ozbash
Referee
- Messages
- 26,922
Should be an absolute ripper and i,m very tempted to scoot down to Hamilton to cheer on the mighty mooloo men.
I predict a hard fought victory to Waikato and i suspect that Graham Henry and co will have a few more headaches in selecting their end of year tour, such is the absolute wealth of talent south of the Bombays.
Mooloo's by 4.
TAB odds:
Head to head: Wellington $1.85, Waikato $1.90
Win by 12 or less: Wellington $2.80, Waikato $2.90
Win by 13 or more: Wellington $4.50, Waikato $4.75
************************************
Injured Wellington prop Neemia Tialata has been bracketed for Saturday's Air New Zealand Cup final after getting through some scrum training in the capital on Thursday.
Coach John Plumtree took the precautionary move of bracketing the All Blacks tighthead with John Schwalger when he named an otherwsie unchanged team to take on Waikato in Hamilton.
Tialata has been under an injury cloud all week since being forced off late in the semifinal win over Auckland last Friday night with a calf problem.
But there encouraging signs at Lions trianing on Thursday.
Tialata worked a treadmill for much of the session but joined in for some of the scrum practice.
Plumtree said they would wait to see how Tialata pulled up from his first outing of the week and said there was still plenty of time to make a final decision on his front row.
"We're not a one-man side. Losing Nee would be a blow but just like anything you just move on," Plumtree told media after training.
"We're not going to play him if he's not fit. John Schwalger's not a bad player and (loosehead prop) Joe McDonnell's probably playing the best rugby of his life."
Tialata's recovery is pivotal to his chances.
"He came through it all right. He's a pretty big man and there's a lot of weight on those calves.
"There's a slight tear there but it's in the best possible place if you're going to tear a calf."
Schwalger played the bulk of the Hurricanes' Super 14 campaign, including the final, although that was on the loosehead side where he is more accustomed.
The Lions have kept faith with openside flanker Ben Herring for the testing assignment against Marty Holah.
That means All Black Chris Masoe will be on the bench again after making his return to action form a Tri Nations injury with a breif second half sub's role against Auckland.
"Ben's been in such great form all season. His battle with Marty Holah will be an interesting one," Plumtree said of Herring, who may well shift from Wellington next year.
"It could be an emotional moment for him. Ben's been a handful all year and Chris just hasn't had enough rugby."
WELLINGTON: 15 Shannon Paku, 14 Ma'a Nonu, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Tana Umaga (c), 11 Cory Jane, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Rodney So'oialo, 7 Ben Herring, 6 Jerry Collins, 5 Luke Andrews, 4 Ross Filipo, 3 Neemia Tialata / John Schwalger, 2 Mahonri Schwalger, 1 Joe McDonnell. Reserves: 16 Luke Mahoney, 17 John Schwalger / Anthony Perenise, 18 Jeremy Thrush, 19 Chris Masoe, 20 Alby Mathewson, 21 Miah Nikora, 22 Lome Fa'atau.
Waikato have stuck with the side that have got them to the final with coach Warren Gatland naming an unchanged team to tackle the Lions in New Zealand rugby's domestic showpiece in Hamilton on Saturday night.
The Mooloo have been in fine form throughout the championship and Gatland has rewarded his steady troops for the Air New Zealand Cup final.
"Our team has really grown up this season. It is a great achievement to be playing in the final. This is important for Waikato rugby now and in the future," says Gatland.
Gatland resisted tinkering with his enviable back row stocks where Waikato face a massive challenge against Wellington's All Blacks loose forwards.
That means Steven Bates will captain Waikato from the blindside with big Sione Lauaki at No 8 and Marty Holah operating at openside. Impressive young loosie Liam Messam awaits his introduction from the bench, hoping to push for an All Blacks callup.
Keith Robinson is ready for another start in the Waikato second row alongside Jono Gibbes.
Stephen Donald is over the bruised knee that has been troubling him for the past couple of weeks and exciting young centre Richard Kahui is confirmed to start after his late inclusion in last week's semifinal against Otago where he shrugged off a calf strain to star again.
The Waikato union report that around 3000 tickets remained for the final as of mid-morning on Thursday.
"The passion that Waikato fans bring to Waikato Stadium is superb. The guys are looking forward to running out on Saturday night and absorbing the unique Mooloo atmosphere," said Gatland.
WAIKATO: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Sosene Anesi, 13 Richard Kahui, 12 David Hill, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Stephen Donald, 9 Byron Kelleher; 8 Sione Laukai, 7 Marty Holah, 6 Steven Bates (c), 5 Keith Robinson, 4, Jono Gibbes, 3 Nathan White, 2 Tom Willis, 1 Craig West. Reserves: 16 Scott Linklater, 17 Aled de Malmanche, 18 Toby Lynn, 19 Liam Messam, 20 Brendon Leonard, 21 Dwayne Sweeney, 22 Roy Kiniknilau
I predict a hard fought victory to Waikato and i suspect that Graham Henry and co will have a few more headaches in selecting their end of year tour, such is the absolute wealth of talent south of the Bombays.
Mooloo's by 4.
TAB odds:
Head to head: Wellington $1.85, Waikato $1.90
Win by 12 or less: Wellington $2.80, Waikato $2.90
Win by 13 or more: Wellington $4.50, Waikato $4.75
************************************
Injured Wellington prop Neemia Tialata has been bracketed for Saturday's Air New Zealand Cup final after getting through some scrum training in the capital on Thursday.
Coach John Plumtree took the precautionary move of bracketing the All Blacks tighthead with John Schwalger when he named an otherwsie unchanged team to take on Waikato in Hamilton.
Tialata has been under an injury cloud all week since being forced off late in the semifinal win over Auckland last Friday night with a calf problem.
But there encouraging signs at Lions trianing on Thursday.
Tialata worked a treadmill for much of the session but joined in for some of the scrum practice.
Plumtree said they would wait to see how Tialata pulled up from his first outing of the week and said there was still plenty of time to make a final decision on his front row.
"We're not a one-man side. Losing Nee would be a blow but just like anything you just move on," Plumtree told media after training.
"We're not going to play him if he's not fit. John Schwalger's not a bad player and (loosehead prop) Joe McDonnell's probably playing the best rugby of his life."
Tialata's recovery is pivotal to his chances.
"He came through it all right. He's a pretty big man and there's a lot of weight on those calves.
"There's a slight tear there but it's in the best possible place if you're going to tear a calf."
Schwalger played the bulk of the Hurricanes' Super 14 campaign, including the final, although that was on the loosehead side where he is more accustomed.
The Lions have kept faith with openside flanker Ben Herring for the testing assignment against Marty Holah.
That means All Black Chris Masoe will be on the bench again after making his return to action form a Tri Nations injury with a breif second half sub's role against Auckland.
"Ben's been in such great form all season. His battle with Marty Holah will be an interesting one," Plumtree said of Herring, who may well shift from Wellington next year.
"It could be an emotional moment for him. Ben's been a handful all year and Chris just hasn't had enough rugby."
WELLINGTON: 15 Shannon Paku, 14 Ma'a Nonu, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Tana Umaga (c), 11 Cory Jane, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Rodney So'oialo, 7 Ben Herring, 6 Jerry Collins, 5 Luke Andrews, 4 Ross Filipo, 3 Neemia Tialata / John Schwalger, 2 Mahonri Schwalger, 1 Joe McDonnell. Reserves: 16 Luke Mahoney, 17 John Schwalger / Anthony Perenise, 18 Jeremy Thrush, 19 Chris Masoe, 20 Alby Mathewson, 21 Miah Nikora, 22 Lome Fa'atau.
Waikato have stuck with the side that have got them to the final with coach Warren Gatland naming an unchanged team to tackle the Lions in New Zealand rugby's domestic showpiece in Hamilton on Saturday night.
The Mooloo have been in fine form throughout the championship and Gatland has rewarded his steady troops for the Air New Zealand Cup final.
"Our team has really grown up this season. It is a great achievement to be playing in the final. This is important for Waikato rugby now and in the future," says Gatland.
Gatland resisted tinkering with his enviable back row stocks where Waikato face a massive challenge against Wellington's All Blacks loose forwards.
That means Steven Bates will captain Waikato from the blindside with big Sione Lauaki at No 8 and Marty Holah operating at openside. Impressive young loosie Liam Messam awaits his introduction from the bench, hoping to push for an All Blacks callup.
Keith Robinson is ready for another start in the Waikato second row alongside Jono Gibbes.
Stephen Donald is over the bruised knee that has been troubling him for the past couple of weeks and exciting young centre Richard Kahui is confirmed to start after his late inclusion in last week's semifinal against Otago where he shrugged off a calf strain to star again.
The Waikato union report that around 3000 tickets remained for the final as of mid-morning on Thursday.
"The passion that Waikato fans bring to Waikato Stadium is superb. The guys are looking forward to running out on Saturday night and absorbing the unique Mooloo atmosphere," said Gatland.
WAIKATO: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Sosene Anesi, 13 Richard Kahui, 12 David Hill, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Stephen Donald, 9 Byron Kelleher; 8 Sione Laukai, 7 Marty Holah, 6 Steven Bates (c), 5 Keith Robinson, 4, Jono Gibbes, 3 Nathan White, 2 Tom Willis, 1 Craig West. Reserves: 16 Scott Linklater, 17 Aled de Malmanche, 18 Toby Lynn, 19 Liam Messam, 20 Brendon Leonard, 21 Dwayne Sweeney, 22 Roy Kiniknilau
