Table:

Pos. Team P W B PTS
1 BoP 3 3 3 15
2 Hawke’s Bay 2 2 2 10
3 Wellington 2 2 2 10
4 Tasman 2 2 1 9
5 Taranaki 2 1 2 6
6 Northland 2 1 1 5
7 Canterbury 2 1 1 5
8 Waikato 2 1 1 5
9 Southland 2 1 0 4
10 Otago 2 1 0 4
11 North Harbour 2 0 2 2
12 Counties-Manukau 3 0 2 2
13 Auckland 2 0 1 1
14 Manawatū 2 0 0 0

Fixtures:

Friday 23/08:

  • Hawke’s Bay v Northland (Ranfurly Shield Challenge)

Saturday 24/08:

  • Counties-Manukau v Tasman
  • Auckland v Canterbury
  • Southland v Taranaki

Sunday 25/08:

  • Otago v BoP
  • Wellington v Manawatū
  • North Harbour v Waikato

Wednesday 28/08:

  • Canterbury v Hawke’s Bay

My Predictions:

  • Hawkes-Bay 6+ (I’m on call this week so won’t be at McLean Park :( )
  • Tasman 18+
  • Auckland 6-
  • Taranaki 6+
  • BoP 6+
  • Wellington 27+
  • North Harbour 6+
  • Canterbury 10-
  • TagMeInSkipIGotThis@lemmy.nzOPEnglish
    1·
    1 month ago

    Absolutely cracking first match in the Hawke’s Bay Ranfurly Shield defence against Northland!

    spoiler

    Hawke’s Bay 55 - 30 Northland

    Folau Fakatava (unwanted by the All Blacks) and Lincoln McClutchie (unwanted by any Super franchise this year) put on an absolute clinic to wrestle the lead back and then trigger the breakaway.

    The game was played at a very high tempo through the 80 hence the high scoring affair, referee didn’t stand for any pissing about by either team and they just cracked into it playing a mix of well thought out strikes from set piece, some brilliant phase play attack and then just some moments of genius from the two aforementioned Hawke’s Bay playmakers.

    Some might see a score like that and think the defense was just a turnstile but it was hugely physical all game and the breakdown was a willing contest with some real venom in the cleanouts.

    Sad thing was i’m on call so couldn’t be at the ground to watch the glorious defense - but hey, we get to keep the Ranfurly Shield for another 2 weeks as our next defense isn’t until September 7th.

    C’mon the BAAAAAAAAAAY