For you young types he was a bit like Aaron Smith (with zero yap!). Never seen a better ball runner. Quick, low centre of gravity, and very strong. I sometimes wonder how olden time players would go in the modern game. Have absolutely no doubt Going would be a sensation.

Seems to be same old same old, a season of what could have been, I guess when you look at the Southland, Manawatu, BOP & Auckland games, we were even closer than usual to a good season

Our defence simply smothered them across the park, pressuring them into errors, slowing the ball to their mid-field, so much so that Aumua only had one of his trademark bullocking runs

What do you say about a draw like that? Southland looked capable of breaking us open in the 1st half, but weren't quite able to

The forwards seem to be doing a good enough job that if our backs were capable, we'd be well in these matches. As it was last night, you just knew if they got it wide they'd expose our lack of pace.

It is an odd sort of feeling as I sit and reflect on our 2022 season. After years of enduring record losses, multiple winless seasons, sitting at the foot or near the foot of the table year after year, and always being pointed at as a team that doesn't deserve to sit

Some great news to start the new season for Taniwha supporters with some positive signings

What a disappointment most of our play was this year! We lacked direction, we lacked tactics, we lacked ideas and the ability to adjust our game as it evolved and moved. Too many players just looked like this level of rugby was beyond them, which I don’t truly believe is the case

A 5 try burst 10 minutes either side of halftime by the Blues under 20 team was enough to see off a plucky Northland Future Taniwha team 38-17 played at Onewa Domain in Takapuna on Saturday

Over the years I have often ventured out to watch Northland Development or Under 19 teams play just to get a handle on what’s coming through in my much beloved union and then to find out over half the team pulled out before the campaign started because travel and work commitments