Linton, Kia Ora dominate Mustangs training squad
Manawatu Mustangs coach Matthew Cole has named a wider training squad for the rep rugby league season.
There are 35 players in the squad, mainly made up of players from the Kia Ora Warriors and Linton Cobras, who should give the Mustangs a strong base to build a team around.
Kia Ora and Linton have been the top two sides in the competition this year and aside from Whanganui Boxon, there hasn’t been any other competitive teams.
Bottom sides the Ohakea Magpies and Tainui Rhinos have two and three players respectively, and there are six from Whanganui Boxon.
Linton’s New Zealand Defence Force players Nikolao Ioane, Logan Afoa, Tevita
Faukafa and Hayden Gouman, who are all at the armed services World Cup, are in the squad.
There are a few of Kia Ora’s experienced players, but also young guns in halfback Jahlon Governor, prop Wesley Veikoso and hooker Hitaua Butler.
Linton forwards Pita Marshall, Solomua Falemai, Coby Devery, Eruera Wirihana and Leo Tanginoa will give the team some grunt.
Former Manawatu Turbos rugby player Jaxon Tagavaitau has been named in the squad although it is yet to be seen if he will play.
Tagavaitau started the season playing rugby, switched to league and turned out for the Linton Army rugby side last weekend.
Boxon also has a couple of handy players in fullback Matt Rangi and hard-working lock Woody Martin.
Notable omissions are veteran Kia Ora playmaker Corey Governor, who was captain last year, and Boxon halfback Haze Reweti, who has been injured this season.
Dates for their fixtures are yet to be confirmed, but the Mustangs are likely to play the Hawke’s Bay Unicorns in Palmerston North on August 20, the Taranaki Sharks in New Plymouth on August 26, then the Wellington Orcas in Wellington on September 2.
That is the first round of the national league, with the winner to play off against the winners from other zones to be promoted to the top competition.
The Mustangs under-13, 15 and 17 teams will play at the upper Central zone tournament at Rotorua in two weeks, then will have fixtures against Taranaki in Taranaki on August 13, then back in Palmerston North on August 20.