Otago

1 Abraham Pole, 2 Henry Bell, 3 Rohan Wingham, 4 Will Tucker, 5 Joseva Tamani, 6 Will Stodart, 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 Benjamin Lopas, 18 George Bower, 19 Oliver Haig, 20 Harry Taylor, 21 Nathan Hastie, 22 Josh Whaanga, 23 Sam Nemec-Vial

Northland

1 Jordan Lay, 2 Matt Moulds (C), 3 Chris Apoua, 4 Allan Craig, 5 Sam Caird, 6 Rob Rush, 7 Jake Heenan, 8 Terrell Peita, 9 Sam Nock, 10 Rivez Reihana, 11 Brady Rush, 12 Corey Evans, 13 Solomon Alaimalo, 14 Nathan Salmon, 15 Jordan Trainor
Reserves: 16 Jordan Hutchings, 17 Esile Fono, 18 Coree Te Whata-Colley, 19 Liam Hallam-Eames, 20 Lachie Hooper, 21 Josh Renton, 22 Quinton Nichols, 23 Paula Balekana

Sounds like Renata may have picked up an injury that could end his season

@taniwharugby said in Otago v Northland:

Sounds like Renata may have picked up an injury that could end his season

Bugger. Hope they have sorted CTC’s scrummaging issues.

@kev yeah CTC is an odd one, sometimes he can be devastating, next scrum he gets destroyed...think it's a concentration and fitness issue.

@taniwharugby said in Otago v Northland:

@kev yeah CTC is an odd one, sometimes he can be devastating, next scrum he gets destroyed...think it's a concentration and fitness issue.

I remember him as being good - just that game against Ta$man. Hopefully they will have it sorted. The scrum has been very good for us.

Expecting a big game from Lucas Casey against his home province. Hoping him and Pledger continue to standout like dogs nuts.

Do commentators get a bonus everything they describe an all Maori/pacific islander midfield as “powerful”?

A very well taken intercept, and relatively little interest in tackling from Otago.

Damn, Solomon's hands...

Dumb from CLW

A few forward floaters being let go

Some good continuity on attack from both sides if not a.bit predictable

All that territory and possession pressure too much there...we need to get some ball

It’s a good game to watch but the lack of innovation on attack by both teams will likely mean they won’t be able to compete with the top 2-3 teams

Handling errors still a big problem for us

Man we have seen some awful kicks from hand by Reihana this year...if we stop kicking the ball away and put some phases together a few wide, we have a shot but if we keep giving them the ball, the heat will be too much

Otago will be disappointed with that scoreline. They had loads of ball

Northland getting a few good turn overs at the rucks

Man we need to get some linking from thier kicks instead of just kicking it straight back to them.

Our discipline is not good enough, too much pressure.

Think that will be the game, too much defending in the first 46 and now only 14 men...lastbweek we conceded 19 while down a man

@taniwharugby said in Otago v Northland:

Man we have seen some awful kicks from hand by Reihana this year...if we stop kicking the ball away and put some phases together a few wide, we have a shot but if we keep giving them the ball, the heat will be too much

Completely different player to what we saw for the Crusaders

Rightncall to take points, breather and soak up time with Rush in the bin.

Some awful discipline from Northland. Otago really need capitalize on it. Line out maul 5m out isn’t working but the scrum is.

Took Salmon off for Balekana...yet to see anything of him to warrant his signing unfortunately

Jake Te Hiwi’s best game in an Otago jersey by a country mile. Been really good so far

Lucas Casey you good thing. Showing his speed yet again

Very fortuitous but well taken

@Landers92 said in Otago v Northland:

Lucas Casey you good thing. Showing his speed yet again

The Kerikeri Express!

He’s looked sharp. Him and CLW have been very prominent in the second half.

A couple of tight forwards looked they were out of gas on defence

I'd have subbed Moulds, R Rush and Nock by now

Terrible hospital pass by Otago. Northland on the spot to win the turnover.

Pledger’s pass is pretty swift

All that defending is telling, poor decisions and execution.

Balekana not interested in passing to Alaimalo for any particular reason?

Man we have not been smart at all tonight.

Shit Whaanga has put on some good size. Looking a fair bit bigger than last season. Great turnover

Tackle, looked like no arms by Evans...dumb dumb dumb play by us.

Had no ball all night, Otago have had.great continuity yet we kick it away, over and over

Pretty much every player from Otago has played well. I honestly can’t remember a time where I’ve seen this team just grind a team down and then blow them out at the end of the game.

Only concern is the defensive breakdown. Have been killed there

Renton looks sharp, certainly more decisive than Nock, but we have just been so poor with our decision making, disipline and again, poor handling

Otago.too good, much smarter and disciplined.