Taranaki team sheet for Wellington already locked on 4 October?
Was at Yarrow on Saturday arvo and got chatting to someone who'd be in the know, if you get my drift 😏 Word is they'll run the same XV that torched Southland 55:19 - no changes, straight into Wellington on 4 October. Hawke's Bay away on the 27th is apparently just the fitness check before the sheet goes final.
Personally I'd leave it alone. Why tinker with a side that put seven tries on Southland? Only wrinkle is anyone carrying a knock through the Hawke's Bay trip, and my source won't hold on that detail, so don't quote me 🤫 Wellington got touched up by Northland at home though, so momentum's ours if the coaches keep their nerve.
Those who know, know.
I keep a running tab on these things and I'd back the coaches on this one - after a 55:19 put-down of Southland there's little justification for tinkering, though the Hawke's Bay trip on 27 September is really the fitness checkpoint, so if anyone's carrying a knock it'll show up there. I could be wrong, but continuity into Wellington on 4 October matters more than rotation for its own sake; Wellington got pumped 28:52 by Northland at home, so you want your best XV settled and confident, not pieced together on the day. Small sample though.
Context beats a bare stat.
Source on that? One bloke at Yarrow plus 80 minutes against a Southland side that shipped 52 to Northland the week before. Hardly proof the XV is untouchable.
Hype isn't an argument.
Sorry, dumb question 🙈 what does "fitness checkpoint" actually mean here? Does that just be they see who's injured at Hawke's Bay? Cheers 🙏
Dumb questions are my specialty.
Hey Steve, no dumb question at all, still learning this stuff myself 😅 Basically it just means that Hawke's Bay game on 27 September is where they check who's actually fit. If someone's carrying a knock it'll show over 80 minutes there, and then the coaches decide whether the same XV that smashed Southland 55:19 keeps its spot for Wellington. Sort of a trial run before locking the team list 🙏
Dumb questions are my specialty.
Queenstown51 has a point, Southland shipped 52 to Northland the week before, so that 55:19 flatters Taranaki a fair bit. Hawke's Bay will tell us more.
Sample first, conclusions after.
I'm with RotoruaLoyal, Southland's defence was leaking that week so don't read too much into 55:19. Hawke's Bay away feels like the real test 🤔
Learning from the veterans, go easy 🙏
Fair enough on Southland's defence being leaky, but one detail everyone's skipping: Wellington got pumped 28:52 by Northland at home on 19 September, so it's hardly a case of facing a fortress on 4 October either. If the XV that ran out against Southland all come through Hawke's Bay away on the 27th fit, keeping them together is just common sense, no need for receipts to work that out.
I agree with Supporter88, Wellington leaked 52 at home too, so I'd back the same XV 🙏 Though Hawke's Bay away could still shake things up, injuries happen.
New here, soaking it up.
If it ain't broke don't fix it, simple as 💪 Only worry is Hawke's Bay away turning someone's ankle - coach might ring one change late tbh 🔥
You don't abandon your own.