It is funny how the competition is starting reshape into what everyone thought it would be at the beginning. Teams like Wellington, Hawkes Bay, Auckland, Waikato and of course leaders Canterbury were all favoured to finish in the top half of the competition and despite many early setbacks, they should. Battling sides like Southland and Bay of Plenty showed from the start that they would be hard to beat, but in recent weeks the lopsided nature of the draw (especially in Southland's case) and their lack of X Factor to make the top sides pay have been exposed. It takes until the very end of the competition to realise who really is in the hunt and it will be interesting to see who ends up making the semi finals which in a 14 team league is an achievement in itself.
There will be some lopsided matches this weekend with the Southland vs Tasman and Taranaki vs Auckland the most important with the losers of these two games almost completely out of the equation.
I feel for my boys the Stags who were being hyped up after an early run of victories at home and then faced the big boys Wellington and Auckland away (with their All Blacks back). Both of these losses without bonus points have cost the Stags. I must also say that the lack of finishing power also has cost the Southern men as usual!
My upset of the round is North Harbour beating Bay of Plenty.
Air New Zealand Cup
Teams: Hawke's Bay vs Counties Manukau
Time: 08/10/2009 19:35
Venue: Napier
Pick: Home team by 13 & above
Teams: Canterbury vs Manawatu
Time: 09/10/2009 19:35
Venue: Christchurch
Pick: Home team by 13 & above
Teams: Taranaki vs Auckland
Time: 09/10/2009 19:35
Venue: New Plymouth
Pick: Home team by 12 & under
Teams: Otago vs Waikato
Time: 10/10/2009 14:35
Venue: Dunedin
Pick: Away team by 12 & under
Teams: Southland vs Tasman
Time: 10/10/2009 17:30
Venue: Invercargill
Pick: Home team by 12 & under
Teams: North Harbour vs Bay of Plenty
Time: 10/10/2009 19:35
Venue: Albany
Pick: Home team by 12 & under
Teams: Northland vs Wellington
Time: 11/10/2009 14:35
Venue: Whangarei
Pick: Away team by 13 & above
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