Lions beat Cantabs this season already but grand final rugby is something different and man did Auckland get a thumping eh?. We've come up short numerous occasions in the final and semi finals combined and 13 years in a mighty long time to wait for a title. C'mon boys BRING IT HOME! We've endured enough heart-break.
Wellington to win. Canterbury have 5 consecutive ITM titles -- that's enough. Also Tasman to beat Hawkes Bay on Friday night for that 'whatever' you call that promotion title championship. Why not have just one championship ITM tournament ?
5 ITM titles may be "enough" as far as the rest of the competition goes, but Canterbury have developed strongly throughout the tournament and are in a rich vein now. Heart says Wellington, but head says Canterbury, by > 7. I'll also take a punt on Hawkes Bay for the promotion championship. I think they will draw extra motivation form having been relegated this last season. I agree with Charlie entirely that the structure of the ITM competition is pretty bewildering. Not sure I have a better solution (to what is essentially a financial quandary). I actually support promotion/relegation techniques as a viable way to keep the Usual Suspects on their toes, but the current ITM structure and its application to tiering is too complex, at least for me. Mark L.
