NPC draw favourable for Manawatu team
The national provincial championship draw has been kind to the Manawatu Turbos this year.
The draw for this season’s NPC was released yesterday and the Turbos will open their season against Wellington in Palmerston North on Sunday, August 20.
They will have five home games against Wellington, Tasman a week later on August 27, Bay of Plenty (September 8), Northland (September 22) and Counties Manukau (October 5).
There are away games against Otago (September 2), Waikato (September 16), Southland (September 30), Taranaki (October 11) and they finish the season against rivals Hawke’s Bay (October 11).
Manawatu avoided Premiership winners Canterbury, heavyweights Auckland and Championship winners North Harbour.
Most games are weekend matches, apart from a Wednesday home game against Counties Manukau and the trip to Taranaki on a Thursday night.
Manawatu chief executive John Knowles didn’t have any grizzles about the draw.
‘‘All that matters here is the weather, in my view,’’ Knowles said. ‘‘Last year we had five bad games.’’
Wet weather affected attendance at Turbos’ home games last season and Knowles said while the Manawatu faithful were supportive, it would be better having good weather.
Knowles did request one change to the weekend of September 8, so the Turbos don’t clash with the national secondary schoolgirls’ top four finals.
That weekend Manawatu will play Bay of Plenty at 7.45pm on Friday night, which has been shifted slightly later so New Zealand Rugby can fit in a 5.45pm game the same night.
There are two separate trips for the Turbos to the South Island, against Otago and Southland.
The draw has been favourable to Manawatu in terms of turnarounds in between games.
There is one stint of three games in nine days, where they will play Friday, Wednesday and Sunday for their last three regularseason games.
With a favourable draw the Turbos should back themselves to make their way back into the playoffs this season, having missed out last year and being relegated from the Premiership the year before.
Manawatu don’t play Ranfurly Shield holders Canterbury, so the Turbos will need someone else to prise the shield from Canterbury if they want a challenge. But if Otago win the shield from Canterbury in week two, then Manawatu get the first challenge a week later.
Semifinals will be on October 20-21, with the Championship final on October 27 and the Premiership final on October 28.