Suite of games lines up talent across age groups

OAMARU: The Town v Country rugby games always attract wide interest. Firstly, they line the urban and rural areas of North Otago up against each other, and secondly, for the players it’s a chance to make the Heartland squad this season.

But they cover much more than senior rugby. The North Otago women’s side will play Pirates, from Dunedin, at 1pm before the Town v Country clash at 2.45 at Weston Park tomorrow, and a wide range of

agegroup teams will play from the morning onwards.

There are some great lineups in the senior game. Town’s

front row of Ralph Darling, Jack Williams and Kelepi Funaki will line up against Petelo Pouhila, Sam Sturgess and Meli Kolinisau. Town’s two locks, Sale Pi’i and Anthony Amato, will lock the scrum against Harvard Fale and Braden Barnes, while in the loose it will be a battle of the young guns: Country’s Cameron Bennett, Cameron Rowland and Jake Greenslade will test the mettle of Town’s Isaac Shields, Jared Whitburn and Kafa Katoa.

The Country backline has a definite Kurow influence with Donald McDonald (Sam), Tyler Burgess, Sam Fleming, Jesse Porter and Dean Fenwick taking the paddock. Valley’s Matt Vocea and Maheno’s Lachie Kingan will make up the seven.

The Town rearguard has the talented Inoke Naufahu at halfback inside Kayne Middleton. Canadian wingerfullback Anton Ngongo will be on one wing with Simon Lilicama on the other, while the Town midfield is Taina Tamou with Frank Kelly, from England, who played his first club game last Saturday.

The North Otago women’s XV will play the curtainraiser against Pirates at 1pm and the Town v Country game kicks off at 2.45pm, at Weston Park.