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Kiwis in Europe: Northampton's Kiwi contingent not enough to topple bottom-dwellers
By Campbell Burnes
Total Kiwis: 83
Bath and Sale will have to dissect a 7-all Gallagher Premiership draw which featured a key conversion kicked by James Wilson.
The 35-year-old returned to Todd Blackadder’s Bath after another season with the Southland Stags in the Mitre 10 Cup. He missed a late penalty goal after entering the fray off the pine, but did convert a Joe Cokanasiga try to secure a draw. Jackson Willison, Kahn Fotuali’i and Cooper Vuna also featured for the home side, while Denny Solomona and Bryn Evans appeared for the Sharks.
Bath remains in the top six, while Sale is in the relegation zone, just off the foot of the table. Harlequins, with Francis Saili and Mat Luamanu in the ranks, inflicted a 28-26 defeat on Exeter Chiefs, the first of the season for the latter.
A try to Bryce Heem was insufficient for Worcester, the Warriors falling 36-16 at Gloucester, for whom Jason Woodward, Willi Heinz and Josh Hohneck were starters.
Sean Maitland’s Saracens beat Wasps 29-6. Lima Sopoaga, Brad Shields and Nathan Hughes all started for the vanquished.
Chris Boyd’s Northampton lost 16-14 at home to Newcastle, despite the presence of Ahsee Tuala, Piers Francis, Dylan Hartley, Teimana Harrison and Ben Franks. The Falcons fielded Sinoti Sinoti, John Hardie (newly arrived from Edinburgh), Logovi’i Mulipola and Tane Takalua.
Pat Lam’s Bristol Bears finally hit top gear, routing Leicester 41-10, despite a yellow card to John Afoa. The Piutaus – Charlie and Siale – Alapati Leiua and Steven Luatua all turned out for the Bears, while Brendon O’Connor and Mike FitzGerald appeared for the Tigers.
The news was brighter for Toulon in the French Top 14. Julian Savea, Liam Messam and Brian Alainu’uese all played a part in the crucial 2 -3 win over a Grenoble outfit that included Alaska Taufa, Taiasina Tuifua, Leva Fifita, Taleta Tupuola and Steven Setephano, who saw yellow.
Aaron Cruden’s Montpellier lost 28-23 at home to Clermont. Isaia Toeava, now pushing 33, scored a try, while his teammates included George Moala, Fritz Lee, Loni Uhila and Tim Nanai-Williams.
Four Ihaia West goals were key in La Rochelle’s 16-11 win over Racing-Metro in a clash that featured no less than nine Kiwis. Victor Vito, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Hikairo Forbes and a yellow-carded Uini Atonio tasted victory, while Ole Avei, Dominic Bird, Ben Volavola and Ben Tameifuna all turned out for the Parisians.
Paula Ngauamo and Tom Murday tasted victory in a south-western derby, 16-13 at Castres. David Smith was sinbinned for the Castres, while Alex Tulou was a replacement.
Tries to Toby Arnold and Charlie Ngatai, again, helped Lyon to a convincing 30-10 win over Pau. Rudi Wulf was again at centre for the victors, while Colin Slade, at fullback, Benson Stanley, Daniel Ramsay and Jamie Mackintosh played for Pau.
Bordeaux-Begles beat a Perpignan side that included Genesis Mamea and Shahn Eru 22-11.
Toulouse – with Charlie Faumuina, Joe Tekori and Carl Axtens in the ranks, crushed Stade Francais 49-20. Ziggy Fisi’ihoi and Tony Ensor came off the bench for the Parisians.
In the Guinness PRO14, Josh Renton’s Zebre was on the receiving end of a 43-0 hiding at the hands of Ospreys. Tyler Bleyendaal scored a try in Munster’s 44-14 win over Edinburgh.
Siua Halanukonuka’s Glasgow defeated Scarlets 29-20, with Johnny McNicholl and Kieron Fonotia on the losing side.
Jamison Gibson-Park and Michael Bent appeared for Leinster in the 59-10 win over the Dragons.
A hat-trick to hooker Hame Faiva highlighted Treviso’s 22-19 victory in South Africa against the Southern Kings. Monty Ioane also scored a try for the Italians, while Iliesa Ratuva Tavuyara was on the other wing.
Sean Reidy’s Ulster edged the Cardiff Blues of Rey Lee-Lo and Nick Williams 16-12. Tom McCartney and Dominic Robertson-McCoy played for Connacht in the 21-17 win over the Cheetahs.
Round three of the European competitions plays out this weekend.
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Go to commentsNot sure I understand. Its not obvious how you prioritize URC, Champions/Challenge Cup, Internationals, and rest. And if you add player development plans (eg experience of positions, playing conditions, game plans, opponents playing styles etc) it becomes harder. Additionally, consistency of selection helps with making adjustments to systems and tactics, so that further constrains your options. Travel challenges don’t make it easier.
Jake White has effectively decided that he would rather have a chance of success in one competition, at the expense of the other competition, than a near certainty of heroic failure in both. And he has implied that over time he plans to build enough depth to give the Bulls a chance in both the URC and Champions Cup simultaneously.
Not sure what is being proposed here that is supposedly a better plan.
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