NZ Ma¯ori duo to boost Turbos
New Zealand Ma¯ ori players Otere Black and Rob Thompson have been named to start for the Manawatu¯ Turbos, as coach Peter Russell has selected uncapped players for the season opener against Hawke’s Bay.
The Turbos start the national provincial championship against rivals Hawke’s Bay at CET Arena tomorrow, a welcome return home after visits to Napier the past two years. Black and Thompson are fresh off a two-match series against Fiji and give the Turbos more firepower in the backline. They both returned to Turbos camp a week early, as did Hurricanes prop Fraser Armstrong and lock Liam Mitchell, who beef up the forward pack.
‘‘They finished their break. They should have had two weeks off, but they didn’t. They wanted to get involved,’’ Russell said. ‘‘That’s outstanding from those two.
‘‘Fraser Armstrong is the same. He wanted to get straight into it. [Mitchell] was the same.’’
Russell said the calibre of those players added ‘‘another bit of armour’’ to the guys that played in Manawatu¯ ’s 24-19 pre-season win over Wellington at Kimbolton at fortnight ago.
Uncapped prop Paulo Leleisiuao, flanker Johnny Galloway and wing Adam Boult are all in the starting lineup, while on the bench prop Samuela Tawake, flanker Sione Tuipulotu and halfback Griffin Culver are in line for their first game.
Veteran lock Fraser Stone gets a start, his 64th match and first for the Turbos since 2015, while hooker Nick Grogan, who is on the bench, will play his 25th game and it will also be his first since 2015. Sam Stewart starts in the No 2 jersey.
Young No 8 Brayden Iose will start in his first Turbos game since 2017, which was also against Hawke’s Bay. Russell wants to use Iose’s speed at the base of the scrum.
Russell said they expected a physical game so have gone for a strong, but mobile pack, then have size coming off the bench.
Black’s return shifts Sam Malcolm to fullback. Malcolm was one of the Turbos’ star performers at the back last year and should be a steady hand there again.
Speed merchant Boult has looked good in pre-season and is given a chance on the wing, while new captain Jamie Booth has been sharp in pre-season.
Russell said there had been a huge buy-in from the players for success on and off the field.
‘‘The big focus over the past couple of weeks has been the defence, building from Kimbolton. That’s the attitude you want. That shows what character we’ve got in this team.’’
Tom Hughes, Sunao Takizawa, Rhys Pedersen, Ben Wyness, Sione Asi and Andre Taylor are still on the injury list, but should all be available in the next week or two, except for Takizawa, who is about four weeks away with a broken thumb.
Manawatu¯ haven’t beaten Hawke’s Bay since the 2014 championship final and will be keen to bury the memory of meltdowns in Napier the past two years.
Hawke’s Bay have a strong lineup, including Highlanders halfback Folau Fakatava, Hurricanes loosie Gareth Evans, Highlanders hooker Ash Dixon and flanker Brendon O’connor, who has returned to Hawke’s Bay after four years in England. Hurricanes lock Isaia Walker-leawere is on the bench.
Super Rugby players Jonah Lowe, Ben May, Michael Allardice and Marino Mikaele-tu’u are out injured.
Manawatu¯ Turbos: 15 Sam Malcolm, 14 Te Rangatira Waitokia, 13 Rob Thompson, 12 Hamish Northcott, 11 Adam Boult, 10 Otere Black, 9 Jamie Booth (captain); 8 Brayden Iose, 7 Johnny Galloway, 6 Nick Crosswell, 5 Liam Mitchell, 4 Fraser Stone, 3 Paulo Leleisiuao, 2 Sam Stewart, 1 Fraser Armstrong.
Reserves: 16 Nick Grogan, 17 Fa’alelei Sione, 18 Samuela Tawaka, 19 Sione Tuipulotu, 20 Sam Wasley, 21 Griffin Culver, 22 James Tofa, 23 Ben Werthmuller.
Hawke’s Bay: 15 Caleb Makene, 14 Ollie Sapsford, 13 Sam Mcnicol, 12 Danny Toala, 11 Mason Emerson, 10 Lincoln Mcclutchie, 9 Folau Fakatava; 8 Gareth Evans, 7 Brendon O’connor, 6 Devan Flanders, 5 Tom Parsons, 4 Geoff Cridge, 3 Joel Hintz, 2 Ash Dixon (captain), 1 Pouri Rakete-stones.
Reserves: 16 Kianu Kereru-symes, 17 Tim Farrell, 18 Namatahi Waa, 19 Isaia Walker-leawere, 20 Josh Kaifa, 21 Zac Donaldson, 22 Neria Fomai, 22 Stacey Ili.
Kickoff: 4.35pm.