ITM Cup - Taranaki

[Gwynn]

Colin Cooper announced his Taranaki squad for the ITM Cup today, with the surprise inclusion of David Smith

Kane Barrett, Kurt Baker, Michael Bent, Chris Walker, James Broadhurst, Beauden Barrett, Carl Carmichael, Brett Goodin, Craig Clarke, Jayden Hayward, Shane Cleaver, Scott Ireland, Laurence Corlett, Tyson Keats, Jarrad Hoeata, Kylem O'Donnell, Sione Lea, Georgi Pisi, Leon Power, Cody Rei,  Ben Souness, Willie Rickards,  Blade Thomson,Willie Ripia, Timo Tutavaha, David Smith, Samuela Vunisa, Andre Taylor, Johnny Willis, Isaia Tuifua, Scott Waldrom

There's a lot to like about this squad for Taranaki.  The forward pack offers plenty of grunt and experience, while the backline has some real firepower to it.

Question is whether Cooper can do anything with it all...

[EREHWON WARRIORS]

Yeh, with Kurt Baker & Andre Taylor stolen from behind Manawatu's you'd surmise they have TWO many outside backs to really give a fair run to!!!

Rennie is spitting 'cos apparently he had an UNDERSTANDING that each union was to notify the other BEFORE making approaches to players and both were signed in silence! ....before Cooper's time I hasten to add

Cheers,
Baz 

[Gwynn]

On the brightside Rennie has managed to keep Croswell and Cruden, so it's not all bad news, but the loss of Baker and Taylor is going to be hard on the boys from Palmy.

[Turbo_Time]

Nah bro we got Craig Clare and Shannon Paku to cover for them two. We could still do with Taylor that'd be a mean back three. Taylor is on the wing when he went to play fullback! NZRU farked us over guys signed with other teams when not certain of where manawatu would be. the bigger unions put the pressure on the players to sign as Crosswell has said. I see that the taranaki starting backline has 5 NEW imports. The manawatu training squad of 30 only has 6 new and old imports lol. Keep it real! Pride and passion is what ITM Cup is all about!

[EREHWON WARRIORS]

ITMC 2010 R1 G1     Northland 26 Taranaki 19

For all the 'Naki's BIG BUY  that was as flat  as ever!

The taniwha showed them up in the passion stakes ! .

I have always believed that NPC teams should be predominantly homegrown then the WAIRUA & PASSION are there naturally....especially in grassroots provinces anyway

Taranaki's ball security was hopeless & Hayward threw TWO intercepts that had me wondering if Blair Larsen had lined his pockets! 

Coop's now has to instill some 'naki mongrel into some of those imports or they might be warming the pine!

Well done NORTHLAND!            What a great bus  trip back to the far north THAT will be!

Cheers,
Baz