Southland to get the Ranfurly Shield??

Wyatt Crocket, Corey Flynn, Owen Franks, Brad Thorn, Richie McCaw, Kieran Read, Andy Ellis, Daniel Carter.

These are the names of the 8 players Penney won't have in the final defense of the Ranfurly Shield against a stron Southland side who have thrashed Tasman 41-0 and cleanly swept Taranaki 29-13 in their last two games.

Southland only unavailable player due to All Blacks tour is Jimmy Cowan.

Possible Canterbury squad:

15.- Colin Slade
14.- Sean Maitland
13.- Casey Laulala
12.- Tim Bateman
11.- James Paterson
10.- Stephen Brett
9.- Tyson Keats
8.- Nasi Manu
7.- George Whitelock
6.- Michael Paterson
5.- Isaac Ross
4.- Sam Whitelock
3.- Peter Borlase
2.- Ti'i Paulo
1.- Andrew Olorenshaw

Likely Southland Squad:

15.- Glen Horton
14.- Matt Saunders
13.- Kendrick Lynn
12.- Jason Kawau
11.- Pehi Te Whare
10.- Robbie Robinson
9.- Scott Cowan
8.- David Hall
7.- Tim Boys
6.- John Hardie
5.- Joe Tuineau
4.- Josh Bekhuis
3.- Chris King
2.- Jason Rutledge
1.- Jamie Mckintosh

If I were from Invercagill, I would be licking my lips.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's still a big ask. It would be fun to see the All Blacks making selections from sides other than Auckland, Wellington and the Canterburians who art lead a Cro Magnon or is it a Neanderhal?

Karl Miff

sesenta y cuatro said...

Yes, it would be good. Take Hawke's Bay for example, they are set to die of their own success. In 2010, Dagg goes to Otago, Elliot to Waikato, Guilford to Canterbury... Next season they are surely going to struggle just because they aren't big enough.

Jimmy said...

I agree that this is probably Southlands best shot at the Shield, but there are some very strong players still in this Canterbury team. Whitelock and Bateman both could have been bolters on the end of year tour, Brett and Slade are both more then capable. Laulala can be one of the most explosive centres in the country when he pulls things together and Isaac Ross is one of the countries best locks at the moment.

Hopefully they will be able to hold out Southland. I expect to see a blinder from Robinson because he was also a pretty good shot for the tour.

It will be a bloody good game either way!

sesenta y cuatro said...

Sure. It is not for nothing that Canterbury are up there in the table. When they were without the All Blacks players, they were also the best team.

But they are more than classified and that could do them wrong. Still I think Canterbury's going to win the Air New Zealand Cup again, but I feel that the Ranfurly Shield could just sleep off their hands in the last round.

Who knows? It will be interesting as the Stags do need a win badly to make the playoffs.

Anonymous said...

Canterbury re the favorites because Deans built a team there that might take years to dismantle. The players are elite because thaey have been handpicked since they were fifteen. And because of the moolah, naturally the players owe a dent, sort of like indentured servants. Is that a way to win rugby championshipos I ask you? At least the other teams have locals who actually play and theiur handpicked team is not a bunch of ringers set to be All Blacks. Even the coach is a schoolboy. It's time another team dropped Canterbury down a peg. If anybody can do it, Southland might.
Miff

Jimmy said...

Looking at that Canterbury squad there are 4 guys I went to High School with who have come through a strong schoool-boy competition and well structured and governed rugby union.

I don't think there is anything wrong with handpicking players from a young age, and it doesn't require mega bucks to do it. Its more about nurturing the talent you have.

Deans instilled a culture that will hopefully continue for Canterbury because, without being smug, they provide us with a lot of our All Blacks who in turn pass this on to the younger players. Besides, Deans coached the Crusaders, not Canterbury.

sesenta y cuatro said...

Hm... Jimmy, beware!

Miff is wise and there's always a lot behind his words. He may not be a big fan of New Zealand (why should he?) but knows a thing or two about rugby (past, present and I daresay a bit about future, too).

Deans may have only been the coach of the Crusaders, but we all know he was the master of Canterbury (and also Tasman) just because he drove the Crusaders. What the Crusaders wanted, the whole region did. Super 14 is the main source of revenue for Canterbury, so they all know how important is to do what is best for the Crusaders.

In saying that, I am not saying that Deans was selfish or didn't care about Canterbury or Tasman as rugby unions. I think he did and I think he still does (from afar).

But Miff is true in saying that he was on command and the philosophy that rules Canterbury's rugby today is mainly his philosophy.

I think, however, that Canterbury has a lot of bred-right-from-school talent. Unlike Auckland or Wellington (the real poachers) Canterbury has had a tradition of developing players like Carter, McCaw or Bateman.

But it is always going to happen that the rich ones steal from the poor ones and Canterbury ain't a poor one.

Canterbury is, to my eyes, not a very bad example in terms of developing local players; at least it is an example than many kiwi provinces and surely all aussie Super 14 franchises could follow.

But not being myself a Cantabrian, and as much as I'd like Canterbury to win back to back titles, I wouldn't mind if Southland got a taste of success in the Ranfurly Shield.

Anonymous said...

Certainly Canterbury are the top team and they should be because , let us be honest, they have implemented a structure , an academy, a future; all the things that are required of a smallish nation to operate rugby on a grand scale.
It isn't bad I say. I say that perpetual dominance is a bad thing for rugby.
Say what you will about Deans and canterbury and I will tell you flat out that the reason that Deans has not enjoyed the success fhe has with Australia is because he doesn't have the structure even at a national level that he had at Canterbury, whether or not it is the Crusaders; the organization is greased through and through like a fraternity.
I would hope that Canterbury will get bumped off just like the Sharks with 8 Springboks and the
Bulls with as many as 10.
Handing out jerseys these days is far from what it used to be.
And I don't buy into the Isaac Ross theory of having him stay at home because he is too slight. Afterall, the man weighs 117 kg.
There isn't anything fragile in that rugby build even were it so you are 6'7". Something else is operating in the fraternal All Black secret society. MIFF

sesenta y cuatro said...

Then, is Deans a product of Canterbury and the Crusaders or are Canterbury and the Crusaders a product of Deans?

Jimmy said...

I agree that Deans influence spread to more then just the team he was coaching and that the district as a whole became a part of the culture he created. I think the real key however is the players who have played under him have continued to coach in the same style emphasising the same importance on the team. Gibson, Blackadder and Mayahofler have all become involved in the coaching side of things and preserved the ethos Deans created.

In saying that, and as a Cantabrian, they have gotten far to used to winning, they can't keep their fans interested anymore and their stadium (although only half a stadium) is always empty. Maybe a couple of seasons coming at the bottom of the pack would benefit them>?

Jimmy said...

Southland played well and deserved the win last night. Maybe this will be the start of a turn around for Canterbury, it might just be the thing to get them firing for the rest of the comp.

Anonymous said...

Yea, whomever thought this one up called a shot I would have overlooked. Thanks. Miff