish_boy, which 3 times as many as your pesky rabble. We have a couple of winnable fixtures up next as well

lol harbour's shield challenge was a joke

and Auckland is going to get the same treatment tomorrow, even with the AB's call up. Cant wait

sif mainlander. Nh is sending big brother down to sort you out

The Shield is a massive part of provincial rugby and Auckland can rightfully cliam its spiritual home is Eden park. History to previal...Auckland 13+

What's with crap weather following Auckland EVERYWHERE
We come to play Southland: snap, snow.

Auckland's doing it for the lambs tonight. Fucking inhuman southland farmers (why don't go grow some trees/dig some trenches/build some sheds?) leaving living creatures out in a storm. 100,000 dead lambs because of their fucking cruelty. Honestly, I hope we hang 50 on you tonight because evil like that CANNOT go unpunished. Fuckers

lol

SHAME Auckland- choked up aye.


First time losing to Southland in 39 years- can't blame the weather conditions either.

Fucking awesome effort Southland!

Auckland, lol.



My monster bet on STH was good too :>

9-6, and what a fucking brilliant game of rugby union!

Screw the Super 15! Who needs that pajama rugby in summer when you can watch such cracking games as the one tonight in winter. Real provinces playing for a prize that really means something.

That was one of those games you watch and then just say, "fuck I loveNew Zealand provincial rugby."

Probably your finest ever post bro :>

I would, quite honestly, rather have my team lose than have people from my province be so inhuman as to leave tens of thousands of lambs to die in the cold and snow. When they had over a WEEK'S WARNING from Metservice that the snow was coming.

DO you really think the Shield means as much as the NPC? I mean, Auckland is not only the greatest shield team of all time (63 challenges) but also the greatest NPC tema ever (16 titles), and I would definitely rather win the NPC than hold the shield. If Southland wins the NPC, that matters... but for fuck's sake, NORTH HARBOUR ! had the shield recently (which devalues it)

Unfortunately, ewes can't read.



However my father, as tough a man as you can get from growing up on a Waikato dairy farm, would agree with you. He thinks it is disgraceful how early our sheep lamb, especially in Southland.


But we are not talking about the farming practices of farmers, we are talking about rugby!

Auckland didn't close the deal. They could have. Shit handling by Auckland and pretty good Stags defence really sums up the game for me. It was entertaining, regardless the low score, had me on the edge of the seat. heh

I guess you really have to care about provincial rugby to have enjoyed that yawnfest :>

lol gummi. Tis was a good game. An arm wrestle!

Terrific chanellge by Auckland (aprt from somehandling) and an even better defence by Southland who are worthy holders. Wonder if Tim Shadbolt cleaned up atg the TAB even better than you did psssstt Tim =- sicko

edit dp

Yeah he called it 9-6 victory, lol.

I had $500 on STH by 1-12 @ $2.50 :>

You know what frightens me? In big match, winner takes all rugby, the All Blacks would play more like Auckland than Southland...

Yeah but how can you support a province full of inhuman fuckwits?
And why the HELL dont they build sheds, or dig trenches, or even put up mini-roofs from some of the fencelines? Just enough to get out of the direct wind?

Auckland's problem is the same one they've had for at least a decade: redzone offense. They constantly dominate but cannot score. I don't know why it is, but it's frustrated me for so long.

What was wrong with Auckland's approach? They kept it tight, used a lot of inside runners, and committed heavily to the breakdown. There was no Fancy Dan stuff at all.

Nice try at the troll. Don't be suck an ignorant fuckwit, mate.

Yeah, I'm gonna have to disagree with that. Just take couple last games as an example (All Blacks).

Vadz, we lack game breakers for the last couple of seasons. Very young team on the park, expect for few exceptions.

It's not just the last couple seasons. Even when we were dominating e.g. 2005/2007 we struggled to score despite position and possession. It's incredibly frustrating.

Fritz Lee's high tackle is probably THE worst high tackle I've ever seen. I can't believe the Northland halfback bounced straight up after it!

Harbour owned again bitches, we are like 4-5 W/L now...pretty awesome considering the squad we have. Thats pride in the jersey right there, smashing Counties next week to start sniffing round the top 7 and making vadz's hair grey imo

I'm ignorant, but farmers can't build sheds while 10s-of-thousands of sheep die? Sorry but I'm not the bad guy here.

You're going down
you're going down
straight outta town
harbour's going down

thats the chant!

yeah that was fkn brutal

Really don't agree with commentators when they said he might be "gone for season" or something. It seemed a classic case of little man stepping big man and the tackler sticking an arm out

Surely suspensions are for despicable, dirty cunts (looking @ you Bakkies) :>

hahaha... Really? I was listening to some tunes over the commentary, so didn't hear them talk. I thought it was bad. It didn't look like the halfback was cutting in either. Looked fucking awesome tho!

Was like watching some sort of 'fatality' from Mortal Combat


:>

hahahahaha so awesome even on 2nd viewing :>