EVERY CHANCE OF SUCCESS
Peter White looks ahead to what could be a run to the Championship title for the Bulls of Taranaki.
Strong community and family connections are a special part of what makes the NPC so popular.
no union epitomises those family links better than Taranaki, where players called Crowley and slater have been involved with famous ranfurly shield wins and victories over touring teams for decades.
That legacy continues for the bulls in 2021, with halfback Logan Crowley and hooker bradley slater set to play key roles in what looks a well-balanced squad with plenty of Super Rugby talent.
Crowley returns from time away in Southland to likely start at halfback. His swiftness of pass and ability to make good decisions under pressure will enhance an already strong squad.
The bulls made it through to the semifinals of last season’s Championship campaign before running into a red-hot Hawke’s Bay team that went on to clinch promotion to the Premiership.
Head coach Neil Barnes returns to his beloved bulls after six seasons with the Chiefs. The Taranaki dairy farmer played a pivotal role as forwards coach, and one guarantee in life is the bulls will always field a tough, uncompromising pack of forwards.
barnes is eager to help guide the bulls to a return to the top division.
“There are a lot of little things along the way you need to get right. The big one is you have got to win the little moments in tight games. I’d like to think I would have taken some lessons out of the Chiefs winning so many games in the last minute,” he says.
There will be plenty of emotional support behind outstanding openside flanker Lachlan Boshier who is off to Japan at the end of the NPC. Many would say he is one of the unluckiest players to not
make the All Blacks since Duane Monkley, but that is a topic for another day.
barnes is more than happy with the squad he has with few changes from last year’s group.
“Lachie (Boshier) is a very, very good player, and we are very lucky to have his services, but when I look across our team it is not like we have a lot of stars. We have a lot of hard-working, good players, so if we get them pointed in the right direction then results will follow.”
Competition for places will be keen in all positions but none more so than at hooker, where slater and new blues signing ricky riccitelli go head-to-head to wear the No 2 jersey.
both players have loads of experience and a burning desire to start games after plenty of bench-warming during Super Rugby.
“Competition is important in any squad and you find in the right environment the players actually work with each other to get better and that helps the team,” says Barnes.
First five/fullback Stephen Perofeta struggled for game time in the latter part of the blues season but he is a proven player at NPC level with plenty of motivation to lift his game even higher. Barnes says
Perofeta plays on instinct with so much natural talent, and he is a leader among the playing group. If Perofeta is selected at fullback, Daniel Waite is a quality performer running the cutter and can also slot into midfield when required.
Exciting Jacob Ratumaitavukikneepkens would have learned plenty as part of the successful blues squad in super rugby Trans-tasman and can play fullback, wing and centre.
Loose forward Pita-gus sowakula made the most of playing minutes he got in a Chiefs jersey so at NPC level is expected to be a dominant force in every game.
Another Fiji-born Chiefs player set to make a mark for the bulls is winger Kini Naholo, who has overcome two years of serious leg injuries to finally be able to showcase his dazzling speed.
At 2.02m tall, lock Josh Lord should ensure a constant supply of top quality lineout ball. He benefitted from being coached by barnes at the Chiefs so should relish the opportunity to enhance his game further over the next few months.
‘The Taranaki dairy farmer (Neil Barnes) played a pivotal role as forwards coach, and one guarantee in life is the Bulls will always field a tough, uncompromising pack of forwards.’
The bulls have co-captains this campaign in midfielder Tei Walden and loose forward Mitch Brown.
with yarrow stadium undergoing a $50 million refurbishment, Taranaki home games will again be played at Inglewood’s TET Stadium – apart from the season opener.
For the first time since 1945, the Bulls will play at the iconic cricket ground Pukekura Park. The game against Hawke’s Bay on August 7 celebrates 100 years since Taranaki drew 0-0 with the Springboks in 1921.