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There will be a different tilt to the Miter 10 Cup as the All Blacks bid farewell to their provinces and begin preparing for their first 2020 test matches in Whakatāne starting Monday.
The first two rounds have featured most of Ian Foster’s All Blacks first team and their turnout has been overwhelmingly positive, but it was never going to last once a testing schedule was finally confirmed and the competition is losing a bit. of its stardust.
No one can predict when the next time most of the All Blacks will be available to their provinces en masse.
Joe Allison / Getty Images
Beauden Barrett was all smiles after Taranaki stole the Ranfurly Shield from Canterbury.
However, the highlight of the second round was Taranaki’s Ranfurly Shield’s thrilling foray into Christchurch and All Blacks fullback Jordie Barrett threw another monster penalty to steal the Canterbury Shield with a 23-22 win on Saturday.
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* Hard to believe that Sio Tomkinson has been working on his tackle technique
The contest pitted two of the world’s best playmakers, Richie Mo’unga (Canterbury) and Beauden Barrett (Taranaki), against each other in a shootout to decide the best No. 10 in the country before the first test of the Bledisloe Cup against Australia on October 11.
Joe Allison / Getty Images
Lachlan Boshier, right, with his younger brother Kaylum and their family after Taranaki’s Ranfurly Shield victory.
However, there was little to choose between the first two five-eighth champions, who could still start together in black after doing so at last year’s Rugby World Cup, but Barrett ended the weekend grinning from ear to ear after Taranaki will hold out to regain the title. Log O ‘Wood after losing it to Waikato in 2018.
Lachlan Boshier was back in inspiring form at wide end and led a wonderful defensive effort for Taranaki with numerous steals.
The Chiefs star sent the national selectors another reminder of his abilities after missing the team two weeks ago, but he must be in the mix after continuing his excellent Super Rugby Aotearoa form.
Meanwhile, the two Premiership teams are Tasman and Waikato after recording convincing victories over Northland (54-21) and North Harbor (41-19) respectively.
The Mako started the second round with their fourteenth straight win, inspired by the hat-trick of All Blacks winger Sevu Reece, and the depth of quality of the reigning champions means that the absence of their stars shouldn’t have a severe impact. .
Tasman will host Waikato next Saturday and that should be the third round game, even with the All Blacks out, and how the Mooloos are leaving without Damian McKenzie and Anton Lienert-Brown will indicate whether they are title contenders or not. Waikato hasn’t appeared in the Premiership finals since 2011.
Evan Barnes / Getty Images
Sevu Reece scored a hat-trick when Tasman defeated Northland.
McKenzie was once again excellent at full back when Waikato swept Harbor and took a 26-0 lead in the first 30 minutes, but so were brothers Mitch and Luke Jacobson on loose forwards. The latter’s extended period of playing after his bad luck with injury could increase his chances of the All Blacks retiring.
The juicy Premier League clash between Auckland and Wellington completed the round and the Lions bounced back from last week’s Hamilton horror show against Waikato to record their first win of 2020 at Eden Park.
Both teams were loaded with All Blacks, but Wellington, with Ardie Savea, Asafo Aumua and TJ Perenara in top form, outscored Auckland six attempts to three in an impressive performance.
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Wellington’s Ardie Savea running against Auckland winger Caleb Clarke at Eden Park on Sunday.
All Blacks captain Sam Cane tasted victory as a player for the first time in six months with the Bay of Plenty’s 17-14 victory over Southland.
A win is a win, but the Stags are proving they aren’t easy to win over after upsetting Hawke’s Bay in the first round for their second win in four years.
Cane outpointed the Steamers for the first time and won the final penalty of the game to secure his first win of the season.
Elsewhere, Sunday’s two championship games saw two All Blacks midfielders take center stage, but one was smiling and the other was frowning.
Test No. 9 leader Aaron Smith scored a double in his 80 minute span for Manawatū, but experienced defeat as the Otago sprinters led the Southerners to their first victory, 36-25, with Vilimoni Koroi in good shape with two tries.
And Hawke’s Bay’s Brad Weber also went for a double, but the Magpies were victorious, 31-17 against Counties Manukau, who are last in the competition after two losses.
TAKE A LOOK
Miter 10 Cup, results of round 2
Tasmania 54 (Sevu Reece 3, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Andrew Makalio, Fetuli Paea, Will Jordan, Jacob Norris tries; Mitch Hunt 5 with, Tim O’Malley 2 with) Northland 21 (Kara Pryor, Harrison Levien, Luatangi Li tries; Wiseguy Faiane 3 with). HT: 19-7
Waikato 41 (Xavier Roe 2, Quinn Tupaea, Mitch Jacobson, Damian McKenzie, Valynce Te Whare tries; McKenzie 4 scam, pen) North port 19 (Luteru Tolai, Jacob Pierce, Lewis Gjaltema tries; Bryn Gatland 2 with). HT: 29-12
Taranaki 23 (Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens 2, Tupou Vaa’i tries; Jordie Barrett 2 pen, with) Canterbury 22 (Oli Jager, Richie Mo’unga, Andrew Knewstubb tries; Richie Mo’unga pen, 2 with). HT: 20-3
Bay of Plenty 17 (Refresh, Red attempts, Otere Black 2 with, pencil) Southland 14 (Amanaki Nicole, Greg Pleasants-Tate tries, Scott Eade 2 with). HT: 14-14
Hawke’s Bay 31 (Brad Weber 2, World Cup, Devan Flanders tries; penalty trial; Lincoln McClutchie 2 with) Manukau Counties 17 (Kiris Kuridrani, Sam Slade tries; Baden Kerr pen, with; Jason Robertson with). HT: 26-10
Otago 36 (Vilimoni Koroi 2, Liam Coltman, Freedom Vahaakolo, Michael Collins tries; Josh John 4 scam, pen) Manawatū 25 (Jamie Booth, Aaron Smith 2, attempts by Micaiah Torrance-Read; Ben Wyness pen, with Stewart Cruden). HT: 14-8
Wellington 39 (Vince Aso 2, Wes Goosen, Peter Umaga-Jensen, Billy Proctor, Pepesana Patafilo tries; Jackson Garden-Bachop 3 with, pen) Auckland 21 (Leni Apisai, Jonathan Ruru, Caleb Clarke tries; Harry Plummer 3 cons). HT: 29-14
Positions
Premiership: Tasman 10 points, Waikato 10, Canterbury 6, Bay of Plenty 6, Wellington 6, Auckland 5, North Harbor 0.
Championship: Taranaki 9, Hawke’s Bay 6, Southland 5, Northland 5, Otago 5, Manawatū 1, Manukau Counties 0.
