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Shield holders 24/09/2006 - 25/08/2007
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The harbourrugby.com inbox continues to overflow with correspondence from our readers. Thanks for your support! Send your thoughts to info@harbourrugby.com A brief selection (i.e. those that are readable and/or printable) of the correspondence we have received is posted below. 2010 From: harbourfan@<withheld>.com harbour have done it again!!!! what the hell are they doing i am at a loss to see where our 2xv coaches, odowd and wigglesworth dont fit in here!!!! they have coached for a few years ive been told, and won a championship this year beating auckland. i had the pleasure in watching that team and they played some wonderful rugby, unlike there "big brothers" who were just terrible. if harbour wants to re-connect with its stakeholders, supporters they just dropped the ball bigtime!!! we arent interested in big name people, we werent built on that!!! i dont know how the masses will feel, but i am going to struggle to support a union that ive been part of since 1985!!!! looks like the family will be seeing more of me in 2011. good bye Harbour, good luck! ex Harbour fan From: Glenn@<withheld>.ac.nz Isn't it wonderful to see that Mike Harris, the harbourrugby.com player of the year didn't even get a look in at the awards night. Unbelievable! Glenn From: keweeonline@<withheld>.com Saw the 2010 NH rugby awards list on the official website and thought whoever was responsible ( do we really need to ask?) for selecting some of the NPC "Player of the Year" awards must have been watching a different Harbour team playing in the ITM Cup this year :( NPC 'Promising Young Player of the Year" - Manu Leiatua - really??? ...the guy could not even throw the ball in straight! "NH Supporters Club" POY - Matt Laumanu - no argument there but who exactly are they?..... the NHRU Board- all 11 of them? NPC Coaches POY - Not so sure about Afeaki, he never made a real impact this season and went off the boil towards the end. Surely Michael Harris was the best player of this year (who did you p*ss off Mike?) NPC Players choice - Nafi - good on him! .....and surprise, surprise the "backslapping twins" was justly rewarded for their efforts at club level (sic) Best & Fairest Senior Player - Chris Smith Club Premier Player of the Year- Richard Mayhew Cheers, From:
snapper@<withheld>.co.nz
When Mike Harris` normally unprecedented white-shod right foot hooked the final kick to the left in the last minute of a thriller played on a sun-drenched Harbour stadium, he was on the verge of receiving the Key to Taranaki. Only 24 hours later it was all just a puff of air as Tasman failed to hold out ‘The Scum” to give Naki a much coveted semi-final spot! Bad luck to Naki but their fate was in their own hands as they failed to play well in their last few games. The dejected figure of Harris at the miss from his usually reliable boot mirrored his Home Union`s ITM 2010 season campaign. Our youngsters can learn well from that last attempt at glory; that "one swallow doesn't make a summer" and the golden rule of the sport; that "Together Everyone Achieves More"! Mummified almost to the hilt and clearly in discomfort of some sort, he aptly stepped up to play his last home game and under the circumstances did more than what was required from him. I’m sure Botica supporters felt that their boy had first dibs but truthfully Mikey deserved his last run –out on home soil after a solid ITM season. (now that MH has graduated to Super Rugby, Bots will have all the time next year to prove his worth going head to head with Jonny Elrick for the pivot slot – It will be very interesting to watch that dog fight and bigger boot battle J.) With 2 newbies in midfield alongside him, Harris ably took command and clearly put his body on the line. There is no doubt, and as mentioned before, Mike has greatly improved on many aspects of his game including his confidence. Although he might not appear to be pacier than most running fly-halves, he plays the inside channel very cleverly and has the strong physical presence that enables him to stay on his feet & make the offload. How often this season have we not seen him break the line using that channel but only to find himself without adequate support or had the ball knocked on in resulting play. But being at the Big White Elephant on the beautiful day was a great outing all round and sufficiently thawed the winter chills from our bones. It seems it worked well for our boys as well, as they provided the Harbour faithful, which included many youngsters, with some very Sevens style rugby! No doubt the Black & Gold’s were just stunned as the crowd in the first 20 minutes by the ferocity of the Harbour attack! LOL even the Harbour players liked what they were doing judging by the joy & high fives when they scoredJ Alas, if only the NH defence was less like a crumbling Dutch dyke, their ITM campaign would probably have been more successful But as stated by our Eyewitness match reporter, one could sense it was not really going to be a fortuitous ending for Harbour on the day. It was back to 20 min quarters again with the stiff jawed NH water boy providing much needed relief in the sweltering heat during the moments when the two no 10`s and former Blues contenders traded penalties and conversions. The Naki wonder boy who got dumped like a garbage bin on more than one occasion, did reasonably well and calmly kept `Naki in the game. However Barrett looks he like still needs some help shaving and belongs in some School XV. Natural ability can only bring you so far and the boy needs to bulk up to make an impact in Super rugby. Maybe M`a Nonu will take him under his wing next season. Truthfully I was bit stunned to hear that he’s signed by the Hurricanes but then we will not wish the young fellow on the ‘scum controlled Blues” where they have a tendency to mis-manage raw talent and basically hex any talented prospect’s rugby career. But then by the looks of it, it seems "The Scum" has big plans for a certain coach’s offspring and lets hope for the Blues supporters that it all comes together ;) But I digress- However the sun gods were generous for about 60min as Big Matt L and the rest of the Harbour mustangs galloped around the paddock like they were on an open range and gave us glimpses of what might have been if their back-foot play was as good as their front-foot play throughout the season. Besides the non- existent midfield defence, it was actually quite admirable from little Josh York to field a few high kicks under pressure while the Naki storm troopers advanced at the speed of light! Maybe he’ll put up his hand for the no 15 spot when Mr McPhee hangs up his boots. Mr McPhee (he earns that honour for lasting 50 games in a Harbour jersey!) did well on the day and actually came across as a very modest fella during his post match interview J. Very gracious of the SkyTV producer for granting old faithful some air time on his “special day”. But despite the dismal and erratic performances throughout the campaign, IMHO the following pros & cons can be drawn from the season:-
Instead of singling out any other players, (after all we have "the Player of the Year" standings all wrapped up! J ), as an avid follower of all things Harbour, I gracefully ASSUME that every NH player tried his best on the day, on the field. But what was distressing for the faithful is how consistently all those intentions turn to custard right at the kick-offs in almost every game. Very often the forwards failed to chase the kick to place any kind of pressure on opponents and most importantly often failed to win any turnover ball. More frustrating was how NH lost the offensive time and time again when they were too slow to secure their own ruck ball at the breakdown. This was again prevalent in Saturday`s game when they allowed the Naki to catch up quite easily. But I suppose having to play on the back-foot, gaining low % turnover ball and having a high % error handling rate, must be quite demoralizing on the psyche. I’m sure it did not help either that they already felt like s*&^ when losing and then have the rest of us (quite rightly so!) crap on them as well. Oh, the pressures of winning, losing, winning, losing and losing and losing …….…yeah right But as fans we have had about enough and the message to everyone involved in Harbour rugby in the next few years, harden up or close up shop! We all know as followers of the game, that the rugby landscape has changed considerably and forever with money as the catalyst. Perhaps I’m still too naïve to understand the Machiavellian attitude among rugby administrators not only here but across the rugby globe. In today’s society, the reality is that physical activity is literally raging a losing battle for the attention of our kids against an ever increasing virtual & interactive world. Added to mix, with the growing popularity of football especially on the Shore, it is hard enough as it is to get our youngsters to play rugby. It will become much harder then to inspire pride to want to play for Harbour. Invest some time, patience and money on local talent instead of becoming a feeder for & to other Unions and Super rugby teams. There is enough talent and skill around the Shore to field an extraordinary XV ( ….and no they are not all from da `Cote, Taka or North Shore! lol ) to stamp their mark on provincial rugby in years to come. Look how proud the “B”`s has made us by beating the “Scum of tomorrow” in an exciting thriller on Saturday. There is yet hope for the future! One can then only expect with reviews due this week, that hopefully wise decisions are made for the future existence of our Union by all concerned. Thanks to harbourrugby.com for providing a platform to share a passion, a rant & rave all in one go! Have a great summer! As always, fervently Viv From:
<withheld>@yahoo.co.nz How does a team leak 60 tries (yes that's right - not a misprint) 60 tries in 13 games. Defence should be about non-negotiable team patterns, individual tackle technique, & attitude. Coaches are mainly responsible for the first two & the players totally the last. Not even worth talking about our all season-long mindless sideline to sideline attack. 2009 12th (20 points on table) - Won 4 games At least we are consistent. Wouldn't be so bad, except I can remember when we were good, - consistently finishing in or around the top 4, beating S14 franchise provinces & even winning the Shield. New coaches please - these two have had their chance. Depressed Fan From:
snapper@<withheld>.co.nz
20 min effort – Well done Harbour..not! For once the official Harbour s&**site report has it right! “ALL SEASON NORTH HARBOUR have mixed moments of composure, accurate phase play and sparkling attack, with a total lack of rugby smarts and poor concentration on defence.” I think the game of rugby should revert to 20 min quarters so that it will allow plodders like Harbour to showcase the little talent they have in small increments *duh* Even after watching a replay courtesy of MySky it was sheer torture to find any redeeming factors in our dear team`s performance. The first 20 minutes were indeed passable to watch and for a while things certainly looked promising but in saying that, it was largely due to the many mistakes made by HB. But once the Magpies shook off their lethargy, Harbour reverted to their old bumbling self and they fielded an extra player AN Knock-on. Inspector Closseau would also be able to slot in this team very nicely. It`s hard to pick any good performances although plenty below average were abundant on the day. There were a few lovely pick & go movements and some decisions, especially when the forwards offered some excitement, were dubious but then in fairness the Magpies were also at the receiving end of the whistle - happy ref in the 1st half. In passing, “The Front Row” deserve their 1 point on the players table while Big Matt has some strong runs but found himself isolated at times. He needs to stay on for full 80 min to bring any value to the game. What happened to Ravulo? Tom C & James Parsons had some good runs around the paddock but again too many turnovers conceded when players found themselves without support. Mike Harris, again the best of a fairly average bunch at the back, had another strong defensive game and it will be interesting to see how he will fare in a front pack going forward. AB`s Boric & Woodcock looked solid for the first half and truthfully their selection is about the only thing positive thing about this Union. Wonder how they explain Harbour` performance to the fellow AB team mates when they meet up next week. I only managed to make re-watch last till halftime. My 10yr old wrestled the remote from me commenting that “You need to stop watching this rubbish! They suck!” This coming from a J3 player who`s supposed to idolize his Home Union`s top players. Not. But tell you what, I`m still going to the Big White Elephant on Saturday to root this time for a winning Harbour team in the Northern Region B Final against the “Scum” and I`ll betcha it will be more entertaining than the main feature. On a side note,maybe the Union should think about offering Free Entry to the Stadium! It`s the least they can do for the long suffering fans .....if they bother to turn up. The `Naki travels to NSC to salvage what`s left of their Top 7 ITM campaign. But ever optimistic, our boys might pull something out of the bag for the +100 Harbour hopeful this weekend. Yeah right :p. (BTW Have the 10+ strong Harbour supporters “band’ gone AWOL? ) Moment of the Week: Chris Smylie `s post match interview. A toss – up between him and Otago`s captain. Both fellas looked like they`d rather be somewhere else on this planet. Can you blame them?L Go Harbour! Fervent ,always From:
snapper@<withheld>.co.nz Harris signs with Reds for 2011-2012! No surprise really! Oh no, there goes another exciting NZ prospect! Shades of losing Nick Evans to English rugby all over again.....That`s one decision that might still come back to bite NZRU in the ass come RWC when JockeyBoy (hopefully not) crocks out :-( The other AB prospects are still struggling to find the "golden" touch. IMHO the jury still out on Cruden, Donald, Delany, Slade etc. So will be seeing our own Michael Harris in a Reds jersey for the next 2 years. No real suprise as the 'scum controlled Blues " were obviously not willing to go with our boy. His prospects of securing a Blues spot were pretty much nullified when a `Naki wonderboy was shown interest. Must be quite demoralising to rugby youngsters in Auckland. Can anyone blame Mikey for crossing the ditch in search of a better rugby life? I`m sure the thought of playing 2nd division rugby against the likes of other pit dwellers certainly marks an X on the pro & cons list for any up & coming player of his calibre. "Scum" written all over "the one that got away"! Wonder who else but Boric & Smylie will make the squad? Does it really matter? Without any rose coloured glasses (..seriously now..remember I`m Saints supporter ;p) Mike Harris was one redeeming factor of our struggling North Harbour this year and possibly the topnotch goal kicker in the ITM Cup. He would have been a welcome asset for the Blues franchise but obviously Messrs Lam & co think much more about picking up wannabes from other provinces outside Akld! No wonder the Akld franchise trophy cupboards remain bare if they`re not giving local youngsters a chance:-( Certainly not a good message for aspiring local rugby players especially those around the Shore! On a side note the "scum" fielded asst.coach Anscombe`s jnr vs CM last week!! Makes you wonder doesn`t it? The d***heads that run rugby in this country are not thinking beyond RWC in retaining and developing good prospects. Like Dowdy quite rightly commented in last Sunday Herald, Harris has greatly improved on all aspects of his game. Barring the odd moment of poor decision-making, Mikey has proven to be a better defensive no 10 than most, a superb goal kicker (mark my words, that boot of his is still going to win some big games!)and has a sweet line break & offload (-that try against Southland was one of the best in ITM cup!). What more did the talented lad had to do more to make it into the squad? It`s decisions like these that make you sometimes wonder if all is well in NZ rugby. The likes of the Reds & Rebels are not complaining though as they get to pick & choose the cream of the young NZ crop. Good on them to offer our lads a chance to make their mark. Shrewd Ewen McKenzie obviously likes what Mikey can bring to his ever- improving outfit. Harris, given enough game time, will be an exciting addition to an already much respected Reds outfit and who knows even greater things might develop across the ditch for the lad! If he responds well enough to Super Rugby who knows his Aussie connection might prove to be quite useful in the future! Good luck to Michael on making a wise decision and hope he shows up the "scum ridden" Blues team in Super Rugby in the next couple of years. The `Cote faithful & Harbour hopeful will certainly miss the talents of Michael Harris! Fervent, always Viv From: <withheld>@ihug.co.nz I had a confusing moment (not at all surprising after an ale or 2) but a selection decision caused me some headache. 1) Roger Dustow is the captain of the B's and is a regular starter. 2) that being the case and having 2 hookers in the A's (Parsons and Mayhew) that would leave Dustow as the #3 3) and that being the case, if Mayhew or Parsons were not playing, we'd see the glorious sight of that hairy beast known as Dustow making a comeback. not too confusing so far.... but the the last 2 weeks Ive seen some muppet that throws the ball as straight as Julian Cleary or MP Chris Carter come to think of it.... come on as a replacement for the A's. I hear that he is the reserve hooker for the B's.. now... how the Buck does this clown jump to the A's, so I made some enquiries. It appears this clown is a "contracted player" obtained from wellington... and the instructions to the coaches are.. "Only use Contracted Players where possible" to save money... ie they're already paying him so why put a better player up there if we have to pay him too!!! Now if that is the case, and I dont see why it wouldnt be... who else is being left out because they're not a "contracted player"???? why are we contiually dished out S&%t week in week out by these incompetent players... So is it really the coaches fault?? or has the CEO again left us in a position where he's living it up in a flash house overlooking the beach pocketing his paycheck but actually imploding our beloved Union... why have we not demanded HIS resignation after killing us with the appointment of Pivac and the dropping of our players who won us the sheild. (actually the commentators noted that from the team that won the shield... only McCallister remained) hmmmmmmmmm maybe he's a spy from the scum who was sent to gut the harbour team... well he's succeeded. JAY
I left my response for a day so I could cool down. Hasn't worked, but as the internet police at work wont allow emails to go out with swear words in them, I will have to be more controlled. While the score wasn't a fair reflection of the overall game, the second half score did show the lack of experience, knowledge of the game, poor quality of the basic skills of run, pass, kick, tackle. Wellington weren't that great, solid, but not outstanding. We just gifted them the game with maybe 3 of the softest tries you will see in the ITM cup. The biggest slap in the face to the team is that with about 12 minutes to the crowd halved in size. I guess the only ones feeling pleased with themselves were the injured Jack McPhee & Luke McAllister. I thought the re-jigged back line had promise, but again was a step to short & with out due consideration. Botica should have started at fullback, leaving a very successful wing combo where they were. Harris could have controlled the game better (although he was disappointing - how often do you want your grubber to be blocked before you stop doing it). Forwards stepped up pretty well in the 1st half. But once the replacements started to come on they seemed to fall to bits. Matt Luamanu does well for 50-60mins, but is next to worthless after that, only running when the team is going forward. I know a great number of Harbour supporters dislike the Mayhew family, but surely they must admit following brilliant performances for the Development side, Michael must be due a run - because Manu Leiataua continues to be unimpressive with one of the worst throw in displays in Harbour Stadium. Even the opposition were happy when we chose to go for a lineout rather than take the 3 points. It looks like the rewarding of Alipate Fatafehi for his good displays in the development team was a mistake, as he looked sadly out of depth. 3 stupid errors (Harris kick, Pisi kick & Smiley line out) left me crying into my full fat coca-cola (no girly diet coke for me - lol) & a lot of disgruntled season ticket holders around me. BASICS - ARGH. Draw & pass. Keep the ball in hand and set it up. Tackle around the legs (ball in all tackles are great, but we cant do it, so back to basics). Now for the pats on the backs - Tight five were good for 40-50 mins I thought. More of a unit during this time, but outside this became far to loose and allowed the Lions to gain control. Loosies did well and for the same amount of time were better. Luamanu shows how powerful he is going forward & I thought Richard Mayhew was damn unlucky not to win a few more penalties as Glenn Jackson was a little inconsistent in the tackle ball ruling. Harris's goal kicking was again of the highest order. Nafi again looked good. Another from the Development team, Grayson Hart is playing well when he gets his 10-15 mins and you can add Scott Uren to this as well. Speaking of the "D-Team" they play the Semi against Northland on Saturday @ Silverdale. If I wasn't in Aussie I would be there. So get in behind these buggers. Finally.... We did do something right on the weekend. I am proud of the way the team interacted with the fans after the game & especially as my friend had her son & his mates there for her son's birthday treat. Particularly Richard Mayhew, AB, Luke McAllister and special mention for James Afoa who trotted all the way back down the tunnel to sign autographs, chat and have photos with these boys. It was, and I quote "the best day ever." Good work lads. Al From:
snapper@<withheld>.co.nz
The boys played like the weather today. Few sunny moments in first half but descended into gloom in the second half just as the afternoon sun became blocked out by the heavy cloud building up. It was surely signs to come as the Lions ripped huge gaps into a non existing Harbour defence and fed lustily off some basic *#&*^% errors as the skies forebodingly darkened over Albany. Not much praise this week as some players found the ball slippery as butter and made AFL look like a better game to watch:-( Even the Bumbling Bee at 15 was sorely missed this week (sic). Turnovers were too few and Harbour never build any momentum of any kind. BBot`s interceptor got the crowd cheering for all but a few minutes and when Big Matt received a beaut from Big Ben to power his way through. Only Mikey Harris` prodigious boot made the scoreline some kind of respectable and he atoned for last week`s upright horror with a superb 50 metre effort on half time! But it was in the body language right from the start,the self belief is gone...maybe the defeat at hands of CM last week and the continued injury woes have proven to much for the psyche. Back to the drawing board (what`s left of it after playing hangman...) as the boys hit the road for the last time as the season draws to a close ...and for some that prospect looks mighty welcoming.... Gripe of the Day: Question- Surely the NHRU can get players of better calibre on their books? Some of these so called professionals on display today were absolutely below standard and could not even manage to hold onto the ball at times. Like Scotty Stevenson said on the last try scored..."This is starting to be embarrasing!" Poor Anthony Boric ..you could see him cringe on the inside all through that post match interview! Fan of the Day:(Post match) - I`m guessing it was Mike Harris` mum...but he received the tightest comforting hug ever ;p .....at least the boy deserved it after his side`s dismal performance.(mmmm, perhaps that Reds` offer does look a bit more attractive now, although the Blues could well do with his services.) Moment of the Day: Record breaking of a better kind during the break! 2000+ faithful Harbourites air guitaring "Thunderstruck" proved to be much more entertaining than the record broken on the field this afternoon! Picture of the Day: Say no more! Next week?....SAVE FACE! Go Harbour !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! fervently, always From:
<withheld>@ymail.com Yep harry was unlucky with the kick, but should have got the sitter by the posts, not his fault, in fact if he wasnt playing we would have been 15 points behind not 1!!! Enough of that, we have got a few games to go, lets just hope we get up and knock them off. On a better note, once again the "offical" website has missed it again, the harbour dev team won against CM to come 1st in round robin play and set up a home semi in 2 weeks time!! another great effort from these guys. they are bloody good to watch and they play like a team not like there big brothers.....surely those 2 who coach it, odowd and wigglesworth are worthy of promotion to the top flight next year. both are harbour boys, both coached thru the grades!! time to start at the bottom and work up!!! Go Harbour Also to Malakai, sorry to here of the loss of your father. Cheers From:
snapper@<withheld>.co.nz Oh the woes of being a Harbourite! Heartbreak Harbour once again! It was a good thing then that work prevented moi from taking the SH1 south to support our hapless team on a balmy Sunday afternoon. Please forgive my ranting, I`m writing this in an effort to soothe the heartache of our loss :( Not that they played bad at all. In fact around the office last week, fellow North Shore residents but scum supporters (not that their team did any better *duh* ), were giving me much stick about the CM massacre of NH, voicing how Counties was going to slice up a weak Harbour defence, that NH lacked the pace yaddah, yaddah ..... But I think Harbour held their own pretty well on both sides of half time with some solid hits and plucky defence to keep the fast-footed wonders at bay. Some Stag-like defence on their own try line was awesome to watch although Rick Mayhew`s try-saving turnover penalty looked a bit dodgy. BUT no complaints as Harbour went to the Powerade break with four behind. If they secured more ball on the day the final score might have been very different. But a much expected stronger 2nd half never materialised straightaway due to some error-ridden play until big Matt L powered through a few CM tackles to rid Harbour of their lethargy! Game on! This obviously spurred on the Harbourites to switch to full eighty minutes mode against a team that monopolised territory and ball for most of the afternoon. But a few silly mistakes in some well executed backline moves, cost us the much needed territory advantage and it was always going to be an uphill battle to gain some yardage into CM`s 22. Mind you, the boys did look sharp the times they got into the opp. 22 and the forwards had some great pick & go moments. Chris Smylie had one of his better games all season, marshalling his pack like a general and scoring a cheeky try to get Harbour in front. But one always had the feeling that once the effervescent Tim Nanai-Williams and his dreadlocked Pop got hold of the ball, the holes were going to open up against a tiring Harbour defence. But a rare spirited last 15 min display from Harbour had us all on edge until Michael Harris saw the only way to get through the CM defence was a superbly placed weighted kick for Nafi to score a brilliant try in the corner! Oh the joy was glorious for all about 2 min, and oh so heartbreaking when Mike’s attempt hit the crossbar. The disbelief on the faces of the Harbour bench said it all :-( Although Harbour`s chances of edging into the Top 7 have all but dissipated, the game against CM was a tribute to a battle well fought especially when all & sundry expected them to be run over by the most exciting backline in the compo! Our boys tackled with heart & guts and tried their best to stop the steam-rolling Umaga & crew. Our boys played their hearts out and special mentions to:
But despite the heartbreak of another crucial loss, Harbour`s never- say- die attitude was impressive to say the least. Despite not having a greater season than expected, at least they play attacking rugby and take their chances on scoring some tries. So once more as the Harbour faithful, we look ahead to next Sunday when Wellington rolls into town. The best our boys can do next, is to entertain us by opening up play, lob the ball around with minimal errors and give the fans something to holler about! Go Heartbreak Harbour!!!!!!!!!! Gripe of the Week: Why do the TPTB substitute players when they `re seem to be going well?? Why was TC & JP substituted at a crucial time when Harbour was going forward? LOL moment of the Week: Poor Rick Mayhew, first hero, and then villain by coming off the defensive line to stop the inevitable. I love how the commentator was backing him up for doing that! Fan of the Week: Spotted on TV, our Harbour fan’s joy & huge pump fist when Nafi scored! That’s why we love the game! a fervent fan... always,
What the..... 2 wins on the trot. Not getting carried away, because of the opposition, but you still need to celebrate every win. All of a sudden we are a team playing passion. A few of the players slammed by various contributors (including me - see humble pie below) played well and made us eat our words. A number of the issues raised by this website have been addressed, and combinations are gelling. The game was one of two evenly matched teams - both defences were pretty poor, some exciting back play and plenty of points. Still a number of basic errors. Several missed tackles at key times - hell we let in 30 points. An example of missing basics is when Matt Luamanu passed the ball for an intercept try when he should either, have moved it earlier, drawn the opposition player & passed, or held onto the ball. The pass was so well timed I think we should have checked his jersey to see what colour it was. Another area was trying to throw miracle passes in the tackle rather than set it up. And James King - still seems to be holding back following his shoulder injury. On the coaching front - I think when Bots came on he should have gone to 2nd and left Harris at 1st. The change was very noticeable and coincided with a period of play where we seemed to "switch off". I have a change that might be of benefit to the team to combat the 2nd half slump. Start with 6, 7 & 8 as Ravulo, R Mayhew, Luamanu, then 10 minutes into the 2nd half when Matt tires, bring on Chamberlin to the side of the scrum and Mayhew to 8. On the plus side:
Just a note. Upon reading feedback from Mr T Venables about the B team result. I had noted his dislike of all things Mayhew, but Mr V couldn't bring himself to mention Michael who didn't miss a lineout, and made 20 tackles and had a great game. You've gotta be fair. I have had to eat my share of humble However the brand of rugby they are playing should be "lesson" for the A team. Interestingly if you look at all the money that has been ploughed into Auckland rugby and that their development & b teams were smoked by Harbour. Says a lot for the depth of Auckland rugby. Sorry couldn't resist the chip. Alistair From:
<withheld>@gmail.com The short answer is no we are not on any kind of winning streak, there where some good stand outs in the game to be fair . That giant no8 for north shore was devastating three good trys that one of those three brothers guys could only dream of ,in saying that he did go very quiet in the second half when Harbour needed a bit of hard defense. Both Nafi and Ken did well on the wings ,unlike the retarded cousin of the team Mcphee who showed the attacking prowess of a new born kitten as he does every week . the front row was fairly average James Afoa did a good job at proping up the whole front row as his tighthead companion was a shambles Tiaone Vea I just don't know where Harbour get these guys Auckland's recycling bin perhaps ? . A win's a win though , even though beating Manawatu is like kissing the hot girl at the bar and realising after shes your sister who's ment to be your brother . Just one more note once again the Harbour 2ndxv won against the Auckland development side 56-5 and with Counties next week should hopefully be 1st or 2nd in the table ......maybe next year they might be able to have a playing strip that looks even remotely similar to the 'A' teams ...or maybe the 'B's" would rather want to keep a certain distance anyway in fear of catching ...well anything the 'A's' have . stand outs from that game would have to be Irwin Finau, Nick Elrick, and to be fair all of the back line . there was a odd looking front row with some guy playing at tighthead (his name not appearing on the other Harbour website) looked like he was 40, great beard , Mcphee get some lessons from this guy . Cheers From:
<withheld>@ymail.com The Mighty Harbour get a bonus point, and was great to see two things. M.Reid finally making a use for himself at watergirl, and Sir Goldie the Kicking tee boy. i had the pleasure of watching the Harbour Dev team up at silverdale on saturday and if those guys who coach that lot arent given a shot at Harbour level next year, Hollister will be run down. the team played with great width, the forwards hunt as a pack and completely dominated Auckland, who for the record just lost to waikato last week and beat the Auck as aswell. hooker mayhew, loosies irwin and scott uren were just massive, and little phil, whos is the brother of harbour halfback nalu played very well. the backs ran hard and stright. the coaches have these guys just chopping at the bit!!!! theres that old saying great players dont make great coaches!!! and these guys alex from taka and Bill from Bays has this lot tearing it up. as for your Harbour, it was good to see them finally get a good result, if we had not turned up yesterday we should have defaulted all our remaining games. the boys fronted up and coach dowd has finally found a forward pack. they still lack a good tighthead, big ben is mud this year and that bloke tyone needs to play a bit more ruggers. also what on earth was nick mayhew doing on the reserves, let alone on the field!!! i know a bit of prop play and when a guy stands, its a very good sign he aint strong enough!!! also jack the nipper has to go, he can do a couple of good things but hes no x factor there. and jack the street sleeper at the back.....to many chances.... coach Dowd was at the Dev game on sat, and it was surprising to see the Harbour As play the same sort of patten as the dev, he must have thought.....this isnt to hard to impliment...... even the head honncho holister was there and was back slapping everyone after the game. we head down the southern motorway this weekend....probably best to car pool this week, due to possible car jackings and car theft. its tuff down that part of Aucks. good work harbour, see you at counties
WOW, where did that come from? The players are starting to get it. So are the coaches. I guess that sometimes the fans do know best. With some of the changes, we called for made a huge difference. If last weeks game was, a D to D- this weeks game was a definite C+. As I watched the ebb & flow of the game I thought for some time that the only highlight was going to be AB picking the Tasman half back up and carrying him over the touch line like a bag of shopping. I was annoyed at the quality of the play from both teams, in the first half, but was especially annoyed with the commentators who kept getting Tuitavake & Tuigamala mixed up. I do feel sorry for Mike "Scapegoat" Reid. He progressed so well last year, but hasn't shown the same form this year. And to make matters worse, the front row looked the best it had all year. The tight five toiled away and allowed the loosies to get in a do their jobs. Although this did fall away in patches, which allowed Tasman into the game. Although the score could have been much more in our favour with Harris having one of his worse nights with the boot leaving 9pts on the pitch, but his general kicking was better. According to Smylie at the after game interview, the players had a couple of closed meetings and gave each other the hard word. It did seem to have a positive effect. Harris played well again, we won kick offs, the homeless person at the back of the field was solid & unfortunately has staved off his axing from the team for another couple of weeks. I did think the McAlister was good. Attacking great, fell of a couple of tackles, one leading to a Tasman try, but it was his work on the ball that lead to Tarrant's try. But these two combined allowed Poki to many breaks, and is a worry. I would be thinking of bringing Grayson Hart & J El into the squad from the B's and dropping Tuigamala & Jack McPhee. Oh and special mention for the B's (development squad). Awesome win over Dorkland. All played well & as a team. The Auks had some "players" in the side who have been in the Auckland & Blues set up for sometime. So well done to the players and the coaching staff. Overall pleased with the win against Tasman, especially as they are in the same part of the table as us. Another must win this weekend, no team announced yet, but that will be every interesting, possibly more so than the game itself. Alistair From:
snapper@<withheld>.co.nz Dear harbourrugby.com Firstly, I am so happy to have discovered this site dedicated to my favourite NPC team! I`m fervent Harbour supporter by way of Cape Town and have been since I first saw the Harbourites in action on NZ soil during the 2006 NPC season. It also helped of course that North Harbour produced the likes of great rugby players Botica, Bunce, Jones, Osborne, Barry (too name but a few). On my first visit to North Harbour stadium during the 2006 NPC season , Harbour played Otago but the day was really made memorable by a scintillating display by former Harbour boy and All Black Nick Evans. Evans, then as a Southerner, dazzled the Harbourites with his explosive breaks and pace and showed why he is regarded as second best only to the incomparable Carter. Harbour lost that day but went onto greater glory the next season when they won the Ranfurly Shield. The day the Shield was lifted up by Rua Tipoki, it was cast in stone .....I was a Harbourite too! Since losing the Ranfurly Shield and despite a string of inept losses, dwindling crowds and heaps of criticism from supporters around the Shore, my loyalty as a fairly newbie has been firmly cemented for our Boys. We might experience a bleak period right now but I firmly believe and are hopeful that the tide will turn in the near future even if Harbour ply their trade in the 2nd division. In my humble opinion, Harbour have the talent and depth at club level to become a top-notch provincial contender again but needs some changes perhaps as to the way the Union is managed. Unfortunately, it is the players who bear the majority of the brunt from disgruntled supporters when the trophy cupboards remain bare. Talent is certainly not lacking and in between moments of total ineptitude and bumbling, there are flashes of superb play and excellent skill to be seen. The ITM Cup has provided an excellent platform for the young players to shine and on the positive side there are quite a few players who have aptly stepped up to the plate. Although being a Saints supporter, I have no qualms in rooting for Northcote`s very talented Michael Harris at first five-eigtht. Of the lot, Mike has shown some great class and skill in his outings this season and is an exciting prospect to watch. The Blues franchise would be wise to hold onto him for the next few seasons. With NZ struggling to produce any one as half as good as Mr. Carter, the likes of the upcoming Harris and a few other talents scattered around the country could only benefit from the exposure in the ITM cup and coming S15. James King is progressing into a top rate lock and revels playing alongside AB Anthony Boric who is always a solid performer. Finally, my only real gripe is that North Harbour has a tendency to frustrate even the most lenient of supporters with their inconsistency. Although I do believe that Mr. Wilson & Mr. Dowd (both used to winning ways) are trying their level best in molding this team into 80 minute competitors. Twice now Mr. Dowd has lost his cool at half time with the team and whatever transpires among the sweat, blood and tears in the cloak rooms seems to be working. Alas too often North Harbour fail to start the game. There are heaps of talent at club level and it is only a matter of time, improved management and less “politics” before NH will regain some yards in any competition. In the words of the great Vince Lombardi:- “The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have.” Go Harbour! From a very fervent fan Viv From:
<withheld>@gmail.co.nz
Hey guys just to let you know that the Harbour B team won on the weekend .......against the scum ....a mere 42-12 ...with a certain Takapuna first five kicking outstandingly ....Is there any chance of those blind balding men upstairs realising that surnames ,how much you can bench press and the fact that there is a player out there that still wears gloves is not the be all and end all ...???? mind you they do have a billy goat playing at fullback ...shame he kicks like a donkey , 'up and under Mcphee' is an embarrassment to the fullback fraternity let alone his four legged family. Iain From:
<withheld>@ymail.com finally finally Finally he has stopped puffing on the pot and seen what we all have for the last 5 weeks!!! playing guys where they should be playing: This team is starting to look more competitive, as long as he doesnt pull guys off like a frustrated carmel girl!!! we will be in with a shot!!! tasman are MUD, this is a must win 5 pointer!!!! im finally starting to raise a smile, there could be hope!!! Harbour Fan!! From:
<withheld>@hotmail.com Lads Great website tells it how it is, hopefully someone listens soon! as the results are pathetic. My thoughts, This rugby union needs to wake up, everyone knows that we have better talent in Harbour which is evident from watching club footy. where have half these guys come from? Year in year out it amazes me with what team is put on the paddock, this year is no differant. Mike Reid captian pathetic, shouldn't be in the team let alone warrent a start and 80 minutes every week. sure he may be fit - but whats the point in getting to a breakdown if you do nothing, he but puts our side under pressure from poor scrummaging every week, he's yet to get the better of his opposite number (doesn't the game start with a good platform to work off), has anyone seen him demo someone in the tackle and go forward? has anyone noticed when he takes the ball up he heads straight for the deck as though he is head butting the ground, shouldnt you be driving through the tackle and making the advantage line, not surrendering James Parsons - too small been punching above his weight but lacks size and impact... Mike Mayhew should be starting, big bloke with good go forward and has a presence about him has made a big impact when used off the bench lock - terrible this year both James King and felo pastry! 6. Looa manu, was a stand out ball runner in club rugby he is not a No6? play him at number 8 lacks that extra speed and vision you need on the side. 7. tom chamberlan play him at 6 he is an outstanding tackler, great for a turn over and runs a little like those south african loosies, off to aussie next year so another wasted talent why don't the coaches see that we need a super quick top number 7 who seem to be everywhere, paddy flavel ring any bells watch never seen a number 7 dominate him in club rugby? normally the difference in a match. 8. Richard Mayhew..... useless useless useless, how on earth he is harbours top no8? again aka mike reid every time he has the ball he dives to the deck as though he is trying to knock his brain into place on the turf.... to slow, misses tackles....get turned over, we need a ball player with power and a brain aka Kieran Reid, Colin Bourke and Adam Thompson Watt and Tarrent these 2 are useless, get rid of them its an embarrassment to the harbour union, simple. Jeff wilson a world class wing one of the best we have ever had... should no a thing or 2 about this position how that Alipate is there I DON'T THINK ANYONE KNOWS. Jack Mcfee, do you see him play full back for glenfield? this guy firstly needs to get a hair cut and possibly find a new job In summary pick the best players based on form, from club footy. pick the best team based on form , not contracts, money or politics. don't play players out of position. It starts at age group and school rugby, some kids in the academies get gifted spots into teams and coaches are told to select players. Harbour hircki [Editor: say what?] is ruining this union, from ages group right up to the top. lets hope next season is better and we can at least get back up to the top 7 where we should be. Give this team a go (from the current squad ) 1.Afoa, Nick
I think the Shield challenge showed the difference between a union that does the basics well, nurtures talent and plays as a team & Harbour. I hate to say it but I picked Southland 13+ on the virtual rugby, felt bad about doing it, but in a competition hard choices need to be made (note to Dowd & Wilson). As MM said I don't think with all the best intentions the players do not go out to lose, or play poorly, but they just do. The quote by Luke McAlister sums it up very well: "We play well in patches, turn the ball over and the opposition scores points. It's hard to play catch-up when you turn the ball over so often." If the players can see it, why don't they do something about it? To follow on from the Herald article comparing the two unions/teams:
Just another couple of points: And isn't it amazing how good our players become when they leave the union - George Pisi seems to be going on great guns playing at 13 for Taranaki this season. Agree with the sentiments from the fans - the board made a winning coach reapply for his job, and then appointed 2 lots of coaches since, who have been only half as successful (see feedback from Struggling Harbour fan). Maybe it is time for a new direction in the mould of Southland. This may happen if we have to play in the Heartland Championship next year. MM - when I said Richard Mayhew doing the business I meant it from three aspects - firstly he does far more than Chris Smith did. Secondly, because the tight five aren't doing their core roles, he is getting involved in the tight stuff, and that is why he goes missing in the loose where he should be. Thirdly, he is getting the coaches out of a hole by playing at 8, as their great hope Matt Luamanu certainly is very un-Buck-like. While I was possibly going a little overboard by saying he was "doing the business," at least the young man is playing with heart and passion, attributes that seem to be sadly lacking in other members of the team. Umm maybe someone should tell Jack McPhee that having a beard does not make you cool, or look (play) like Carl Hayman. Finally, how often can we, the fans, say "BASICS" before the team get down and do it. maybe the tackling tips on this site will help. Al From:
sportboy@<withheld>.co.nz Troops You may have one of the shittest teams in the competition this year, but there for the grace of McCaw go any of our teams too. At least you've still got one of the funniest, most entertaining sites around and to be honest, the losses add to the flavour of the soup far more than the wins. Keep up the good fight and start a campaign to shave Nanny McPhee. Only front-rowers and paedophiles get away with bristles like that. From [Editor: Cheers for the feedback, much appreciated!] From:
<withheld>@live.com Harbour WTF?? Dylan Cleaver on Friday [Rugby: A Shield tale of two provinces] summed it up so well in the NZ Herald that not much more needs said. The fact that this article was published BEFORE the Southland Shield challenge makes it even more profound. Under the banner headline "Rugby: A Shield tale of two provinces" he says ...."Forget about tonight's Ranfurly Shield challenge being a contrast in styles - it is a contrast in unions. They share the colour maroon and the fact that they are supposed to be the "junior" unions in their Highlanders and Blues franchises, but there the similarities end. One union is aspirational, the other is North Harbour." The question, often asked, but to date never answered by the Harbour CEO or his Board, is how did we get here from a team that not only finished both the 2005 & 2006 regular seasons in 3rd place, but were also the current Ranfurly Shield holders defeating a Crusaders stacked Canterbury? From your very fine website (try getting this information from the Union website) the following stats can be gleaned.
Cleaver, in his Herald article later says "Southland CEO Clark is eager to point out that it is not just about budgets and wage bills. The key is still to have good people. The other thing for us is we have achieved continuity," he said. So back to that unanswered question .....And while you're at it, what was behind the decision by the CEO & his Board to make Allan Pollock re-apply for his job at the end of 2006? Struggling Harbour fan. From:
<withheld>@ymail.com dear Ed.... i have just been on the crap harbour site and seen our team to compete, or rather the team that has got a trip down to the shit hole of NZ. can someone please explain how on earth does:
get named in the starting line up agian!!!!! Coach Dowd says "can see parallels with where his team is now compared with the 2006 success" then says "“Although we got nothing out of it as far as points are concerned, we still managed to score three tries and constructed some good rugby. If we can cut our errors out and sort our defence out, we are a good side.” has he been on the pot? to be honest it would be awesome for them to win the ranfurly....cause thats all there going to win..... Go Harbour Harbour fan From:
<withheld>@hotmail.com
When he and several others stood up to Pivac he was dropped from the Harbour team ... Now captain of the Bs but last weekend was dropped to the bench because they wanted to give Mayhew game time ... Also Captain of the New Zaland Police team. Is ranked no 4 in Harbour now becuase he is NOT contracted to Harbour. Even though they are useless Harbour is using the contracted players instead of bringing people in on ability. Thats what Hollister and his mates think. Who cares about the team or it winning because it might cost them money. Money is coming before the team as they will not bring up players that are not contracted in case they win and have to pay out a win bonus. I have suggested Hollister and his mates resign before but unless they are pushed they wont go because it is too cushy for them. I personally don't give a stuff about the team and hope they lose every game because it is only then that maybe people will sit up and demand change. Regards
Did I hear someone mention groundhog day? Cause watching Harbour every week is just like that. Yes the coaching team from Waikato were full of accolades for our team, saying we were a hard team to beat, blah, blah, blah. We are not in the competition as an opposed training session for better sides. I just thank my lucky stars I was in Oz and could fast forward through much of the pain on my sky. At the beginning of the season I was looking forward to a shield challenge, but now I just hope we don't get decimated. At what point in this game did the legs fall off the great elephant that is Harbour rugby? If I had to pinpoint the crucial moment I would have to say - preseason. For about the 3rd or 4th game (or is it more??) in a row we find ourselves unable to make first time tackles, or any tackles for that matter. Catching the ball either at lineout's or trying to retain kick offs (see Isaac Ross a few weeks ago). This coupled with the poor handling and gifting of the ball to the opposition which has plagued the team in the Dowd/Wilson era.
The general consensus is that we need 4 from 7. To do this we need to go back to basics - tackle, run, pass. The teams in the Heartland comp seem to be able to. I just hope they can win the required games to avoid having to find out. Al From:
kiwi07@ihug.co.nz Well the last few years I've always written in within the 1st couple of weeks.. but this year every week that passed I shook my head and wondered whether I was stuck in a time-space continuum where I was having continued deja vu. then I sat here to type an email then I thought maybe I should just cut and paste my previous years. The match report was 100% correct.. the team was decimated after the shield win by pig face (I will not name him). In place we have 2nd rate players trying to compete with the big boys. In saying that, there is finally a ray of sunshine with 1 or 2 players. Oh well theres nothing else I can say that I or others haven't already said. Jay From:
<withheld>@ymail.com Mate, love your site and where you state cause the real one is shit ... is so correct!!!!! On the side ... where does a supporter start!!!! Front row ... Mike Reid and captain ... quite possibly the worst player we have on the track at the moment, aren't captains supposed to be tuff, at the peak of their games and guranteed to start every week. Parsons, best we got ... what ever happened to that ugly prick Dustow!!! Big Ben ... doesn't care anymore, just wants to get down to the tron for his 2nd year of super rugger, wasted talent James King, going well, needs some support Boric, how is this guy an AB? ... I thought ABs should stand out in this grade of rugger Filo, this guy is embarrasing, does one big hit a game, usually on a little guy. Spends the rest of it doing nothing, needs to move from the stimulating town of Warkworth Malakai, going well after some strugging injuries, has the ability, but lacks coaching Tom C, when he's not playing pokies he goes alright, came right after getting the arse Looa manu, we signed him as a no 8, playing no 6 ... another piece of good coaching ... maybe he's their ball runner, but he's more effecitve than the next guy Mayhew ... joke joke joke ... just cause he can lift a small car, is a yard off the pace, old man has got him and his bros in there ... good stuff dad Smylie, been here for ever, tidy but time to give it up and get a contract Nalu, he needs to start, give him consitant time, has got the goods Harris, best of a pretty average bunch, gives it everything, needs some front foot ball Luke, piss off back to england, you're a chump Watt/Tarrant ... are these 2 related to Holister? Terrible Alipate, Holister's secret lover possibly ... the guy falls over before even getting touched Nafi, needs to play more rugby Ken, time to stop thinking hes the next big thing Josh, good back up, tuff but not big enough Jack.....please find another 15....quick....should be told to tidy himself up, looks like we got him from the side of the road, plays like it too Dowdy, good guy, needs possibly some club coaching under his belt Goldie, as above. Both coaches are legends in there AB careers, but just not coming together. Biggest problem at Harbour ... HOLLISTER!!!!! Short man with attitude. We need to get a local guy in, and do things right. Look at the northland, Counties, Southland, have brought well and look like making top flight ... who is going to want to come to Buck Stadium in 2011? Get local coaches, possibly the B guys O'Dowd and Wigglesworth -they seem to produce the goods with that lot. Keep up the good work webmaster, enjoy your column. Regards
At the end of the first half, having seen what has become a traditional way of playing. Harbour work the ball down the pitch with some solid play, only to cough it up. The lady that sits next to me, right near the coaches box, for the first time in 5 years shouted at Dowd and Wilson as then walked down to the ground, something like "Craig tell the forwards to play like forwards!!" A lack of passion seemed to be in vogue again. In fact there was probably more action on the concourse behind me, between the supporters of Westlake & Rosmini after Lake's win in the Secondary Schools final. With the score at 23-9 to Otago, at the half I began to wonder how to begin my report & the only thing that I could come up with was from Richard III - "Now is the winter of our discontent." Well low & behold if there wasn't a change at half time. The tight five played as a unit, and started to tire the Otago pack. Tom Chamberlain joined after sitting out the first 40 and along with Richard Mayhew and the stand out player, Malakai Ravulo, started to get a huge ascendency in the loose. Getting vital turn over's or winning penalties, which paved the way to a momentous win. Obviously there are loads to work on, and unfortunately they are all fundamentals - turn over's (Someone put some glue on James King's fingers - dude I have been talking you up so catch the ball), first up tackles, oh & second up tackles, and finally leadership. Having watched all the games this year I don't see the captain, or other senior players (particularly Luke McAlister) stepping up and talking to the team during the game. The only one's are Richard Mayhew, who spent practically the entire 2009 season warming up, and the halfbacks, and lets face it, anyone who has played rugby ignores their mouthy halfbacks. We stood and clapped loudly at our battling heroes, my neighbour claiming her part in the victory. I saw a friend, an Otago supporter, and commiserated with him, because as a Harbour supporter I am well versed in the playing well for a half and then being slammed (check the Auckland game this year and most of 2009). But we all left the ground with a warm feeling in our souls, having picked up 2 of our must win games, and muttering about the prospect that "this might be the year." Again. Alistair
Well the first comment was bounced because of the amount of expletives. Well just one. My original was a 4 letter word that is another word for excrement. And that was that. Then I thought a little more & added some more to it and it bounced back due to the subject matter. So here's a cleaned up version. Watching the game last night is what kills us Harbour supporters.
Alistair From: Barry@<withheld>.co.nz I also believe we've got good, intelligent coaches that are improving with experience BUT, they don't PLAY the game. Winning teams have GOOD players. Good players are attracted to winning teams or money. We don't have either. The End From:
Colin@<withheld>.net There's only one thing worse than seeing Harbour bottom of the NPC - seeing Auckland at the top. Just voted in the Harbour Dream Team. of the massive 434 votes that have been cast, somehow only 412 voted for Buck. Presumably the other 22 were Pod's relatives? Colin J
Harbour vs Dorkland. I was quite worried when I saw the team sheet for Sunday's game. The best hooker in the province (one of the best in 2009 Air NZ Cup) on the bench and a continually injured hooker who has played only a few games this year is starting. Our 2 first choice locks are injured, but instead of promoting the 2 reserves we pull in a guy from out of the squad and move our number 8 to the other lock position. What message does that send to the rest of the squad members & us the fans? Are Dowd & Wilson already questioning their selections before we'd kicked a ball. So after the magnificent penalty from McAllister, & Tom Chamberlain's try I could feel the ghosts of 2009 exiting the through gate A. But I was mistaken as they rushed back through gate B and ran head on into the Harbour team. Auckland didn't look special, but they had the help of a couple of missed forward passes, continual turn-over's gifted to them, and they used the wind more effectively than us (only occasion we did was McAllister's kick). In such a mediocre display it is hard to pick some highlights - but Chamberlain played well I though out, Grayson Hart & Nalu Tuigamala played well in the halfback spot, and a few of the runs in the attacking 22 by Alipate Fatafehi, which had he had close support, might have resulted in tries. By the same token the lowlights are equally hard to pick, although the two kick off's directly after half time, which led to Auckland points, ruined Michael Harris's game. The inability for people to make first up tackles, & our line outs started well but quickly fell apart (not as bad as Aucks) but came right with the William Whetton/Michael Mayhew combo. And finally Jack McPhee's decision making seems as random as ever - "Kick or run it? I have no support, so I guess I should run it." Where was the team that played against the Japan team? Well at least we didn't play any worse than last year.... I guess another year of heartache has begun. As the match report said, "Without wanting to sound like a John Kirwan ad, I'm feeling a little down about myself and my obsession with all things North Harbour." Alistair From: Kahn@<withheld>.co.nz You will be pleased to know that Grayson Hart's loan deal features a no call back clause so hopefully he goes well for Harbour and Dorkland lose all their halfbacks to injury/legal issues and they are left playing wingers behind the scrum. Never thought I would say this in my lifetime but GO HARBOUR! Solid looking team who will surprise a lot of people if Jeff and Craig can get them to buy into their gameplan. Kahn From: <withheld>@yahoo.co.uk
as the ABs have finally hit my (mate's) Sky+ box in Notting Hill for another season, i thought it was time to check out the harbourrugby website. hence i'm a little slow in responding to your first XV article. mostly on the money but i reckon the following were slightly askew: Mark Weedon should take Jones' spot - as Weedon is pretty much the antithesis of all the bad things you said about Jones. or for no other reason than he tapped the lineout ball to Strachan which led to Walter's Harbour Day try in 94. A shame we couldn't find a spot for Dowd - he displayed that truly Harbouristic talent (certainly in the early years) for warming a bench for the ABs while some Auckland bstard hogged the no. 1 spot. but your picks are fair. the loosies are all wrong. Craig Newby was a guy with a lot of potential who left and went, of all places, to Otago. and he did it at a time when a lot of Harbour players used us as a stepping stone to bigger and better things (usually in the south island, always south of the bombays). which also coincides with the time that Harbour entered a strong downward spiral in terms of results, fanbase and credibility. so to put him in the first XV when he was part of a trend that we still haven't (may never) recovered from, when he didn't exactly play that many games for us, and to my memory never did anything that special, is a poor call. Liam Barry is the standout candidate for best openside. he was bloody good, he was in the team for a substantial amount of time, he was loyal, he played in the 94 vintage, he taught at Westlake, and we the fans loved him. and Schuler for blindside? Schuler was a good player, but again someone who didn't really set the world alight while at Harbour. he was in the team for such a short period of time, and in my opinion past his best by the time he got to us. i thought Manawatu got better value out of him than we did. for me, i'd have put Pod in there. i know he's not really a 6, but you can't dislodge Buck, and i recall Turner playing 6 for one season near the end of Buck's reign, and he was really good. plus, he's such a Harbour legend it's almost criminal not to find a spot for him. and while i can't really fault Rico Gear as the right wing choice, i'd have put Scotty Pierce (sp?) in there. again, i know he's slightly out of position there, but he really was quite awesome in his time, and when he played on the wing in that NZ trial that one time he scored 4 tries... plus he scored our first try against Auckland. can't beat that. for the other wing - Eric Rush or Richard Kapa? one scored 11 tries in a game. Rushie on the other hand cost us the NPC when he got sent off in the final (Strachan's poor pass to Burts notwithstanding). Also, you've got to give the top XV a coach and it's obviously Thorburn. assistant coach would be Polly - he never got enough credit for the passion he showed for the union, and he got us the Shield. just noticed that my first born is due on the 25th anniversary battle of the bridge game. hope he's a boy, or else Walter Wayne Frano are going to be some odd names on the birth certificate. keep up the good work
North Harbour claimed a famous victory in their first international outing [Editor: what are you talking about, "their first international outing"?] by beating Asian Five Nations rugby champions Japan 23-19. Harbour were outscored three tries to two, but without the mass changes in personnel at half time it could have been better for Harbour. Mind you with better handling, from both sides, the score could have been much greater and a different outcome completely. I guess JK got what he wanted and his team, particularly up front, were severely tested, and at times in the first half it appeared like trench warfare. Although Kirwan will be concerned at the handling & poor kicking (both field position and up & under's) in the first half, which in part helped Harbour dominate. Alisi Tupauailei was a handful all game, but started to really bust us up big time after Brendan Watt left the field. I was also impressed with the diminutive, but tough halfback Fumiaki Tanaka. Harbour signalled the potential for the the forth coming ITM Cup with their set piece dominance and ability to regularly break the first line of defence, particularly around the 9-10 & 10-12 holes in the defensive line. I guess I got the answer to my question about the preferred reserve for Michael Harris, who was very good until he went off injured. Ben Botica, who I thought played well. The combination of Watt & Jack Tarrant in the midfield looked very promising.High Points for Harbour:
Work Ons:
Most of the above are accuracy things, and these should come right with more training & time as a team. I mean you can't go 9 months of the year hating the other clubs and then instantly gel as a cohesive unit. The players in the squad for this game appear to have taken a step up from last year, and if they continue to build accordingly, and we stay relatively injury free, some of those close losses from last year should end up being wins. Add in the experience of 2 recent All Blacks (Luke McAlister and Rudi Wulf) + SBW (yeah right!) and there is lads to be excited about. Roll on the ITM Cup. Thanks
I have been champing at the bit to talk about the up coming season and the announcement of the Harbour vs Japan game on June 4 is like wetting the appetite for what should be a good season for the White Elephant. Although the Japan game is a warm up for Japan for the Pacific Nations cup, it is an excellent opportunity to see how individuals from the Harbour team have improved since 2009 ANC. After a very comprehensive display by a Harbour Development team against Japanese regional side, Kanto Rugby, a few of the fringe players may have put forward a cases for spots in the Japan game, and ITM Cup. With the end of a dismal, and often boring Super 14 I can start to enjoy some good club rugby and look forward to the ITM Cup. I am assuming we will be missing our All Blacks, the departing and injured players for the provincial championship, but there is still much to look forward to this season:
Cheers
2009 2009 correspondence can be viewed here 2008 2008 correspondence can be viewed here 2007 2007 correspondence can be viewed here 2006 2006 correspondence can be viewed here 2005 2005 correspondence can be viewed here 2004 2004 correspondence can be viewed here
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would think there are better ways of spending a partially sunny
Spring Sunday afternoon than seeing your team degenerate into a
hapless outfit ....sure torture *grrrr* some might say. I suppose
for the Harbour hopeful the only prospect left is to see who will
be good enough to make it to Super Rugby next year. Surely, for
Harbour it`s only a blessed few judging by some lacklustre performances
all round. Saw Pat Lam taking off in a hurry shortly after the game......
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