Super Rugby Aotearoa

The 2020 rugby calendar has been chaotic, but lucky for us Super Rugby in New Zealand is back in business. We had Mickey Bateman in studio to talk everything kiwi rugby. Mickey played his high school rugby at King’s College in south Auckland (a short drive from epic rival St. Kentigern College (St. Kent’s) He was lucky to share the field with some NZ rugby legends who are now thriving at the top level. Shoutout to Mickey’s Meals who had been supplying the Colorado Raptors with meals each day. Due to the unfortunate pandemic and the cancelled MLR season, Mickey’s Meals has pivoted to serving meals to front line workers in the city of Glendale. Cheers to him for coming on Rugby PickEm to share his intimate knowledge of New Zealand Rugby. Enjoy! Blues Region: Northland, North Harbour, Auckland, (Counties Manukau, Thames Valley … Chiefs holdouts?) Fanbases: “This is our year” optimism to open up the season, followed by perpetual disappointment and tons of excuses on a yearly basis. This year’s average blues fan will most likely be a bandwagon fan because of the recent signings that we’ll get to. We know Taylor Howden has been a ride or die fan, with them through the ups and the downs … Titles: 3-0 Beauden Barrett, Otere Black, Finlay Christie, Caleb Clarke, Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Matt Duffie, Kurt Eklund, TJ Faiane, Blake Gibson, Josh Goodhue, Jack Heighton, Alex Hodgman, Jordan Hyland, Akira Ioane, Rieko Ioane, Tony Lamborn, Ezekiel Lindenmuth, Sione Mafileo, Joe Marchant, Emoni Narawa, Ray Niuia, Sam Nock, Jared Page, Dalton Papalii, James Parsons, Stephen Perofeta, Jacob Pierce, Harry Plummer, Marcel Renata, Waimana Riedlinger-Kapa, Tom Robinson, Jonathan Ruru, Hoskins Sotutu, Mark Telea, Tanielu Tele'a, James Tucker, Karl Tu'inukuafe, Patrick Tuipulotu, Ofa Tuungafasi, Baden Wardlaw. Hurricanes Region: East Coast, Poverty Bay, Hawke’s Bay, Wanganui, Manawatu, Horowhenua-Kapiti, Wairarapa-Bush, Wellington Fanbases: Alternative hipsters, skinny jeans, artsy types, coffees at a cafe …. Wellington Alty (the Melbourne of Australia) Titles: 1-2 Pouri Rakete-Stones, Fraser Armstrong, Alex Fidow, Tyrel Lomax, Ben May, Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua, Dane Coles, Ricky Riccitelli, James Blackwell, Kane Le'aupepe, Liam Mitchell, Scott Scrafton, Isaia Walker-Leawere Vaea Fifita, Du'Plessis Kirifi, Reed Prinsep, Ardie Savea, Murphy Taramai, Devan Flanders, Gareth Evans, TJ Perenara, Jamie Booth, Jonathan Taumateine, Jackson Garden-Bachop, Fletcher Smith, Ngani Laumape, Vince Aso, Billy Proctor, Peter Umaga-Jensen, Danny Toala, Kobus van Wyk, Wes Goosen, Ben Lam, Jonah Lowe, Salesi Rayasi, Jordie Barrett, James Marshall, Chase Tiatia Chiefs Region: Bay of Plenty, Counties Manukau, King County, Taranaki, Thames Valley, Waikato Fanbase: #ChiefsMana, Bay of Plenty - Deep Maori Roots, Hardworking .. .country farmers and fisherman Titles: 2-1 Nathan Harris, Bradley Slater, Samisoni Taukei'aho, Ryan Coxon, Nepo Laulala, Atu Moli, Reuben O'Neill, Aidan Ross, Angus Ta'avao, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Tyler Ardron, Michael Allardice, Laghlan McWhannell, Lachlan Boshier, Mitchell Brown, Sam Cane, Pita Gus Sowakula, Luke Jacobson, Mitchell Karpik, Dylan Nel, Lisati Milo-Harris, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Brad Weber, Aaron Cruden, Tiaan Falcon, Damian McKenzie, Kaleb Trask, Orbyn Leger, Anton Lienert-Brown, Tumua Manu, Alex Nankivell, Bailyn Sullivan, Solomon Alaimalo, Sam McNicol, Kini Naholo, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Shaun Stevenson, Quinn Tupaea, Sean Wainui Highlanders Region: North Otago, Otago, Southland Fanbases: Rural folk, party university, ALL The college piss heads in Dunedin. Titles: 1-1 Crusaders Region: Canterbury, Buller, Mid-Canterbury, South-Cantebury, Tasman, West Coast Fanbases: Farmers on the floodplain of the Waimakariri River. Loyal fans, but by far the easiest team to support due to their past success. Titles: 10 - 4