[ad_1]
OPINION: The All Blacks are gone, but the power rankings are going nowhere.
Forget about the competition record and the premier and championship division as the staff ignores the ladder and ranks all 14 sides after each round of the 10 Miter Cup.
There is nothing scientific about the selection process for this list, and not everyone will be pleased or agree. Fair enough.
Here is the ranking for week two.
Joe Allison / Getty Images
Taranaki celebrates after defeating Canterbury and obtaining the Ranfurly Shield after round 2 of the Miter 10 Cup against Canterbury.
READ MORE:
* Different tilt at Miter 10 Cup when All Blacks say goodbye, Taranaki steals Ranfurly Shield
* Miter Cup Power Ranking 10 – The initial round offers plenty of surprises
* Damian McKenzie scores 33 points and Waikato scores 50 in big win over Wellington
* Super Rugby Power Rating – Blues are still not good on their own
Evan Barnes / Getty Images
Tasman’s Shannon Frizell threw the ball against Northland in Blenheim last week.
1. TASMAN (2-0) PREVIOUS RANK: 1
For a team brimming with talent, nothing less than the maximum points (10) they have scored in games against championship teams the past two weeks would have been disappointing for Mako.
Then the chance to get away from undefeated Waikato in Nelson on Saturday afternoon.
2. WAIKATO (2-0) PREVIOUS RANK: 3
It’s a shame All Blacks Damian McKenzie and Anton Lienert-Brown aren’t going to be there for their top-of-the-table clash with Tasman.
But the way running back Xavier Roe is playing, they should at least be competitive against a Mako team also stripped of their All Blacks.
Joe Allison / Getty Images
Taranaki celebrates after defeating Canterbury and winning the Ranfurly Shield in Christchurch last weekend.
3. TARANAKI (2-0) PREVIOUS RANK: 5
What has this team got up for Canterbury? It is three consecutive victories for Ranfurly Shield against the Reds and Blacks.
The way they walked out the doors last weekend, it was as if each player drank a couple of 440mm cans of energy drink before the game.
As for Lachlan Boshier, Canterbury coach Reuben Thorne was delighted when he said there was no better player in the country.
4. CANTERBURY (1-1) PREVIOUS RANK: 4
There is no excuse for a team with experience in All Blacks and Super Rugby to start as badly as they did against Taranaki last week.
Not attempting a drop goal in the closing minutes of their 23-22 loss was also a head scratch.
5. WELLINGTON (1-1) PREVIOUS RANK: 10
Here’s how you bounce back from a stinky season opener against Waikato.
Led by wing Du’Plessis Kirifi, Wellington’s defense was outstanding as they beat the black-filled Auckland in a 39-21 win.
Hannah Peters / Getty Images
Wellington running back TJ Perenara gets his pass in the 10 Miter Cup clash against Auckland at Eden Park.
6. AUCKLAND (1-1) PREVIOUS RANK: 2
Coach Alama Ieremia should be upset after the lack of execution in the second half of his first-round win against Otago carried over to his first home game.
Losing to Wellington is one thing, but not recording a losing bonus point, or one for scoring four or more attempts, is difficult to understand.
7. BAY OF PLENTY (1-1) PREVIOUS RANK: 7
Phew! You get a feeling that Bay of Plenty fans weren’t expecting such a close shave against the Stags at home.
Avoiding a 0-2 hole was crucial ahead of this week’s away game against Wellington.
8. SOUTHLAND (1-1) PREVIOUS RANK: 8
This is a team that prides itself on the Southland jersey.
Sure, they fell three points short against the Steamers in Rotorua, but there’s no shortage of ticker in Dale MacLeod’s group.
Kerry Marshall / Getty Images
Brad Weber scored two attempts in the first half to propel Hawke’s Bay past Counties-Manukau on Sunday.
9. HAWKE’S BAY (1-1) PREVIOUS RANK: 12
It would be remiss of the Magpies not to prepare for a Canterbury backlash at Napier this weekend.
After all, they will be eager to put their loss to Ranfurly Shield aside by fixing a few mistakes on Saturday night. The first 20 minutes will count.
10. OTAGO (1-1) PREVIOUS RANK: 14
It took him 112 minutes to score his first try of the season. But once they remembered what the test line through Vilimoni Koroi looked like, they left.
Now, less than a year after losing the Log o ‘Wood to Canterbury, they can get their hands on it again if they beat Taranaki.
Evan Barnes / Getty Images
Northland’s Sam Nock found it tough against Tasman at Blenheim last week.
11. NORTHLAND (1-1) PREVIOUS RANK: 6
The Taniwha weren’t the first, and they won’t be the last, to be whipped by Tasman this season.
Pull the chain.
12. NORTH HARBOR (0-2) PREVIOUS RANK: 9
Harbor, the first favorite for the demotion of prime minister, has not racked up a single point of competition in two weeks.
And a trip to Invercargill to face the Stags doesn’t seem as easy as it did just a few weeks ago.
William Booth / Getty Images
All Blacks running back Aaron Smith scored twice for the Turbos in their second-round loss to Otago.
13. MANAWATŪ (0-2) PREVIOUS RANK: 13
A victory with the best rider in the world, Aaron Smith, in front of the past fortnight could not be secured and it doesn’t get any easier with a trip to Eden Park to play Auckland this week.
14. MANUKAU COUNTIES (0-2) OLD RANK: 11
Ten losses trotting and counting.
The good news is, with home games against Northland and the Turbos over the next fortnight, they have a good chance to soon register their first win since August 16 of last year.
