Promising start by Evergreens
Mitchell aims to make a sizeable impact
Manawatu Turbos coach Jeremy Cotter was a happy man after his side accounted for Wanganui 52-7 in their first pre-season hitout in Wanganui on Wednesday night.
Playing under their pre-season moniker the Evergreens, Manawatu’s starting side, featuring predominantly contracted players, wasted little time asserting their dominance over last year’s undefeated Heartland champions.
The eight-tries to one performance was much better than the same match last year which was riddled with errors.
But it was a far from perfect display, with kickoff receptions still looking to be a work-on.
Considering it was their first match together, Cotter was impressed with the low error-rate the team displayed early in the match.
‘‘Some of the decision-making we could have another look at, but that is understandable because we have not had a lot of time together. Set piece was reasonably solid. Wanganui did not really contest our lineout hard and the scrum was solid enough,’’ he said.
The Evergreens came out hard early with their pace catching out Wanganui, who were playing their final warm-up match before their Ranfurly Shield challenge against Canterbury on June 21.
First five-eighth Ben Wyness
bagged the first try and by the 14th minute of the match, the Evergreens were already ahead 21-0.
While the points continued to be piled on throughout the match, they could not keep up such a cracking pace.
Flanker Brice Henderson scored a 50m runaway try set up by wing Patrick Tafili-reid two minutes from halftime to give the Evergreens a 33-0 lead at the break.
Henderson had a strong match as he continues his charge to regain a Turbos jersey.
‘‘He did his core roles well,’’ Cotter said. ‘‘He was effective at the front of the lineout and showed a good jumping technique.’’
The Evergreens added three more tries in the second half as errors crept into their game.
But Cotter said he was happy with the impact of the players off the bench.
‘‘I don’t think we lost a lot with the guys coming off the bench on a personnel side of things. It was just cohesion once fatigue had set in,’’ he said.
Manawatu did not lose much up when front rowers Sam Tufuga, Chris Cairns and Adam Coll were rolled off the pine.
Lock Liam Mitchell was impressive when he was injected into the game. Eating better and regular visits to the gym proved the key for Liam Mitchell to burst his way into the Manawatu Turbos.
The Te Kawau lock was signed by the province last week giving him a chance to follow in his father’s footsteps and don the green and white jersey - Alistair Mitchell played 10 games for Manawatu in the early 1990s.
Like his father, Mitchell will spend most his time in the second row of the scrum. But he is remarkably agile for his 1.98m frame. His pace, ball-handling and vision make him an option at blindside flanker as well.
The major issue for the 21-yearold in the past has been his weight.
He said he knew his slender physique was going to be an issue,
‘‘He showed again that he is a player of immense promise,’’ Cotter said. ‘‘He tidied up the kickoff area and had some nice touches. He showed a bit of vision with ball in his hand so that was really pleasing.’’
Luther Hirini had some quality moments, as did George Macpherson, Tom Stewart, Sam Malcolm and Kirk Tufuga. even as he impressed in Manawatu’s preseason last year.
‘‘I was there early on, but I just was not big enough. I knew from the start that I was not going to make it,’’ he said.
‘‘Cots [Turbos coach Jeremy Cotter] sent me away and told me to put a few kilos on so I had a pretty good crack at that. Just eating and gym really,’’ he said.
Most of that work was done in Spain where he followed in the footsteps of a host of Manawatu players and played for Santboiana in Spain’s Division de Honor.
He was not alone at the club with Manawatu ex-pats Brad Truesdale,
Kenyan wing Willy Ambaka had a quiet first half, but showed promise with more ball going his way in the second stanza.
‘‘He had the chance to open it up a couple of times and showed he has got the ability to beat a man. He has a good skillset and I think that once he gets a little more tuned up physically, he is going to offer a lot.’’ Matenga Baker, Ethan Woodmass and Afa Tauli all in the side which was coached by Manawatu’s Lewis Williams.
Santboiana had a good season picking up 15 wins from 22 games to finish fourth on the ladder.
They went on to lose to El Salvador in the semifinals.
Now back in Manawatu, Mitchell said it was ‘‘unreal’’ to be signed to the province.
He said he was not placing too many expectations on his season, but hoped to crack the playing team a couple of times.
‘‘I am just happy to be there for now,’’ he said. ‘‘This year is all about learning and putting on some size. I will bide my time and learn off those senior guys.’’
Mitchell will not have to look too far for advice with flatmate Tom Parsons’ the Turbos’ senior lock.
The Manawatu wider training group will continue to train two nights a week as they build to the start of their NPC campaign against Wellington on August 20.
Players involved miss one night of club training each week so they are not overworked.
The Evergreens’ next match is against the Hawke’s Bay Saracens in Waipukurau on July 5.