Three rounds into the Bunnings NPC, six players with New England ties are putting in real minutes across three New Zealand provinces, and the experience is proving to be more than just an offseason assignment. Joe Johnston, Sione Tupou, Reuben Palmer, and Filipe Vakasiuola are all part of the Bay of Plenty setup, Tayne Hemopo is turning out for Tasman Mako, and Nathan Salmon is back home with Northland. It has been a busy few days for the group, headlined by Northland’s 42-0 win over Taranaki, a Ranfurly Shield thriller for Bay of Plenty in Christchurch, and a big bonus point win for Tasman up in Pukekohe. Free Jacks assistant coach Pingi Tala’apitaga, who is an assistant coach at Bay of Plenty this NPC season, and Salmon himself shared their take on what this stretch means for their games.

PINGI’S VIEW FROM THE SIDELINE

Tala’apitaga has a unique vantage point this year, watching several of his Free Jacks up close in Bay of Plenty colors while keeping an eye on Hemopo and Salmon from a distance.

“In terms of what it’s like to coach the FJs boys in NPC, the MLR has been great for their further development. Just being entrenched in a professional environment all year round has seen growth in all the Bay boys in particular. Also watching Tayne for Tasman and Salmon for Northland, it’s clear that they’ve taken a lot out of their American experience. Some of their performances have been fantastic.”

He also sees the arrangement as a two-way street for his own development as a coach.

“In terms of how does coaching in the NPC impact my coaching in the MLR, it just gives me another opportunity to try things, apply learning I’ve taken from MLR, and just generally further enhance myself in coaching craft.”

THREE ROUNDS IN: WHERE EVERYONE STANDS

Joe Johnston has been the most consistent presence of the group, starting all two rounds at openside flanker and the third at blindside flanker for Bay of Plenty and playing every minute available, including the full eighty in both the Steamers’ 34-31 win over Northland in round two and their 33-28 Ranfurly Shield defeat to Canterbury in round three. Sione Tupou and Reuben Palmer have both been in and around the matchday squad every week, Tupou starting at hooker in round one before making way early and then providing bench impact in rounds two and three, with Palmer doing the same from lock. Filipe Vakasiuola has been named in the wider squad most weeks but has yet to see the field, left out of the matchday twenty-three entirely in rounds one and three.

Up in Nelson, Tayne Hemopo started Tasman’s first two matches at blindside flanker before shifting to the bench in round three, coming on in the 24th minute of Tasman’s big 50-35 win at Counties Manukau. The Mako have now won two of three, with wing Kyren Taumoefolau the story of that latest result after a stunning five-try haul.

And then there is Salmon, who opened his NPC campaign with a two-try performance against Manawatu, was involved for 66 minutes in that thriller against Bay of Plenty, and started all eighty minutes on the wing in Northland’s rout of Taranaki last week.

NORTHLAND SHUT OUT TARANAKI 42-0

Northland needed less than 20 seconds to get on the board at Semenoff Stadium, and flanker Lachlan Hooper made sure everyone noticed, racing in for a first half hat-trick inside the opening 23 minutes. James Mullan and first five Rivez Reihana added further tries either side of the hour mark, with Reihana slotting six conversions on the night, and Grady Forbes rounded out the scoring late on. Salmon started on the wing and played the full match without adding to his try tally this time, but he was part of a Northland performance that kept Taranaki scoreless from start to finish.

Salmon said playing NPC rugby means something different to him than any other competition he features in.

“What I enjoy most about the NPC, it’s home. It’s getting to play and represent my people, those who have gone and those who are yet to come. And playing under Marto, the magician, my game has really grown. Third year under him and he’s really helped me grow to that next level.”

A RANFURLY SHIELD THRILLER AND A TASMAN ROUT

Bay of Plenty took their Ranfurly Shield challenge to Christchurch on Saturday and came up just short, falling 33-28 to a Canterbury side that has now won all three of its games this season. Trailing 21-7 at halftime, the Steamers stormed back with a Benet Kumeroa double either side of tries from Lucas Cashmore and Reon Paul to level the scores at 28-28, only for Canterbury replacement Toby Bell to cross in the 70th minute and settle it. Joe Johnston played every minute at blindside flanker for the third straight week, while Reuben Palmer and Sione Tupou both came off the bench in the 51st minute for lock and hooker duty respectively. Filipe Vakasiuola was left out of the twenty-three again.

A day later, Tasman put on a show at Navigation Homes Stadium, beating Counties Manukau 50-35 behind a stunning five-try performance from wing Kyren Taumoefolau. Tayne Hemopo came off the bench in the 24th minute and played the rest of the match as Tasman moved to two wins from three.

Northland’s win over Taranaki lifted the Taniwha to fourth in the table, with Canterbury now second behind Hawke’s Bay, Tasman up to seventh after their big win, and Bay of Plenty eighth heading into round four.

WHAT’S NEXT

The schedule turns over quickly. Northland travels to Canterbury on Thursday, August 20, Bay of Plenty hosts Taranaki on Saturday, August 22, and Tasman is back in action the same day against Southland. Freejacks.com will keep tracking how the NPC continues to shape this group as the season builds toward the playoffs. Stay tuned for more.

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