Waikato And Taranaki NPC Winners

Waikato men's rugby side has joined their women's rugby team in winning the NPC Premiership Division for 2021 with a 23-20 win against Tasman at Hamilton's FMG Stadium.

Waikato: 23

Tries: Bailyn Sullivan 2, Conversions: D'Angelo Leuila 2, Penalties: Leulia 2, Fletcher Smith

Tasman: 20

Tries: Quinten Strange, Regan Ware, Conversions: Mitch Hunt 2, Penalties: Hunt 2

Waikato: 1- Ayden Johnstone, 2-Rhys Marshall, 3-George Dyer, 4-James Tucker, 5-Hamilton Butt, 6-Saminpeni Finau, 7-Mitch Jacobson, 8-Jack lam, 9-Cortez Ratima, 10-D'Angelo Leuila, 11-Mosese Dawai, 12-Gideon Wrampling, 13-Bailyn Sullivan, 14-Liam Coombes-Fabling, 15-Ryan Tongia

Reserves: 16-Steven Misa, 17-Ollie Norris, 18-Sefo Kautai, 19-Rupeni Tamani, 20-Liam Messam, 21-Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22-Fletcher Smith, 23-Beauden Waaka

Tasman: 1- Isi Tau'ungafasi, 2-Andrew Makalio, 3-Sam Matenga, 4-Antonio Shalfoon, 5-Quinten Strange, 6-Jacob Norris, 7-Anton Segner, 8-Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta, 9-Louie Chapman, 10-Mitch Hunt, 11-Regan Ware, 12-Alex Nankivell, 13-Leicester Fainga'anuku, 14-Timoci Tavatavanawai, 15-Andrew Knewstubb

Reserves: 16-Quentin MacDonald, 17-L Inch, 18-Isaac Salmon, 19-M Hicks, 20-Hugh Renton, 21-N Hotham, 22-M Springer, 23- L Aumua

In the Championship Division, Taranaki completed an unbeaten season, with a 32-19 win over Otago at TET Stadium in Inglewood. Because of the Covid disruption to the NPC this year where Auckland based sides were forced to pull out, their will be no promotion to the Premier Division.

Taranaki: 32

Tries: Jared Proffit, Mickey Woolliams, Kini Naholo, Daniel Waite, Conversions: Stephen Perofeta 3, Penalties: Perofeta 2

Otago: 19

Tries: Joshua Hill, Josh Ioane, Vilimoni Koroi, Conversions: Ioane 2

Taranaki: 1-Jared Proffit, 2-Ricky Riccitelli, 3-Michael Bent, 4-Kaylum Boshier, 5-Mickey Woolliams, 6-Bradley Slater, 7-Tom Florence, 8-Pita Sowakula, 9-Logan Crowley, 10-Jayson Potroz, 11-Kini Naholo, 12-Teihorangi Walden, 13-Daniel Waite, 14-Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, 15-Stephen Perofeta

Reserves: 16-Millenium Sanerivi, 17-Donald Brighouse, 18-Kyle Stewart, 19-Scott Jury, 20-Mitchell Crosswell, 21-Liam Blyde, 22-Daniel Rona, 23-Vereniki Tikoisolomone

Otago: 1-Josh Hohneck, 2-Liam Coltman, 3-Jermaine Ainsley, 4-Joshua Hill, 5-Josh Dickson, 6-Sam Fischli, 7-James Lentjes, 8-Christian Lio-Willie, 9-Kayne Hammington, 10-Josh Ioane, 11-Vilimoni Koroi, 12-Patelesio Tomkinson, 13-Matt Faddes, 14-Freedom Vahaakolo, 15-Sam Gilbert

Reserves: 16-Ricky Jackson, 17-Abraham Pole, 18-Tau Kolomatangi, 19-Fabian Holland, 20-Slade McDowall, 21-James Arscott, 22-Cameron Millar, 23-Raymond Nu'u

All Blacks Lose Last Match For 2021

The All Blacks have finished their final test match of 2021 with a 40-25 loss to France. It was a similar physical contest to last weeks loss to Ireland, with a relentless French side leading 24-6 at half time. The All Blacks worked their way back into the match in the second half, but the sin-binning of number eight Savea, and an intercept try to Damian Penaud ended their resurgence.

New Zealand All Blacks: 25

Tries: Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Ardie Savea, Conversions: Barrett 2, Penalties: Barrett 2

France: 40 

Tries: Peato Mauvaka 2, Romain Ntamack, Damian Penaud tries;  Melvyn Jaminet 4 con, 4 pen) 

All Blacks Named To Face France

All Blacks coach Ian Foster has named his side to face France for the final test of the year at Stade de France in Paris on Sunday morning 9am. There are seven changes from the side that lost to Ireland last week, with two of them forced due to injury. Beauden Barrett suffered a head knock and has been replaced by Richie Moúnga, while Anton Leinert-Brown's shoulder injury has seen Quinn Tupaea start ahead of David Havili at second five. Other changes see Aaron Smith in at halfback in place of TJ Perenara, Sam Cane and Akira Ioane in for Dalton Papalii and Ethan Blackadder, Dane Coles in for Codie Taylor, and George Bridge in for Sevu Reece on the left wing.

New Zealand All Blacks:

Jordie Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Quinn Tupaea, George Bridge, Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith, Ardie Savea, Sam Cane, Akira Ioane, Sam Whitelock (c), Brodie Retallick, Nepo Laulala, Dane Coles, Joe Moody. 

Reserves: 

Samisoni Taukei’aho, George Bower, Ofa Tuungafasi, Tupou Vaa’i, Shannon Frizell, Brad Weber, Damian McKenzie, David Havili.

NPC Final Matches

New Zealand Rugby has announced the locations for the finals matches in the 2021 Bunnings NPC competition.

In the Premiership, Waikato will host Tasman at Hamilton's FMG Stadium on Saturday 20th November at 7.05pm after it was announced the Waikato area will drop back to Covid level 2 on Tuesday night. The Waikato rugby team had spent 6 weeks on the road after relocating to the Bay of Plenty when Hamilton and surrounding areas went into level 3 lockdown.

The Championship final has Taranaki hosting Otago at TET Stadium in Inglewood on Saturday 20th November at 2.05pm

Super Rugby 2022 Draw Announced

The draw for the twelve team 2022 Super Rugby Pacific has been announced, and will feature new teams Moana Pasifika and Fijian Drua. The competition kicks off on Friday February 18th, where new side Moana Pasifika will face the Brumbies at Mt Smart Stadium.

The competition will be played over 15 rounds running through until the end of May, and each team will have a bye weekend through rounds 7-9. The quarter finals will start on 3-5 June, and run through to the 18th June final.

Teams are: Moana Pasifika, Fijian Drua, Blues, Chiefs Hurricanes, Crusaders, Highlanders, Waratahs, Reds, Force, Brumbies, Rebels

All Blacks Suffer First Loss On Northern Tour

The All Blacks have lost their first match on the Northern Tour, going down 29-20 to Ireland. Ireland scored three tries to two and dominated much of the territory and possession in the match, with the All Blacks forced to make 158 first half tackles to Ireland's 37, and 235 total for the match to Ireland's 101. The All Blacks lost Beauden Barrett to a head knock, and Anton Lienert-Brown to a dislocated shoulder, and the cause was not helped when hooker Codie Taylor spent 10 minutes in the sin-bin for a high tackle in the first half.

New Zealand All Blacks: 20 

Tries: Codie Taylor, Will Jordan, Conversions: Jordie Barrett 2, Penalties: Jordie Barrett 2

Ireland: 29 

Tries: James Lowe, Ronan Kelleher, Caelan Doris, Conversions: Johnny Sexton, Penalties: Joey Carbery 3, Sexton

All Blacks coach Ian Foster has named his side to face Ireland on Sunday 14 November, 4.15am at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. The side has minor changes to the one that beat Wales 54-16 two weeks ago, with Reiko Ioane in at centre, Anton Leinert-Brown moving to second-five and Sevu Reece on the left wing. Hooker Danes Coles is in the reserves, as is halfback Finlay Christie due to Brad Weber's head knock against Italy last week.

New Zealand All Blacks: 

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

Reserves: 

Dane Coles, Karl Tu'inukuafe, Tyrel Lomax, Tupou Vaa'i, Akira Ioane, Finlay Christie, Richie Mo'unga, David Havili.

Ireland: 

Hugo Keenan, Andrew Conway, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe, Johnny Sexton (c), Jamison Gibson-Park; Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris, James Ryan, Iain Henderson, Tadhg Furlong, Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter. 

Reserves: 

Rob Herring, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Tadhg Beirne, Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, Joey Carbery, Keith Earls.