Sunday 2:05pm - Tauranga Domain

What is the stacked Ta$man backline going to be?

9 Christie
10 Havili
11 Springer
12 Jim the Difference
13 Faingaʻanuku
14 Taumoefolau
15 Havili/Roninson?

Or put Taumoefolau at the back and either Faingaʻanuku or Jim to the wing?

So much talent. Not forgetting that Aumua rips it up in the NPC

Ta$man

1 Ryan Coxon
2 Joshua Te Hira
3 Sam Matenga
4 Quinten Strange
5 Lopeti Faifua
6 Jonathan Lee
7 Ethan Blackadder
8 Fletcher Anderson
9 Finlay Christie
10 William Havili
11 Macca Springer
12 David Havili
13 Levi Aumua
14 Timoci Tavatavanawai
15 Kyren Taumoefolau

16 Tomasi Maka
17 Lavengamonu Moli
18 Kershawl Sykes-Martin
19 Hunter Leppien
20 Tayne Hemopo
21 Mitchell Drummond
22 Cooper Grant
23 Tone Ng Shiu

That is a very tidy backline for Ta$man

1 Josh Bartlett
2 Kurt Eklund
3 Pasilio Tosi
4 Naitoa Ah Kuoi
5 Kalin Felise
6 Jacob Norris
7 Veveni Lasaqa
8 Nikora Broughton
9 Richard Judd
10 Lucas Cashmore
11 Cole Forbes
12 Fehi Fineanganofo
13 Leroy Carter
14 Emoni Narawa
15 Kaleb Trask

16 Taine Kolose
17 Haereiti Hetet
18 Tevita Mafile'o
19 Semisi Paea
20 Joe Johnston
21 Charlie Sinton
22 Tamiro Armstrong
23 Ngarohi McGarvey-Black

Carter is a halfback/centre/wing now

Maybe the AB coaches want Narawa to be playing 14 as opposed to 13 with a view to Arg.

Any idea why big Leicester's not featuring yet for Ta$man?

Apart from Half Back, that BOP starting XV is .

Weird backline choices by bop with so many out of their best position. Great to have Juddy back with TTT missing.

@sparky said in BOP v Ta$man:

Any idea why big Leicester's not featuring yet for Ta$man?

The ABs didn't want to release him.

@Crazy-Horse So maybe he is going to Argentina?

Kalin Felise is out, Mount boy Jai Knight to bench

Is Aisake Vakasiuola now injured?

@ARHS I'm expecting them to change around a bit depending on reserves etc. Carter actually looked pretty good at centre in the preseason game and scored a couple of trys but Ta$man may be a different story.

@Bovidae said in BOP v Ta$man:

Vakasiuola

He went off in the preseason game with a head knock so maybe concussion .

Updated Ta$man side:

1 Ryan Coxon, 2 Joshua Te Hira, 3 Sam Matenga, 4 Quinten Strange, 5 Lopeti Faifua, 6 Jonathan Lee, 7 Ethan Blackadder, 8 Fletcher Anderson, 9 Mitchell Drummond, 10 William Havili, 11 Macca Springer, 12 David Havili, 13 Levi Aumua, 14 Timoci Tavatavanawai, 15 Kyren Taumoefolau

Resereves: 16 Tomasi Maka, 17 Tom Heywood, 18 Kershawl Sykes-Martin, 19 Hunter Leppien, 20 Tayne Hemopo, 21 Mason Lund, 22 Cooper Grant, 23 Nic Sauira

Christie removed from this match.. and a few other changes on the reserves bench

Strong start BOP

Trask scores after a lot of phases

Thats a Red Card imo

Aimed high, hit high with force. Has to be upgraded to a red

Springer had time to look inside earlier

It stayed a yellow??

@Duluth Yep

Looked bad on the few replays shown

Amua showing some good pace to scramble back

10-0 BOP at HT

A surprise that Ta$man are scoreless after a half of rugby

The commentator seems to have gotten Lasaqa mixed up with Narawa a few times.

Been impressed by Fehi Fineanganofo playing 12 today

Havili absolutely palmed off by Leroy. Embarrassing

Judd putting in a master class of how to exit from your 22

For once the ref calls a man in front of the kick and it wasn't. Justice done with the pen missed

Gee BOP have been impressive today

@KiwiMurph the makeshift midfield has done well

Really felt we were starting to crumble when Ta$man eventually scored but we've been superb since then.

@barky1 said in BOP v Ta$man:

@KiwiMurph the makeshift midfield has done well

Far outplayed their big name opponents

@KiwiMurph money can't buy heart

Hardly a performance by Blackadder that screams pick me ABs. And usually he dominates at this level

37-7

Biggest margin of the weekend so far

Enjoyed that, well worth coming home early from golf club to watch. The Bay were every bit as good as I thought they would be, and Ta$man a bit perhaps not as good as I expected.

In summary:

• Trask lasted 80 mins.
• Another important missed tackle from Havili.