NPC 2022 matches featuring Western Force Players

[Tazzmania]

Stats for the week ending 04/09/2022:

Canterbury v North Harbour (Thursday Game)

Felix Kalapu 1 x Try 6 Passes 8 Tackles 2 Missed tackles 0 Kicks 0 Clean breaks 35 Metres carried 2 Defenders beaten 0 Turnovers won

Northland V Auckland

Jackson Pugh starting 8 Substitution after 65' 4 Passes 4 Tackles 0 Missed tackles 0 Kicks 1 Clean breaks 48 Metres carried 2 Defenders beaten

North Harbour V Counties Man.

Felix Kalapu Sub (19) Substitution on 57 1 Passes 2 Tackles 0 Missed tackles 0 Kicks 0 Clean breaks 2 Metres carried


Not much action for the Force boys, Jackson managed to get game time with the late withdrawal of Jacobson.

Felix Kalapu, the new recruit announced last week, got over the chalk on Thursday night against Canterbury and came off the bench on Sunday against Counties Man. Seems a capable sort, would think with a bit more beefing up he could really turn out to be a good get, and seeing we have signed him for three years the Force must see potential there to.

[Tazzmania]

Force players in action today and tomorrow so far:

Playing:

Jackson Pugh starting 8 for Auckland v Waikato today 9th

Chase Tiatia starting 15 for Hawkes Bay v Southland 10th

Felix Kalapu starting 5 for North Harbour v Bay of Plenty


Possible:

Canterbury team not yet announced (Manasa Maetele)


Not picked:

Tasman have not selected Cambell Parata for this weekend

[Tazzmania]

Weekend Stats:

Jackson Pugh starting 8 for Auckland v Waikato

9 Passes 7 Tackles 1 Missed tackles 0 Kicks 0 Clean breaks 17 Metres carried 1 Defenders beaten 0 Turnovers won 0 Offloads

Chase Tiatia starting 15 for Hawkes Bay v Southland

13 Passes 2 Tackles 0 Missed tackles 7 Kicks 1 Clean breaks 74 Metres carried 1 Defenders beaten 0 Turnovers won

Felix Kalapu starting 5 for North Harbour v Bay of Plenty

Substitution off 63' 2 Passes 8 Tackles 1 Missed tackles 0 Kicks 1 Clean breaks 11 Metres carried 1 Defenders beaten 0 Turnovers won


Summary:

Great to see Jackson getting more and more game time, he appears to be gaining confidence on the field and developing well.

Chase is locking in that starting full back spot for us next year, really looks good, gets involved and seems to be a good influence on players around him.

Felix is developing well with the more game time he gets. gets involved still a raw talent that needs polishing but appears to have lots of potential to work with, a bit o bulking up will go a long way too.

[.X.]

@Tazzmania.

I am really enjoying your reports from the NPC.

I appreciate the hard work mate.

[WFDom]

@Tazzmania.

I am really enjoying your reports from the NPC.

I appreciate the hard work mate.

Yeah loving it Tazz. Good on ya

[Tazzmania]

Force Players in action weekend starting 16 September 2022.

Not all teams named as yet:

Auckland v Tasman:

Jackson Pugh starting 8 for Auckland

Cambell Parata 22 bench for Tasman

Hawkes Bay v Wellington

Chase Tiatia starting 15 for Hawkes Bay

Counties Manukau v Canterbury

Manasa Maetele starting 11 for Canterbury

North Harbour team not yet announced so not sure if Felix is scheduled for any game time

[The InnFORCEr]

Force Players in action weekend starting 16 September 2022.

Not all teams named as yet:

Auckland v Tasman:

Jackson Pugh starting 8 for Auckland

Cambell Parata 22 bench for Tasman

Hawkes Bay v Wellington

Chase Tiatia starting 15 for Hawkes Bay

Canterbury and North Harbour teams not yet announced so not sure if Manasa and Felix are scheduled for any game time

Ranfurley Shield on the line in HB v Wellington match...go the pies!

[Tazzmania]

Stats from the weekend:

Auckland v Tasman:

Jackson Pugh starting 8, played 67 minutes 4 Passes 6 Tackles 2 Missed tackles 0 Kicks 0 Clean breaks 22 Metres carried 2 Defenders beaten.

Cambell Parata 22 bench for Tasman, kept on the bench he did not get onto the field.

Hawkes Bay v Wellington

Chase Tiatia starting 15, 2 Passes 2 Tackles 1 Missed tackles 10 Kicks 0 Clean breaks 21 Metres carried 2 Defenders beaten

Counties Manukau v Canterbury

Manasa Maetele starting 11 played 60 minutes, 2 Passes 3 Tackles 2 Missed tackles 0 Kicks 2 Clean breaks 104 Metres carried 7 Defenders beaten

North Harbourv Northlands

Felix Kalupu started on the bench came on after 56 minutes, 1 Passes 2 Tackles 0 Missed tackles 0 Clean breaks 4 Metres carried

Summary

Jackson continues to look at home at this level, it will be interesting to see if he lifts further for super rugby. Keen to get involved and continues to make good progress. Great to hear the commentators referring him to as the West Australian

Chase Tiatia is going to be our starting fullback. Very good under the high ball, took all three catches cleanly and one of his kicks from within his own 22m went into touch just outside the opposition 22, the kind of clearances we have been lacking. Being left footed gives us additional kicking options.

Manasa being on the left wing did not get much ball his way, but what little ball he got he made his usual impressive impression.

Felix had a great cameo off the bench, in the words of the commentator, "since his move to North Harbour a few weeks back he has been a revelation."

[The InnFORCEr]

Sadly, Hawkes Bay lost The Log after holding it all year and part of last season, not the year for Magpies.

Great to Pek Cowan play for Wellington in The Log match too, the old boy still has it going on

[Tazzmania]

Force Players in action weekend starting 23 September 2022.

Not all teams named as yet:

Canterbury v Auckland Friday 23/09/2022:

Jackson Pugh retained as the starting 8 for Auckland

[AndyS]

Hard not to think how much better this thread would be if it were speculating on how players were lining up against GRR opponents. Possibly Covid is still a consideration, but starting to feel like all the talk about commitment to advancing rugby in Asia Pacific and growing the game was just that...

[AndyS]

Yet at least three SR teams are apparently paying to go over an play friendlies in Japan, without any structure or earning, against willing opponents. Not to mention Aus A touring...

Can't help wonder what it would do for recruitment and retention, especially with the developing players; play for others, get 4-5 months at it, then hit the gym unless management organise some friendlies. Or, join the Force, play SR, then get a second contract playing another 3 months of GRR and travelling around Asia.

[Tazzmania]

Updated: Force Players in action weekend starting 23 September 2022.

Canterbury v Auckland Friday 23/09/2022:

Jackson Pugh retained as the starting 8 for Auckland

Manasa Maetelle back starting 14 for Canterbury

Saturday 24/09/2022

Chase Tiatia starting 15 for Hawkes Bay v BOP.

Cambell Parata again on the bench at 22 for Tasman v Northland.

North Harbour playing on Sunday, team not yet announced so not sure if Felix Kalapu will get any game time.

[Tazzmania]

Stats for Force Players in action weekend 23 September 2022.

Jackson Pugh starting 8 for Auckland v Canterbury, Substitution off 41', 63' Substitution on 53', 1 x Try, 7 Passes, 5 Tackles, 1 Missed tackles 0 Kicks 0 Clean breaks 27 Metres carried 0 Defenders beaten 0 Turnovers won

Manasa Maetelle starting 14 for Crusaders v Auckland 1 x Try, Substituted off 62', 2 Passes 2 Tackles 0 Missed tackles 0 Kicks 1 Clean breaks 60 Metres carried 3 Defenders beaten 0 Turnovers won

Chase Tiatia starting 15 for Hawkes Bay v BOP, 11 Passes 2 Tackles 1 Missed tackles 3 Kicks 0 Clean breaks 36 Metres carried 1 Defenders beaten

Cambell Parata 22 for Tasman v Northland,Substitution on 69', 5 Passes 0 Tackles 0 Missed tackles 3 Kicks 0 Clean breaks 0 Metres carried 0 Defenders beaten

Felix Kalupu bench 19 for North Harbour v Taranaki, Substitution on 54', 1 Passes 5 Tackles 0 Missed tackles 0 Kicks 0 Clean breaks 14 Metres carried 1
Defenders beaten 0 Turnovers won

Summary

A meat pie for Jackson and Manasa headlined the weekend. Both had good games and while substituted got good game time under their belts. Jackson seems more and more at home on the field at this level

Chase is best summed up by the commentator at the match. With Chase you will have always have highs and lows with what he does, because he is always willing to try something and not just sit back and play in a box. His enjoyment of the game is visible for all to see and seems to be infectious on the players around him. Cannot wait to have him on board.

Cambell Parata came on when the game was really over but played the part he needed to.

Felix had another good cameo off the bench. Chased the ball and looked for work. Getting a bit of decent game time albiet off the bench

[Tazzmania]

From Rugby.com.au:

The Force recognises this and has already lined up a host of games across the next 18 months against teams from New Zealand, South Africa and Japan.

This along with letting players such as Jackson Pugh test their luck in the NPC is designed to help take the club to the next level in 2023 and beyond.

“We know we have to get more matches into that 18-20-year-old group. From our perspective, the biggest problem in the west is the lack of matches below Super,” Lewis believed.

“We’re looking for any way we can go about that. For 2022, we have two matches in Japan (against Urayasu D-Rocks) and for 2023 it looks like we’ll have six games (outside of Super Rugby Pacific) in Perth, one against Hawke’s Bay, Cheetahs for three games and two other matches against Japanese opposition.

“In a perfect world, RA and the Super clubs would love to have a second-tier competition and it’s something we’re looking at but the more matches we can get under the belt, we can start to see that growth.

“You look at Jackson Pugh, he started nine games for Auckland in the NPC. He was going over there as a bench player of sorts but became the starter and that’s ten matches which will make a better player and put pressure on not only the Force but also the Australian system.”