ITM CUP

Certainly a cramped and confusing season. Games every bloody day, poor crowds as a result.

Well done Northland for todays spanking of the Bay of Plenty 30 - 23 at the Toll Stadium. The Bay currently undefeated at the top of the first division and Northland were 5th in the 2nd Division (will confuse the NH fans lol) but will have climed the table with this win. Missing Jarod Payne and Rene Ranger this Northland team still shows it is one of the, if not the most exciting team to watch. Great chance for promotion into the 1st with play ike this.

Good to hear that WJ.

It's bleeding hard work keeping up with the comp from this end of the planet. Though it's not hard to see Tasman's struggling this season admittedly

Thought they might have let it slip towards the end.

Bryce Heem is an exciting young player.

To be honest, this year I've lost track of how the competition even works.

I kind of watch the games that are televised in a vague morning fog while I wake up.

I was going to say that!

There was anal twitching in that last 10 minutes, it's even harder watching on TV rather than being at the game...I hate "On Call".

Bryce Heem is a fantastic player. I think the 7's experience has done him the world of good. Dare I say it, but certainly a possibility for future AB selection.

Welshjohn, could you give me a background on this Bryce Heem? What position is he? I'm assuming a back, would he make the Blues next season or with their recent signings would he be better off going elsewhere? (if he makes the grade of course)

I don't see him as an All Black but could be a good Super Rugby player.

mintie,

He plays on the wing.

To anyone that saw it, Wasn't the last 2 minutes of last nights game between Auckland and Counties the most bizzare sequence of evnts you could see to finish a game???

In what sense?

The penalty awarded.
Tasesa Lavea turning down the kick at goal,at 25-22, on 22metre, 5 metres left of post.
Kick for touch, 30seconds to go.
Win lineout.
Hold ball, attack Aucklands line for 2 minutes.
Simon Lemalu crashes over froma ruck ,you' think scores try.
No. disallowed, Ruling Le malu's knee scraped ground as he picked up ball, therefore not on his feet,
Anscombe kicks ball into toich game over,Auckland 23 Counties 22.

Match report filed by Laurie....

Not that bizarre so. They turned down the prospect of the draw and went for the win. Gave away a silly penalty and lost. Certainly not the most bizarre.

Sorry, but I thought it was pretty amazing, Guess you had to be watching it unfold, and my commentary isnt that good...

I did watch it and I cheered when I thought Counties had scored (I have a soft spot for them) and it was dramatic, but it wasn't exactly bizarre.

MBTGOG
ok so on hindsight I might have used the wrong word,and I apologised to you, again I'm sorry.
If you saw it then you must have known what I was talking about,in the first place...

I did and I apologise for poking too much into one word. I wasn't into it as a game really as Auckland didn't make it much of one but it was a bit of an anti-climax when it turned out it wasn't a win for Counties.

Apology accepted.

Tasman 30 Auckland 28

Puts the boys in red and blue up to 2nd-to-last in the championship, though North Harbour have a game in hand, and they no longer have Luke "Millstone" McAllister handicapping their efforts.

This is the worst north hatbour team since the split at the bridge,although Frano's boy is going good..