All Blacks Win Against Wales

The All Blacks have started their Northern Tour with a 54-16 win against Wales on Sunday. The All Blacks had only led 18-6 at halftime after trading early penalties, with an intercept try from Beauden Barrett being the first five pointer. Barrett, playing in his 100th test scored a second intercept try late in the second half, which was one of five in the half.

New Zealand All Blacks: 54 

Tries: Beauden Barrett 2, TJ Perenara, Will Jordan, Dalton Papalii, Sevu Reece, Anton Lienert-Brown, Conversions: Jordie Barrett 5, Penalties: J Barrett 3

Wales: 16 

Try: Johnny Williams, Conversion: Rhys Priestland, Penalties: Gareth Anscombe 2, Priestland

All Blacks Named To Face Wales

All Black coach Ian Foster has named his side to face Wales in their match at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Sunday 5.15am NZT.

The side is much changed from the match against USA last week, with lock and captain Sam Whitelock, flanker Dalton Papalii and wing Will Jordan the only one's remaining from the starting side. First five Beauden Barrett gets the nod ahead of Richie Mo'unga, and will play his 100th match for the All Blacks, while TJ Perenara starts at halfback, and Jordie Barrett at fullback.

New Zealand All Blacks: 

Jordie Barrett, Will Jordan, Anton Lienert-Brown, David Havili, Rieko Ioane, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara; Ardie Savea, Dalton Papalii, Ethan Blackadder, Sam Whitelock (c), Brodie Retallick, Nepo Laulala, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody. 

Reserves: 

Samisoni Taukei'aho, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Tyrel Lomax, Tupou Vaa'i, Akira Ioane, Brad Weber, Richie Mo’unga, Sevu Reece.

Round Eight NPC Results

Hawkes Bay have retained the Ranfurly Shield with a 41-14 win against Waikato after trailing 12-14 at halftime, Taranaki continued their unbeaten run with a 47-35 win over Manawatu, and Otago beat Canterbury 22-20.

Hawke's Bay: 41 

Tries: Jacob Devery, Danny Toala, Neria Fomai 2, Tom Parsons, Ollie Sapsford, Conversions: Lincoln McClutchie 4, Penalty: McClutchie 

Waikato:14 

Tries: Steven Misa, Liam Coombes-Fabling, Conversions: D'Angelo Leuila 2

Taranaki: 47 

Tries: Liam Blyde 2, Stephen Perofeta, Vereniki Tikoisolomone, Josh Jacomb, Penalty try, Conversions: Perofeta 3, Penalties: Perofeta 3

Manawatu: 35 

Tries: Josiah Maraku, Tima Fainga'anuku, Ed Fidow, Griffin Culver, Drew Wild, Conversions: Stewart Cruden 5

Otago: 22 

Try: Freedom Vaha'kolo, Conversion: Josh Ioane, Penalties: Ioane 5

Canterbury: 20 

Tries: Sam Dickson, Fergus Burke, Conversion: Burke 2, Penalties: Burke, Alex Harford

All Blacks Get Record Win Against USA

The All Blacks have secured a record 104-14 win against the USA in Washington. The writing was on the wall for USA after flanker Luke Jacobson scored the All Black's first try after only 29 seconds of the match, and further tries resulted in a 59-7 halftime lead. The Eagles did however manage to score their first try ever against the All Blacks when halfback Nate Augspurger did so late in the first half. 

New Zealand All Blacks: 114

Tries: Luke Jacobson 2, Ethan de Groot, Will Jordan 3, Damian McKenzie, Angus Ta'avao 2, Richie Mo'unga, Quinn Tupaea, Dalton Papalii, Anton Lienert-Brown, Beauden Barrett, Dane Coles, TJ Perenara, Conversions: Richie Mo'unga 9, Damian McKenzie 3

United States Eagles: 14  

Tries: Nate Augspurger, Ryan Matyas, Conversions: Luke Carty 2

All Blacks Named To Face USA

All Blacks coach Ian Foster has named his side to face USA in their test match at FedEx Field on Sunday morning 24th October, 8.30am. The side will be captained by Sam Whitelock who missed the Rugby Championship series in Australia due to the birth of his child, and Sam Cane also returns in the reserves after being sidelined for much of the year with a pectoral muscle tear.  New All Black lock Josh Lord has been added to the reserves, as has hooker Dane Coles who has been out since August with a calf injury.

New Zealand All Blacks:

1.   Ethan de Groot
2.   Asafo Aumua
3.   Angus Ta’avao
4.   Samuel Whitelock (c)
5.   Tupou Vaa’i
6.   Luke Jacobson
7.   Dalton Papalii
8.   Hoskins Sotutu
9.   Finlay Christie
10. Richie Mo’unga 
11. George Bridge 
12. Quinn Tupaea
13. Braydon Ennor
14. Will Jordan 
15. Damian McKenzie 

Reserves:

16. Dane Coles 
17. George Bower
18. Tyrel Lomax 
19. Josh Lord
20. Sam Cane 
21. TJ Perenara 
22. Beauden Barrett 
23. Anton Lienert-Brown 

NZ Rugby Confirm Revised NPC Schedule

With Auckland, North Harbour and Counties Manukau withdrawing from the NPC competition last week due to Covid restrictions, NZ Rugby have announced a revised draw for the remaining weeks of the competition. There will be no promotion and relegation of teams this year, and teams that were due to play one of the Auckland based sides will instead play a non-competition match against other teams.

Week 7 (Friday, October 15–Sunday, October 17)

Friday 7.05pm: Northland v Otago, Rotorua International Stadium.

Saturday 2.05pm: Waikato v Taranaki, FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton (TBC).

Saturday 4.35pm: Canterbury v Hawke's Bay, Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch.

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Saturday 7.05pm: Manawatū v Wellington, Central Energy Trust Arena, Palmerston North.

Sunday 2.04pm: Tasman v Bay of Plenty **, Trafalgar Park, Nelson.

Week 8 (Friday, October 22–Sunday, October 24)

Friday 7.05pm: Otago v Canterbury, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin.

Saturday 2.05pm: Taranaki v Manawatū, TET Stadium & Events Centre, Inglewood.

Saturday 4.35pm: Wellington v Southland**, Porirua Park, Wellington.

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Saturday 7.05pm: Hawke's Bay v Waikato (Ranfurly Shield), McLean Park, Napier.

Sunday 2.05pm: Bay of Plenty v Northland, Tauranga Domain.

Week 9 (Friday, October 29–Sunday, October 31)

Friday 7.05pm: Canterbury v Tasman, Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch.

Saturday 2.05pm: Otago v Wellington, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin.

Saturday 4.35pm: Bay of Plenty v Waikato, Tauranga Domain.

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Saturday 7.05pm: Manawatū v Hawke's Bay, Central Energy Trust Arena, Palmerston North.

Sunday 2.05pm: Southland Northland, Rugby Park, Invercargill.

Week 10 (Friday, November 5–Sunday, November 7)

Friday 7.05pm: Waikato v Otago, FMG Stadium Waikato.

Saturday 2.05pm: Tasman v Wellington, Lansdowne Park, Blenheim.

Saturday 4.35pm: Canterbury v Bay of Plenty, Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch.

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Saturday 7.05pm: Hawke's Bay v Northland **, McLean Park, Napier.

Sunday 2.05pm: Taranaki v Southland, TET Stadium & Events Centre, Inglewood.

** These are non-competition fixtures that do not count towards the 2021 NPC competition (ie no competition points will be awarded from these matches).

Semifinals (Friday, November 12–Saturday, November 13)

Friday 7.05pm: Semifinal 1.

Saturday 2.05pm: Semifinal 2.

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Saturday 4.35pm: Semifinal 3.

Saturday 7.05pm Semifinal 4.

Finals (Friday, November 19–Sunday, November 21)

Friday 7.05pm: Championship Final.

Saturday 7.05pm: Premiership Final.

Waikato Win Farah Palmer Cup Final

Waikato has won the Farah Palmer Cup Premiership for the first time, beating Canterbury 22-20 in Christchurch. In a week that had training interruptions for lockdowns in both Hamilton and the greater Waikato region, the Waikato team has reversed last years defeat to deny Canterbury. Waikato scored two tires to three, but crucially Canterbury lost two different players to the sin bin in the second half after repeated infringements on defense. After having the wind advantage in the first half, Canterbury led 13-3 at halftime, but Waikato came back in the second half using the wind to their advantage and spent long periods attacking the Canterbury line, leading to tries and Canterbury's yellow cards.

Waikato: 22 

Tries: Awhina Tangen-Wainohu, Merania Paraone, Victoria Edmonds, Conversions: Tenika Willison 2, Penalty: Kennedy Tahau

Canterbury: 20 

Tries: Lucy Jenkins, Steph Te-Ohaere-Fox, Conversions: Isabella Waterman 2, Penalties: Waterman 2

In the Championship Final, Manawatu were dominant beating Hawkes Bay 55-12, earning promotion to the Premiership Division for next year.

Manawatu: 55 

Tries: Alesha Williams 2, Marilyn Live, Rangimarie Sturmey, Lucy Brown, Kaia-Hayes Walker-Waitoa, Crystal Mayes, Sam Tipene, Carys Dallinger, Conversions: Dallinger 5

Hawke’s Bay: 12 

Tries: Harmony Kautai, Tuia Edwards, Conversion: Krysten Cottrell