Waikato 2022

@ARHS said in Waikato 2022:

Cheers. Don't see Waikato club rugby any more so struggled to identify a few backs.

I've only been to 2 club games all year but luckily most of the younger players were playing in those games. I am more familiar with them from 1st XV and U20s.

Smiler was one of two in headgear as you say but unsure of the other one now.

I'm not sure who the other player with headgear was. Was he the other winger? I was on the opposite side of the field to the Waikato subs so didn't have a good view of them.

Who was reserve 9 and the bearded reserve prop? Dickinson??

Not Rhys Dickinson for the reserve halfback as he is starting for Tech tomorrow (against Roe). The bearded prop was a Reuben O'Neill look-a-like but couldn't be him. BTW, the Waikato scrum looked strong.

Did not expect to see Messam or Marshall but hoped to see DMac and Lansdown.

DMac to play next weekend in Te Kuiti? I was told that Lansdown has retired. No sighting of Simon Parker either.

@Bovidae hey thanks. I wandered up and down the other side. Yes I think wing on other side from Dawai had headgear similar to the fullback. Crowd was good all things considered.

Lansdown has retired - he posted about it on Instagram earlier this week.

Reuben O'Neill wasn't named in the Taranaki squad for the season but presume he's injured anyway?

Waikato's squad is due to be named next Wednesday evening.

@Mr-Fish said in Waikato 2022:

Reuben O'Neill wasn't named in the Taranaki squad for the season but presume he's injured anyway?

Yeah, I think he is out for the year after missing the entire SR season.

Waikato's squad is due to be named next Wednesday evening.

Good to know. Filipo and co will get to look at more players next Sat.

I see there are some photos up on the Mooloo FB page. These photos highlight the problem identifying some players as jersey numbers didn't always correspond to positions.

@Bovidae yep that got to me. But that looks like Adam Thomson at the back.

@ARHS said in Waikato 2022:

@Bovidae yep that got to me. But that looks like Adam Thomson at the back.

Thomson was involved with the coaching staff last year, as was Stephen Donald and Nick White.

WAIKATO RUGBY REBRAND | Today we are excited to launch our newly rebranded design of our famous strong arm logo.

There is a video on FB too.

The squad has been announced.

@Bovidae Go Ayden, Rhys, Mosese & little Liam!! The Defending champs of provincial rugby I have high expectations set for the mooloo men

Some of that squad won't be playing this season due to injury so I expect to see some others brought in. Taha Kemara is the only young back included. I doubt he'll be a starter though, unless the plan is for Leuila to play 2nd 5.

Remarkably similar to last year. Only surprise for me at first glance is Leuia (MP next year?) rather than Cody Nordstrom.

Good squad. Hopefully another food year for the strong arm.

@ARHS said in Waikato 2022:

Remarkably similar to last year. Only surprise for me at first glance is Leuia (MP next year?) rather than Cody Nordstrom.

35 of the 38 players. I am disappointed the likes of Tongia are included again, as there was the opportunity to promote a local player. I can sort of understand Leuia if he is being looked at in the midfield to provide some experience. Hopefully the young players get to train with the main squad.

Hopefully Nordstrom and Ah Kiong get a run at some stage and maybe Tupou. Tongia probably a bit better than Jordan Bunce for 15. But it is very much the usual suspects.

@ARHS Daniel Sinkinson is preferred as one of the wingers. I wonder where Coombes-Fabling will play? That might also depend on if DMac is at 10 or 15.

Simon Parker still has his left arm in a sling, so another that was on the likely "unavailable list".

Waikato Juniors, is that the U19 team?

@Stargazer Yes. They were first called the Waikato Juniors last year.

I'm no clearer on who will start in some key positions than I was before watching today's Chiefs Centurions Cup games.

In the first game Taha Kemara was the 1st 5 (replaced late in the game by D'Angelo Leuila), Quinnlan Tupou at 2nd 5 and Sullivan at centre.
Coombes-Fabling was at fullback in this game, Dawai and Sinkinson on the wings.

In the second game Tupaea Cook-Savage played 1st 5, Austin Anderson at 2nd 5, and Latrell Smiler-Ah Kiong was at fullback. The rest of the backline was mainly U20 players like Nordstrom and Reweti. Leuila came on at 2nd 5 against Taranaki.

At lock, there was no McWhannell or Thompson, although both were doing some fitness work behind where I was. So Burr started with Zinzan Hansen in the 1st game and Tucker with Andrew Smith (I think) in the second game. So again, U20 players. Marshall was the only one of the squad hookers to play (against Taranaki).