NPC Rugby

2022 - 8 - 6

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NPC: Canterbury hammer Manawatū 62-15 as dumped All Black ... (Stuff.co.nz)

On this evidence, Canterbury are going to be serious title contenders with experienced Super Rugby players throughout their squad.

A beautiful mind crunching all the player stats. If quality local sport journalism is important to you, become a Stuff supporter today. You need journalists close enough to smell the liniment. The Turbos host Auckland on Wednesday. Manasa Mataele’s breakaway try at the start of the second half snuffed out any chance of a Turbos fightback. However, workaholic No 7 Tom Christie was into everything during an 80-minute shift and made sure Manawatū couldn’t get any flow into their game.

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Canterbury put competition on notice in NPC season opener (New Zealand Herald)

Canterbury have made a big statement in the opening game of the National Provincial Championship, dispatching Manawatū 62-15 in Palmerston North.

Manawatū's discipline was their undoing as the half went on, allowing Canterbury to get into terrific field position and capitalise. Things could have started in the worst possible fashion for the Turbos when Canterbury No 8 Cullen Grace clashed heads with a defender as he was taken in an upright tackle just 13 seconds into the game. They did so through their lineout, scoring three times in the space of 11 minutes with McAlister scoring from the back of drives twice and George Bridge planting the ball in the corner with a Superman dive and little room to work with.

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Image courtesy of "New Zealand Herald"

Magpies draw 32-32 with Waikato in epic NPC opener - NZ Herald (New Zealand Herald)

The Hawke's Bay Magpies opened their NPC season with a golden point thriller in Hamilton, drawing 32-32 against defending champions Waikato on Saturday ...

McKenzie missed two long-range drop goals either side of a goalline drop-out from the Magpies, and Hawke's Bay put the ball out with time up to settle for the draw. The Mooloos defensive line speed got them out of jail and a Hawke's Bay penalty for not rolling away allowed Damian McKenzie to make it 32-27 in the 59th minute. Hawke's Bay halfback Brad Weber got on the end of some silky touches from Neria Foma'i and Jonah Lowe to put the Magpies back in front with a try.

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Damian McKenzie misses three chances to seal victory for Waikato ... (Stuff.co.nz)

The All Blacks playmaker won't forget his NPC return in a hurry after having a day forget off the tee in a 32-32 draw with Hawke's Bay.

A beautiful mind crunching all the player stats. If quality local sport journalism is important to you, become a Stuff supporter today. Danny Toala spotted a gap and dived over from close range, with Makene adding the extras. You need journalists close enough to smell the liniment. But when Harbour prop Nic Mayhew was sinbinned for coming in from the side and collapsing a maul on the line, not only did he concede a penalty try but the hosts followed with two further tries in quick succession – fullback Zarn Sullivan finished his own break and they crossed from another lineout maul – to score 21 points in seven minutes. The Magpies started the second half on the front foot and a high tackle from Luke Jacobson on Weber gave the visitors a chance to go ahead.

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The future of the NPC is under-23: provincial rugby's jewel must ... (Stuff.co.nz)

Paul Cully is a Stuff sports writer. OPINION: The good old days of provincial rugby aren't coming back – two decades of Super Rugby has taken care of that.

A beautiful mind crunching all the player stats. Reshaping the NPC wouldn’t be about degrading the provincial unions. At the moment, rugby asks an awful lot of time-poor punters. It’s been in the too-hard basket for too long, and the NPC do with some clarity. You need journalists close enough to smell the liniment. But, you say, what about the late bloomers?

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