Ta$man

1 Ryan Coxon, 2 Eli Oudenryn, 3 Kershawl Sykes-Martin, 4 Quinten Strange, 5 Antonio Shalfloon, 6 Ethan Blackadder, 7 Sione Havili Talitui, 8 Fletcher Anderson, 9 Jay Renton, 10 William Havili, 11 Jack Gray, 12 Timoci Tavatavanawai, 13 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 14 Kyren Taumoefolau, 15 David Havili (c)

Reserves: 16 Tomasi Maka, 17 Tom Heywood, 18 Sione Mafile, 19 Hunter Leppien, 20 Lopeti Faifua, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 Cooper Grant, 23 Cooper Roberts

Otago

1 Abraham Pole, 2 Henry Bell, 3 Saula Ma’u, 4 Will Tucker, 5 Joseva Tamani, 6 Oliver Haig, 7 Lucas Casey, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 9 Dylan Pledger, 10 Cameron Millar, 11 Jona Nareki, 12 Jake Te Hiwi, 13 Josh Timu, 14 Jae Broomfield, 15 Sam Gilbert (c)

Reserves: 16 Liam Coltman, 17 George Bower, 18 Rohan Wingham, 19 Will Stodart, 20 Harry Taylor, 21 Nathan Hastie, 22 Josh Whaanga, 23 Sam Nemec-Vial

Ta$man have added even more firepower this week but I wonder if the Ben Darwin theory can be proven true he reckons if a team can keep the same side fronting back to back weeks they're more likely to win we've only changed Stodart for a similar player in Haig

@Grooter I reckon there's something to Darwin's theory of week-to-week evolution!

Pretty decent Ta$man side - like the ABs we're starting our 4th choice halfback (with quite a bit of overlap).

Would be stronger if we could add Lomax, Hotham, Christie, Jordan and Big Levi - but, not bad for what we're likely to ever be allowed.

I hope Te Hiwi and Timu have been practicing their tackling technique this week

Jake has probably spent more time than running opposition to Jim than anyone else. Albeit on the training ground.

This is on now

Nice start for Ta$man.

Blackadder is racking up impressive minutes!

Beautiful Try all started by Lucas Casey

The young Ta$man winger is very quick.
Is that the guy who played for MP in Super?

@Frank Yes. Going to the Chiefs next year.

Havili needs to see red. Straight forearm to the throat

You are actually able to lead with the fend, but you can't contact someone in the head - particularly when it's an elbow.

Marshall setting the record straight.

Marshall is so fucking dumb, fuck it's embarassing.

Can someone enlighten me, forearm to the face, why isn’t that man in the bin?

Surely if we’re looking after heads, it shouldn’t matter if you’ve got the ball, or you’re the tackler?

@Gunner said in Ta$man v Otago:

Can someone enlighten me, forearm to the face, why isn’t that man in the bin?

Surely if we’re looking after heads, it shouldn’t matter if you’ve got the ball, or you’re the tackler?

It's a fucking disgraceful decision. The same penalty as Nareki just accidentally getting in the way at the ruck and impacting nobody. What a joke.

Elbow to the face should’ve been minimum yellow.

That Tavatavanawai sub, that has to be AB enforced right? Didn’t look injured and didn’t have any physios around him while sitting on the bench. Odd

@Landers92 Odd - you'd expect if that was the case he'd be on the bench. Not subbed from the starting lineup.

@Landers92 said in Ta$man v Otago:

Elbow to the face should’ve been minimum yellow.

That Tavatavanawai sub, that has to be AB enforced right? Didn’t look injured and didn’t have any physios around him while sitting on the bench. Odd

Looked to me like his right arm/shoulder wasn't in great shape. Looked to be deliberately not moving it and a bit ginger.

Henry bell can fuck right off.

50/22.... except it's a penalty

Ta$man "big" names are probably their worst players so far. That was yuck by Havili with an unmarked Taumoefolau. Or as Marshall would say, Taumoefow

My screen died for a couple of minutes. What happened to Saula Ma'au?

Two kaik boys Bell & Pledger combining nicely

That is some pickup by Pledger, superb pace too.

Oudenryan reminds me of a young Coles, just a bit bigger. Has that same shaky hair running style as Lee too.

Poor tackling by Otago, LF didn't have to work too hard for that.

I hope the Crusaders are talking clearly to Oudenyn. Don't want him going elsewhere.

Something wrong with my satellite feed. Te Hiwi was in slow motion and everyone else was normal.

@Chris-B yeah they will have a spot open in 2028 when Taylor departs

@Bones said in Ta$man v Otago:

Something wrong with my satellite feed. Te Hiwi was in slow motion and everyone else was normal.

Didn't need pace to fend off Davey

So...ahhh... this guy Haig that's the next superstar AB captain and almost as good as Higgins....is he playing?

@SouthernMann said in Ta$man v Otago:

Henry bell can fuck right off.

Still sure?

@frugby credit where credit is due. He's scored a try and setup another

@Bones every team needs itself a Reuben Thorne

@Chris-B said in Ta$man v Otago:

I hope the Crusaders are talking clearly to Oudenyn. Don't want him going elsewhere.

Wouldn’t blame him if he did with George Bell waiting in the wings behind Codie Taylor.

@Frank said in Ta$man v Otago:

The young Ta$man winger is very quick.

As Earle Kirton would say, he has gas. Taumoefolau made Nareki look slow.

@frugby said in Ta$man v Otago:

@SouthernMann said in Ta$man v Otago:

Henry bell can fuck right off.

Still sure?

Yeah. Doesn't take an amazing hooker to jump on the back of a maul. Look, I know the Bell boys are good Jhonnies lads. But we can admit Bell isn't the sharpest hooker going around.

I actually thought though a bit slow, Te Hiwi had a pretty decent half - just didn’t need to offload that on the 5.

I also thought Haig had several good carries, Casey very strong again.

@Bones said in Ta$man v Otago:

So...ahhh... this guy Haig that's the next superstar AB captain and almost as good as Higgins....is he playing?

His first start since he buggered his foot before super season and then again at the end of the season. He’s making his tackles and had some strong carries. Will take that for now

@SouthernMann Mate, you just have an agenda. I don’t really understand how you watch that half and decide he wasn’t very good.

If that was Jack Taylor out there that half you’d be wanking him dry - and rightly so.

You can debate the merits of him for the Highlanders, but has been very good in an Otago team which could be 4-1 at the end of this game.