Match Thread - Triple Header at Eden Park

[jim_57]

Seen better state cup games than this.

Good luck Tigers next year if Benji is in the starting line up

This year would have been a perfect time to give a young half or two their debut. Dylan Brown the first one that springs to mind.

 

[Springs09]

GB are rubbish. Doesn't seem to be any real drive. I'm sure it doesn't help that there's nothing at stake.

 

[jim_57]

GB are rubbish. Doesn't seem to be any real drive. I'm sure it doesn't help that there's nothing at stake.

Agreed, like I said about NZ above it would have been a good year to give some younger players a go. They notably lack any speed in particular, as good as they were in previous years I think Hall and McGillvray have had their time.

 

[Burns]

How’s the game been? Not been able to watch

 

[Springs09]

McGillvary just f**ked 2 certain tries in 2 minutes

 

[kiwileaguefan]

How’s the game been? Not been able to watch

I have only seen the last 20 mins and it's a bludger of a game.....

English referee? WTF

 

[jim_57]

McGillvary just f**ked 2 certain tries in 2 minutes

The first one was a good call not to pass, inside man well and truely covered with a NZ player in range for an intercept.

 

[RedVee]

I have only seen the last 20 mins and it's a bludger of a game.....

English referee? WTF

The 20 was the best of it.
Oh, apart from an exceptional Haka

 

[roughyedspud]

Big sigh.......

 

[JohnDoe]

Definitely, on paper Fiji's best team is up there with Tonga in my opinion. Let's not forget some players that weren't there today like Sivo, Blake, Koroisau, Sims², Safiti², RCG and probably a few more.

1. Naiqama
2. Sivo
3. Wiliame
4. Blake
5. Vunivalu
6.
7. Wakeham
8. D Saifiti
9. Koroisau
10. Campbell-Gillard
11. Kikau
12. T Sims
13. K Sims

14. Lovodua
15. Bukuya
16. Kamikamica
17. Evans

Only real position missing is who you would play at 6? Could put Koroisau there and play Lovodua at 9 I suppose and bring another player on to the bench. With a team in the Ron Massey Cup next year and a team in the NSW Cup in 2021. It should help develop some options in the spine positions in time for the World Cup in 2021.

 

[Springs09]

GB are their own worst enemy, reminds me of England a few years back. Widdop was awful. Hodgson never goes as well in internationals as in the NRL. And there's just nothing behind them, they look like a plastic team with nothing really to play for.

 

[Burns]

Come on Tonga!

 

[Jim from Oz]

Ground filling up for the main game but still lots of empty seats. I’d guess if Eden Park holds 50,000 people there may be 25,000 people there? Or maybe if we are lucky a bit more, possibly 28,000?

All I can say is, I’m very very glad Tonga won last week. If Great Britain had thrashed Tonga last week, and New Zealand had made the rugby union World Cup final, I’d have hated to see what the crowd would have been!

 

[Burns]

Crowd looks 20,000 - 23,000.

 

[Burns]

Crowd sounds like 100,000

 

[Force]

Definitely, on paper Fiji's best team is up there with Tonga in my opinion. Let's not forget some players that weren't there today like Sivo, Blake, Koroisau, Sims², Safiti², RCG and probably a few more.

Both Fiji and Samoa can have a much better team on paper than what was playing today. Only P.Is team near full strength is Tonga, the rest arent, however Fiji have access to most if not all of their top players, Samoa doesnt.

 

[RedVee]

With the teams and results these teams are putting out we aren't far off a pretty credible Oceania/Pacific Cup with 2 pools instead if 2 tiers.

Pool A - Aus, PNG & Fiji
Pool B (Polynesia Cup) - NZ, Tonga, Samoa & Cooks.

Something annually involving NZ, Tonga & Samoa has huge potential.

No room for PNG in Pool A ?

 

[Burns]

Tonga imploded, sigh

 

[jim_57]

No room for PNG in Pool A ?

Have another look

 

[Jim from Oz]

Tonga imploded, sigh

Tonga started so well, then Andrew Fifita came on!