Air NZ Cup, Rd 1

[douglasallen91]

Go The Bush!

 

[Sanchez]

which one?

 

[douglasallen91]

Wairarapa Bush!

 

[Sanchez]

any body got final thoughts on the 1st ANZC

 

[ozbash]

over hyped
over rated
some incredibly boring mis matches

best team won.

next year, either the AB,s are in or they are out. no half measures.

btw, like the new sig sanchez

 

[Sanchez]

which bit in particular or is it sarcasm;-)

for mine id like to see it reduced to at 12 teams. simple round robin but keep quarter finals to train the sudden death situations.

id merge manuwatu with hb or the naki or both

 

[Sanchez]

http://www.radiosport.co.nz/SportsNews/sprug/Detail.aspx?id=107608
Aussie McLean takes over from John Plumtree as Welllington coach for the Air New Zealand Cup
Former Canterbury mentor Aussie McLean has been appointed the new coach of the Wellington Lions in rugby's Air New Zealand Cup.
He takes over from John Plumtree who has joined South African side, the Sharks, in Durban.
McLean is the current Hurricanes assistant coach and says he is yet to decide who will assist him at the Lions.
He says there will not be massive changes in personnel.
Current Lions assistants Chris Boyd and Jamie Joseph also applied for the head coaching position.

 

[Sanchez]

Counties Manukau to continue sharing Mt Smart Stadium with the Warriors; Pukekohe stadium upgrade could take until 2009
Counties Manukau will continue to share Auckland's Mount Smart Stadium with the Warriors for the time being.
But the Steelers board has unanimously voted that an upgraded stadium in Pukekohe should be the home of Steelers rugby by 2009 at the latest.
CEO Nick Sheppard says it is a multi-million dollar project that will not be complete in one swoop. He says it will be an $8 - $10 million upgrade over a few years.
Nick Sheppard says they will have to open dialogue with NZRU to make sure they meet the set criteria for the Air New Zealand Cup competition
http://www.radiosport.co.nz/SportsNews/sprug/Detail.aspx?id=107953

 

[Sanchez]

Revised Air NZ Cup format will see all 14 teams playing in a 10-week modified round robin, not all teams play each other
The Air New Zealand Cup rugby format has been altered.
The revised format will see all 14 teams playing in a 10-week modified round robin, followed by a finals series featuring quarterfinals, semifinals and final.
Not all teams will play each other during the Modified Round Robin.
A formula has been developed to determine which teams do not play each other, based on a team's competition placing in the previous season and aimed at delivering a fair draw.
Key features of the revised format include a regular Thursday night rugby time-slot and the simultaneous kick-off and live broadcast of two games on a Friday night.
NZRU deputy CEO Steve Tew says negative feedback was received about the uncertain nature of the top six - having to ?block book? venues for three weekends without knowing whether matches would be played there or not.
Tew says the revised format has overwhelming support from the Provincial Unions and SKY Television and had been endorsed by the NZRU Board.
http://www.radiosport.co.nz/SportsNews/sprug/Detail.aspx?id=108030

 

[ozbash]

thats good. at least they (nzrfu) listen.

 

[Sanchez]

Hawke's Bay Rugby is looking for a new coach after a negotiation breakdown with Brendon Ratcliffe
The Hawke's Bay Rugby Union has sacked coach Brendon Ratcliffe after just one season of Air New Zealand Cup rugby.
Ratcliffe had been in charge of the side for the past two seasons and guided the Magpies to the highest standing of the newly promoted teams in the expanded competition
Hawkes Bay CEO Mike Bishop says negotiations reached a stalemate and they could go no further.
Bishop says the union does not have any applicants earmarked to take over, but names such as former All Blacks coach Laurie Mains and Bay of Plenty deputy Kevin Schuler have been touted as possibilities to replace Ratcliffe.
http://www.radiosport.co.nz/SportsNews/sprug/Detail.aspx?id=108626

Laurie Mains has ruled out applying for the Hawke's Bay coaching job, after Brendon Ratcliffe was sacked
Do not expect Laurie Mains to apply for the vacant Hawke's Bay coaching job.
The former All Black coach's name has been linked to the position after Brendon Ratcliffe was sacked this week as head coach of the Magpies.
Ratcliffe had been in charge for the past two seasons and led Hawke's Bay into the inaugural Air New Zealand Cup competition.
Mains has not been approached and he is not interested in the job, as at his age he can not really be bothered with coaching and his building business takes up far to much time. He says the only talks he has had with Hawke's Bay were about three years ago.
The Hawke's Bay Union says it will advertise the role, and maintains it is not targeting any particular coach.
There is still no comment on the reasons for Ratcliffe's dismissal.
http://www.radiosport.co.nz/SportsNews/sprug/Detail.aspx?id=108696

 

[Sanchez]

Two former All Blacks - Alama Ieremia and Jamie Joseph - will be assistant coaches for Wellington next year
Wellington Rugby has appointed Alama Ieremia and Jamie Joseph as assistant coaches of the Wellington Lions in the Air New Zealand Cup
The former international team-mates have 50 All Blacks caps between them and a wealth of experience in New Zealand and Japan.
They will work alongside coach Aussie McLean, who is also the assistant coach of the Hurricanes.
Ieremia is to return from Japan where he has been playing and coaching for the last six years. For the last two years Ieremia has been coaching the backs at top four Japanese side Suntory.
Joseph, a specialist line out coach for the Lions this season, says he will be the forwards coach and has been drawn to the role by McLean's impressive CV. He says it is good to learn from someone like that.
Wellington Chief Executive Greg Peters says Ieremia and Joseph are two top coaching prospects, and they have been brought through with a view to the future.
The move would appear to leave this year's assistant coach Chris Boyd on the outer although Peters says they would like to keep him employed in the union.
http://www.radiosport.co.nz/SportsNews/sprug/Detail.aspx?id=108692

 

[Sanchez]

Having secured the Ranfurly Shield, Harbour rugby coach Allan Pollock may be rewarded with the sack. Pollock was asked to reapply for his job after the inaugural Air New Zealand Cup and has not heard from the union since his interview.
Sources suggest sevens guru Gordon Tietjens and former Stormers assistant coash Adrian Kennedy are favoured above Pollock.
Pollock remains passionate about Harbour, saying he wants the job but if someone else is better than he is then that is great for Harbour.
Harbour CEO Brett Hollister says it's nothing against Pollock that he had to reapply despite his success. Hollister says the Board has decided all leadership roles that become vacant will go through the proper processes. Beyond that, Hollister is tight lipped, saying they will make an announcement when they have found the best candidate.
http://www.radiosport.co.nz/SportsNews/sprug/Detail.aspx?id=109734

 

[ozbash]

titch is a die hard BOP man,,, he wont go anywhere near the harbour bridge.

pollock is probably still round at rua's house and hasn't sobered up yet.

 

[Sanchez]

Hawke's Bay RFU withdraws termination notice to Brendon Ratcliffe, and he has chosen not to pursue legal action
There has been a resolution in the messy break up between Magpies coach Brendon Ratcliffe and the Hawke's Bay Rugby Union
The Union has withdrawn its termination notice to Ratcliffe, while he has chosen not to pursue legal action.
Ratcliffe has now resigned as the head coach of the Air New Zealand Cup side.
Ratcliffe was sacked late last year but appealed to the Employment Relations Authority on the grounds of unfair dismissal.
http://www.radiosport.co.nz/SportsNews/sprug/Detail.aspx?id=110291

 

[Sanchez]

New Hawke's Bay rugby coach has the job of stepping from Heartland Championship to Air New Zealand Cup level
The new Hawke's Bay Rugby coach has the task of stepping from Heartland Championship to Air New Zealand Cup level.
Peter Russell, the man who led Wairarapa-Bush to glory in 2006, has been named as the new Magpies coach, taking over from Brendon Ratcliffe.
Ratcliffe and the union were at loggerheads before he departed.
Russell believes he is ready to be a professional rugby coach, saying they were amateur at Wairarapa-Bush but tried to have a professional approach.
Peter Russell also coached the Heartland Fifteen in 2006.
http://www.radiosport.co.nz/SportsNews/sprug/Detail.aspx?id=110883

 

[Sanchez]

Hawke's Bay Magpies name new forwards coach; Tom Coventry was previous NZ Secondary Schools coach
Former Waikato loose forward Tom Coventry has been appointed forwards coach for the Hawke's Bay Magpies in next season's Air New Zealand Cup.Coventry was New Zealand Secondary Schools coach last year.
http://www.radiosport.co.nz/SportsNews/sprug/Detail.aspx?id=111138