Miter Cup 10 Talking Points: How Wellington’s Hooker Evoked Memories of Asafo Aumua’s Stunner

OPINION: Wellington rugby fans, talk about déjà vu.

Tyrone Thompson’s impressive 50-meter try against the Bay of Plenty brought back memories of that incredible 60-meter run by All Blacks hooker Asafo Aumua to score for Wellington against Canterbury in 2017.

With Aumua, Dane Coles and James O’Reilly absent for the Lions, Thompson made his first Miter 10 Cup start and it was a memorable Friday night in the capital for the rookie hooker, who embarrassed the Steamers by going over to his defense. . .

Meanwhile, Ranfurly Shield has its third different home in as many weeks. Otago eliminated Taranaki to regain Log O ‘Wood after losing it to Canterbury last season and his first defense is just a week later against Hawke’s Bay this Sunday.

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Are here Stuff seven talking points from the 2020 Miter 10 Cup third round.

Tyrone torments vaporizers

Thompson’s solo raise against the Steamers was on the same ground as Aumua’s 200-foot blast when Wellington hit Canterbury 60-14 three years ago this month.

At Sky Stadium on Friday, Wellington was too good for the Bay of Plenty, winning 32-10, and Thompson’s try in the 62nd minute was eerily similar to Aumua’s due to his speed, skill and strength on the same touchline. , albeit in the opposite direction. .

A quick pitch from a lineout with Wellington captain Du’Plessis Kirifi and Thompson was clear, with three defenders still to beat from midfield, but none were able to knock down the rampant rake.

Of course, Bay of Plenty’s tackle was abysmal and Thompson’s finish was not nearly as jaw-dropping as Aumua’s in 2017, when the Hurricanes hooker dodged future All Blacks winger George Bridge with scandalous ease. But the sheer determination to get to the try line was tremendously impressive.

Not bad for Wellington’s fourth prostitute.

Magpies take flight

Hawke’s Bay started the season with an embarrassing loss to Southland in the Deep South.

Two weeks later, the Magpies are at the top of the championship after astonishingly two bonus point victories, including their first over Canterbury in 38 years, and challenge Otago for the Ranfurly Shield in Dunedin on Sunday.

More than 5000 fans at Napier’s McLean Park roared their rolling maul across the line as Captain Ash Dixon’s talisman victory attempt scored a memorable 20-19 victory after the horn.

The jubilant post-match scenes on the field and in the stands epitomized the burning passion for the game among players and fans from the provinces. Can we have more of the same please?

And not All Blacks?

There were some released from Ian Foster’s squad after they reunited in Whakatāne last week, but not many.

Tupou Vaa’i returned to Taranaki at Inglewood, but couldn’t stop Otago from winning the Shield and Patrick Tuipulotu came off the bench for Auckland in their 50-12 win over Manawatū at Eden Park.

Tuipulotu needed to play minutes before his likely return to get a taste of rugby in the Bledisloe Cup opener against Australia on October 11. The Auckland lockdown has been taking care of an Achilles problem.

The widespread availability of the All Blacks in the first two rounds already seems like a distant memory as the team reunites in Hamilton this week. The Miter 10 cup is worse for that.

Otago’s love for the log

Otago lost the most coveted award in the provincial game to Canterbury on October 5 of last year.

Twelve months later, with a favorable draw that gave them another chance, Otago will once again defend the Shield after achieving a well-deserved 30-19 victory at Taranaki.

In one test, All Black Josh Ioane was in excellent shape in the first five eighths and led his side excellently in the wind and rain at Inglewood.

Taranaki’s defense lasted just seven days and the absence of All Blacks Beauden and Jordie Barrett was revealing.

Southland shine

Is Invercargill Rugby Park turning into a southern stronghold nowhere wants to visit?

Southland recorded their second ugly home win over a struggling North Harbor team after Greg Dyer nervously kicked a game-winning penalty after the horn, sparking more joyous celebrations after the Stags beat Hawke’s Bay two weeks before.

Look, rugby is terrible and Saturday’s 11-10 win was marred by mediocrity, but will Stags fans care? Beating Harbor secured back-to-back victories at Southland’s home for the first time since 2016 and the Stags are 2-1 in the fourth round.

With his 27-game losing streak behind him, who’s next? Waikato are visitors to Invercargill on Sunday.

Counties on the slide

Counties Manukau last tasted victory on August 16, 2019, when the Steelers won 39-25 against Harbor in Albany.

Eight consecutive losses followed and the counties dropped to the championship last season.

Three weeks into 2020, with former All Blacks captain Kieran Read on hand, and his losing streak is up to 11 games after Saturday’s 24-15 loss to Northland.

Next up are the Manawatū fellow fighters in Pukekohe.

And finally…

The All Blacks are due to name an extended team soon for the Rugby Championship before departing for Australia after two Bledisloe Cup events here with the Wallabies in October.

The provinces will be ripped off their star players to reinforce the All Blacks and it will mean another kick in the guts for the Miter 10 Cup.

It’s a shame the competition is so subservient to the All Blacks. However, the reality is that they bring a lot of money to New Zealand Rugby, which is in dire need of the cash to power the game after the devastating financial impact of Covid-19.

Take a look

Wellington 32 (Teariki Ben-Nicholas 2, Wes Goosen, Tyrone Thompson, Ruben Love tries; Jackson Garden-Bachop 2 with, pen) Bay of Plenty 10 (Nathan Vella test; Dan Hollinshead scam, pen). HT: 12-10.

Tasmania 34 (David Havili 3, Andrew Makalio, Alex Nankivell tries; Mitch Hunt 3 scam, pen) Waikato 17 (Quinn Tupaea, Valynce House, Fletcher Smith tries; Smith scam) HT: 13-5.

Southland 11 (Rory van Vugt tries; Scott Eade, pen by Greg Dyer) North port 10 (Tim Sail test; Bryn Gatland pen, against). Height: 0-7.

Hawke’s Bay 20 (Lolagi Visinia, Jonah Lowe, Ash Dixon tries; Lincoln McClutchie scam, pen) Canterbury 19 (Shilo Klein, Sam Darry, Josh McKay tries; Brett Cameron 2 scam). HT: 10-0.

Auckland 50 (AJ Lam 2, Waimana Reidlinger-Kapa, ​​Simon Hickey 2, Taufa Funaki, Blake Gibson, Jordan Trainor tries; Simon Hickey 5 cons). Heart 12 (Adam Boult, Kyle Stewart tries; Ben Wyness scam). HT: 26-5

Otago 30 (Dylan Nel, Freedom Vahaakolo, Liam Coltman, Josh Ioane tries, Ioane 2 with 2 pen) Taranaki 19 (Stephen Perofeta, Kaylum Boshier, Lachlan Boshier tries, Jayson Potroz, Daniel Waite with) HT: 22-5

Northland 24 (Saimoni Uluinakauvadra, Jordan Olsen, Pisi Leilua tries, Dan Hawkins 3 with, pen) Manukau Counties 15 (Kieran Read, Alamanda Motuga tries, Baden Kerr with, pen) HT: 3-12

Positions

Premiership: Tasman 15 points, Wellington 11, Auckland 10, Waikato 10, Canterbury 7, Bay of Plenty 6, North Harbor 1.

Championship: Hawke’s Bay 10, Otago 10, Southland 9, Taranaki 9, Northland 9, Manawatū 1, Manukau Counties 0.