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Plenty happening beneath the surface in NZ 6 views 0 Comments 0 Images 28 September 2012 by Englandfan See all

While much of the attention over the last nine months has been on the Super Rugby competition, the 2012 season of New Zealand’s ITM Cup has so far also provided its fair share of thrills and spills. After ten rounds of intense Round Robin competition, it is Auckland who lead the way, having lost just twice all season. Auckland are locked at the top of the competition alongside Wellington, who share the same win-loss record. Away from the leading lights of the league, however, it is encouraging to note the geographical spread of the competing teams. Representative outfits from both islands bring cultural diversity and colour to the sport in New Zealand, and their value to the Kiwi teams in the Super Rugby competition and the All Blacks should not be underestimated. Rugby tips online and union experts believe that the closure of the Australian Rugby Championship in 2007 ground to a halt a well oiled production line that had nurtured the talents of countless future Wallabies representatives. That New Zealand still has its own domestic competition operating beneath Super Rugby level is not only a reflection of the nation’s passion for the sport, but also a reason behind the All Blacks’ continued success on the international stage. While the vast majority of the current squad are plucked from the prestigious Super Rugby competition, it is the foundation level clubs that are underpinning those teams’ development. The remains much regular season action to come in the ITM Cup, with the encounters between the competing sides building towards the crescendo that is the play-offs and the Grand Final at the end of October. Up for grabs in the final is historic Ranfurly Shield, a prize that those who watch live rugby online will tell you is most definitely worth winning.

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