Monday, August 30, 2010
ITM Cup in New Zealand - Highlights from Round 5
Starting on Thursday, Taranaki made it four from four as they beat Otago 25-15 in Dunedin. Both sides scored some good tries but Otago failed to get off the bottom of the table as theyre still winless so far.
On the opposite end of the table, Southland continued their fine form as they beat Tasman 21-16 with fullback Robbie Robinson kicking seven penalties. Tasman snuck a bonus point at least, kicking a penalty with time up on the clock.
Waikato scored some nice tries as they powered over Counties Manukau with a convincing 39-3 win in Hamilton. The game was finely balanced at 7-3 at the halftime break, but Waikato stretched their legs in the second, playing some great rugby.
The Wellington and Northland game was a little closer, with the latter taking a 31-28 win in which the impressive Rene Ranger featured prominently. Some sensational tries were scored by both sides, but Victor Vitos for Wellington would probably pick up the try of the game award.
Canterbury got off to a great start and followed through, eventually winning 35-16 in their match with Auckland in Christchurch. In Rotorua, Hawkes Bay were to good for Manawatu as they cane out 17-9 winners, while North Harbour won 39-29 against Bay of Plenty in an entertaining match in Rotorua.
The quality of these highlights isnt fantastic, but the quality of the rugby is never in question. Sit back and enjoy a total of ten minutes of tries as each game of the round is recapped. If there is anything in particular that you spotted on the weekend that you think should be featured as an individual post, please post a request .
Time: 10:12
Posted at 3:17 pm | 30 comments
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Viewing 30 comments
Dozzy_X August 30, 2010 2:45 pm

Anonymous August 30, 2010 3:57 pm

Chambo August 30, 2010 6:27 pm

Nicko August 30, 2010 11:17 pm

Also, I liked Masaga's new dance moves... Looks like he's getting back some of that X-Factor he lost with all his injuries, he's such an entertainer!
olwakachangchang August 30, 2010 11:40 pm

Anonymous August 31, 2010 2:17 am

Anonymous August 31, 2010 2:19 am

I still love the hit on Zane Kirschner during the tri-nations, such an animal!!
Bill August 31, 2010 6:21 am

Anonymous August 31, 2010 8:51 am

Maximus August 31, 2010 9:03 am

Anonymous August 31, 2010 9:06 am

Anonymous August 31, 2010 9:20 am

Spaz September 01, 2010 2:52 am

Wake me when its ove September 01, 2010 5:45 am

It just shows you can throw as much money at it and poach as many SH players as you want and still not get a decent result.
LOL at French people.
open your eyes mate September 01, 2010 7:10 am

HAHAHA! Man you're a clown, everybody knows Top14 is the greatest rugby competition in the world with S15, there's no debate... If you can't see that it means you know nothing about this sport!
Reality Check September 01, 2010 7:52 am

Xavier September 01, 2010 11:14 am

Lol, I wouldn't rush myself saying any team from the ITM would give a good seeing to any Guiness Premiership club. Just to give one example, I doubt that would be true against Leicester Tigers who have tons of great players (i.e. Castrogiovanni, Youngs, the Tuilagui brothers...) and also a few international scalps (hey, they beat SA, and thats quite an acomplishment, even if it was a B side).
ITM teams have a lot of class. Vito, Ranger, Gear, So'oialo... But GP clubs can offer some good competition
@ wake me up when its over:
You really don't know what you are talking about, mate. You have to be pretty clueless about rugby to even say that. Even if you are from the SH you have to admit Top14 is one hell of a competition. With players like Wilkinson, Hayman, Van Niekerk, Contempomi, Ngwenya, Leguizamon, Harinordoquy, Parisse, Tuilagui (hell, 4 of the best n8s in the world), Bastareaud, Juan Martin Hernandez, Vilimoni Delasau, Napoleoni Nalaga, Byron Kelleher... you have to be mad to say that isn't one of the best competitions in the world. Toulouse, Toulon, Clermont-Auvergne, Stade Franais... They all would be able to compete with ITM teams, and I would dare including Racing Metro and Biarritz Olympique too. You have "bad", "unnattractive" and "slow" games in every competition on Earth, but that certainly is not the standard of Top14
Anonymous September 01, 2010 12:59 pm

how often do you see guiness teams run from there 22? oh thats right they kick!!!!
Bill September 02, 2010 12:15 am

If you compare the GPS stats of T14 players they cover roughly half the number of metres in a game than a player in the S14. The ITM is only marginally belwo S14 level, it's basically all the NZ teams from the S14 minus their current All Blacks.
In the SH players play faster and have a higher skill level.
In the NH (according to GPS stats) the ball rarely goes more than five metres from the ruck on a play and attacking play is rudimentry.
When Luke Rooney came from being the starting fullback for Toulon, to trying to start in the ITM cup in NZ, he got dropped after one game.
The coach said he has all the basic skills from his time in rugby league, but his years in France had changed him into a much less dynamic player.
He basically said that in France all he had to do was catxch the ball and kick it back the other way.
In the ITM cup he has to run the ball back, link play like a five eight and just generally be more dynamic.
He;s slowly learning how to play properly again.
The T14 is good ion terms of the players it attracts, as well as the coaches and the money invested in the squads.
But it is light years behind in terms of tactics and skills.
Joost September 02, 2010 1:50 am

What do guys eat in Nez Zealand to play rugby the way they do?
Rude obstruction at 5:10!
rodofle September 02, 2010 8:17 pm

OMFG he obviously didn't ever watch Luke Rooney play with Toulon to say such an idiot thing. And you globally don't know anything about T14 to say such stupid things about it, we can't take you seriously. And where the hell do you take your GPS stats from??? I'd be curious to know... Or you're joing right?
Bill September 02, 2010 10:27 pm

And he said that about Rooney because it's true.
You can stick your head in the sand all you want though, that's the kind of attitude that prevents NH rugby from progressing.
rodofle September 03, 2010 12:08 pm

Reality September 04, 2010 8:47 am
















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