Horror-canes - The Fever Union thread

Anyone watch the semi tonight? SKY sh*tted out with about 2minutes to go. Came back after about 40seconds of sky preview channel and ended up on the one camera in the most awkward position + no replays.

Yep, as a Waikato supporter my heart was racing! Sky issues aside, what a finish!

Crushing loss... at least we made it back to the semi-finals.

Fully supporting Waikato in the final against those Canterbury scum.

I hate Waikato. Frig those cowbells annoy me. Nearly worse than the vuvuzela.

Canterbury annoys me more than Waikato's cowbells.

shame donald wasnt playing for waikato tonight instead of losing the game in Hong Kong

It's not like Aaron Cruden would've kicked the penalty had he been there though. Needs more Nick Evans.

I thought the exact same thing!

Maybe, maybe not but he could have at least kicked the ball out with 15 seconds to go. Donald has and likely never will be good enough for international rugby.

Any free streaming sites for the ABs game in Hong Kong?

Cancel that.Wongo2010-10-31 00:53:43

donalds performance just goes to show that delaney should be there instead

   (but yes, I would have him there ahead of Donald, just behind others.)

Even I could have kicked that ball into touch.

I'm an up and coming reporter, check out my blog on Stephen Donald's performance here. Keen to get my name out there, so have a read :)

http://byphilliprollo.blogspot.com/2010/10/donald-proves-he-hasnt-got-it.html

I HAZ ITM CUP AS WELL AS RANFURLY SHIELD!

I HAZ HAPPINESS!

Team of Wellington rejects/quality players we were to dumb to keep hold of!

Super 15 squads announced later today

Few confirmed signings for the highlanders are as follows

Kurt Baker - Taranaki
Nasi Manu - Canterbury
Lima Sopoaga - Wellington
Telusa Veainu - Canterbury
Elliot Dixon - Hawkes Bay
Shaun Treeby - Wellington
Aaron Smith - Manawatu
Colin Slade - Canterbury

Blues: John Afoa, Anthony Boric, Daniel Braid, Luke Braid, Stephen Brett, Ash Dixon, Charlie Faumuina, Kurtis Haiu, Jerome Kaino, Chris Lowrey, Matthew Luamanu, Tevita Mailau, Alby Mathewson, Luke McAlister, Tom McCartney, Keven Mealamu, Brad Mika, Liaki Moli, Toby Morland, Lachie Munro, Filo Paulo, Jared Payne, Rene Ranger, Joesevata Rokocoko, Peter Saili, Chris Smylie, Benson Stanley, Winston Stanley, Sherwin Stowers, Isaia Toeava, Ali Williams, Tony Woodcock. Coach: Pat Lam.

Chiefs: Ben Afeaki, Colin Bourke, Craig Clarke, Mike Delany, Aled de Malmanche, Stephen Donald, Hikawera Elliott, Romana Graham, Richard Kahui, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Tanerau Latimer, Fritz Lee, Brendon Leonard, Lelia Masaga, Ben May, Liam Messam, Taniela Moa, Malili Muliaina, Tim Nanai-Williams, Dan Perrin, Culum Retallick, Isaac Ross, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Toby Smith, Dwayne Sweeney, Sona Taumalolo, Save Tokula, Hayden Triggs, Tana Umaga, Scott Waldrom, Nathan White, Jackson Willison. Coach: Ian Foster.

Hurricanes: Michael Bent, James Broadhurst, Dane Coles, Laurence Corlett, Aaron Cruden, Chris Eaton, Jason Eaton, Jacob Ellison, Bryn Evans, Hosea Gear, Andrew Hore, Cory Jane, Tyson Keats, Daniel Kirkpatrick, Jack Lam, Alipati Leiua, Faifili Levave, Serge Lilo, Karl Lowe, Charlie Ngatai, Ma'a Nonu, Anthony Perenise, Mark Reddish, Julian Savea, John Schwalger, Conrad Smith, Rodney So'oialo, Andre Taylor, Jeremy Thrush, Neemia Tialata, Victor Vito, Piri Weepu. Coach: Mark Hammett.

Crusaders: Nicholas Barrett, Matt Berquist, Tyler Bleyendaal, Daniel Carter, Wyatt Crockett, Ryan Crotty, Israel Dagg, Andy Ellis, Corey Flynn, Kahn Fotuali'i, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Robbie Fruean, Zac Guildford, David Hall, Willi Heinz, Chris Jack, Quentin MacDonald, Sean Maitland, Tom Marshall, Richie McCaw, Andrew Olorenshaw, Jonathan Poff, Kieran Read, Luke Romano, Brad Thorn, Matt Todd, Joe Wheeler, Adam Whitelock, George Whitelock, Sam Whitelock, Sonny Bill Williams. Coach: Todd Blackadder.

Highlanders: Halani Aulika, Kurt Baker, Josh Bekhuis, Jimmy Cowan, Nick Crosswell, Elliott Dixon, Tom Donnelly, John Hardie, Jarrad Hoeata, Chris King, Kendrick Lynn, Jamie Mackintosh, Nasi Manu, Brayden Mitchell, Bronson Murray, James Paterson, Siale Piutau, Robbie Robinson, Sean Romans, Jason Rutledge, Matt Saunders, Mahonri Schwalger, Colin Slade, Aaron Smith, Ben Smith, Alando Soakai, Lima Sopoaga, David Te Moana, Adam Thomson, Shaun Treeby, Joe Tuineau, Telusa Veainu. Coach: Jamie Joseph.

Apart from the Crusaders who have an utterly ridiculous squad the main issue will be that everyone has pretty decent top 15s but then not a whole lot below it. Will be a real test with the longer season.

Highlanders have plenty of youth, but not many senior players, especially in the backs. If they can keep that squad for another season, they'll be pretty decent. The new rule has allowed them to contract players for two seasons as well. So here's hoping.

Between Cowan, Slade, Ben Smith and Kenny Lynn who should all be in the starting backline there is a chunk of experience.

I think the backline will go like this

9. Cowan 10. Slade 11.Veainu 12.Treeby 13.Lynn 14.Baker 15.Smith

But then of course you've got the likes of Aaron Smith, Robbie Robinson, James Paterson challenging for places. Piutau and Saunders are two good squad players. Interesting that no one picked up James Wilson or Scott Cowan.

Im lovin the Highlanders squad.. how good would it be if we still had Dagg?!?!?! But we dont so ill move on, starting backline should be IMO :
9.Cowan 10.Slade 11.Veaninu/Patterson 12.Treeby 13.Lynn 14.Smith 15.Robinson... Id love that.. Also solid forward pack, so it shall be an exciting season!

taneila moa made the chiefs squad, thought he was pretty rubbish most of the season for The Bay. terrible decision making

Kade Poki was offered a 2 year contract with the highlanders worth $140,000, plus a one year deal with the crusaders, but somehow his agent stuffed him around and he didn't end up with either.

 

For some reason It's taken me this long to see the Crusaders squad. Our best for years, good enough to get past the Bulls and win the tournament.

To be honest, I think that this could be another 2002.

The crusaders will really struggle if Carter goes down, Berquist couldn't get a start for Auckland and Bleyendaal couldn't even make the bench at Canterbury. Other than that, I see them winning easily.

9. Ellis 10. Carter 11. Guildford 12. SBW 13. Fruean 14. Maitland 15. Dagg

That is an insane backline! Not to mention Fotualii and Crotty, two players who came close to making the ABs at the start of the year.Luis Garcia2010-11-18 22:04:45

i see colin bourke made the barbarians team 

...meanwhile: McCaw > Meads ??

McCaw has amazed me two years in a row now. Not even the best All Black throughout 2010, yet he wins world player of the year. Read or Mills deserved it.

Otago have signed Ben Atiga, Tony Brown, Daniel Ramsay, Buxton Popali'i and another swag of players.

Rugby Southland is broke after a season of overspending.

The union owes about $700,000 to creditors, with no ability to pay, and is forecasting a deficit between $350,000 and $478,000 for the 2010 financial year

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/itm-cup-heartland-championship/4506154/Southland-rugby-union-runs-out-of-cash

They have been overspending for years, I guess the licensing trust has finally run out of money.

Rugby Southland doing a Leeds United

Anybody been watching the 7's.? A decent crowd there yesterday and for the Otago games, did you guys hear the chanting going on?? The 7pm game was insane, pretty much the whole bank standing, about a 1/6 chanting. It was a good old time until my mum was sitting around the people who were sitting then the drunks decide to go in front of us. Mum politely asks them to move back so we could see and they start mouthing off to my 50 and 48 year old mum and dad. Thats not on. But tbh typical rugby crowd, its what you've came to expect unfortunately. Anyway, its looking like Otago are gonna be disappointing again this year, and my loved Hawkes Bay are in with a shot, but its definitely a long shot. Anyway C'Mon Otago, C'mon Hawkes Bay.

I think you mean C'mon HARBOUR!!!!

Hawkes Bay out buddy.

Otago coming up next are going to have to be in fine form to beat Auckland.

Counties to win it. 

I didn't realize Otago has such a strong team

Just got back from sevens. Once again a great day. Hawkes Bay and Otago out early, GUTTING! but once again Auckland win it. Pretty much the whole bank was going for the Naki. End of the day got invited into the mighty Hawkes Bay tent while waiting for my brother to pick me up from the ground(was only kid left(pretty much last person)), cause I saw a player and mentioned my dad was from Wairoura when he said hi. There they all asked me a question and gave me a training singlet. Which I was stoked about. Top lads . Oh and my brothers flatmates boyfriend is Jone Pouamou who gave me a signed Otago hat . Was gonna give me a jacket but didnt have time to go back to the hotel. Great day, and a brilliant sevens once again. Well Done Pub Charity.