GO THE MIGHTY LIONS
Wellington Lions last Sunday may very well have achieved the finest performance from a Wellington rugby side ever.
Ok Wellington are the NPC champs from 2022 and are the proud holders of the new-look Ranfurly Shield from outstanding performances in 2022, but the team that took the field against Canterbury was not anywhere near the team that had triumphed in 2022 or even a few days earlier in 2023.
Everyone knows Canterbury and the Crusaders and everyone knows how utterly hard either team is to beat on their own home turf.
But a Wellington squad that had defended the Shield twice in four days (including against the strong Tasman side) and now had to play a champion Crusaders-filled Canterbury only four days later were up against it. So much so that in recognition that defeat was almost certain with the Shield not at stake, the team selected were almost all from outside the top 15 starters and many from the fringes of the large playing squad. And it had an untested new captain.
So the young Lions side thoroughly deserved their win even if it took a brilliant try in the last couple of minutes to separate the teams. For instance, the co-commentator said as the teams lined up for the start, that the Canterbury pack was going to rein mayhem upon the Wellington pack presenting them with unrelenting problems at scrum and lineout times. It just didn't happen.
So after its flurry of 3 championship games in 8 days, Wellington Lions are the only unbeaten side in the 14-team comp with 5 from 5. And the coaches are left with the task of just who to select for the next game with at least 30 players putting up their hands.
Winging in on a winger
Horrors for the Hurricanes.
They are losing at least a couple of important players for the 2025 Super Pacific Rugby comp but whilst the locking department is going to be taken care of with a couple of exciting young newcomers of substantial build, losing the young super promising Josh Moorby on the wing who is also a more than adequate fullback filler, is a big loss.
Moorby, a consideration for the All Blacks, would you believe it is chasing the big bucks in France.
But it leaves the Hurricanes shy of a real top notch wing. The Hurricanes who will immediately next season be among the favourites to win the SPR, will need to entice a quality, proven speed merchant winger from somewhere.
Of the other wings in the Hurricanes fold in 2023 apart from Salesi Rayasi none are up to a high standard and these include Kini Naholo, Ngane Punivai and Bailyn Sullivan. Dan Sinkinson did show some promise this year and I was surprised he didn't get more chances to show his abilities.
Hurricanes cannot afford to mess around. Just like this year they will need to come out guns blazing first match up in 2025 and with at least two speedy multi skilled wings.
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What freezes when it is heated up?
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Why are ghosts such bad liars?
...You can see right through them.
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