Injuries force Otago into reshuffle NPC

Dunedin, tomorrow, 2.05pm

OTAGO has reshuffled the deck for its match against Bay of Plenty at Forsyth Barr Stadium tomorrow.

There are a couple of injuries which forced coach Tom Donnelly’s hand.

Hooker Ricky Jackson ruptured his Achilles in the 3517 loss to Auckland last weekend and is out for the season.

Second five Ray Nu’u has a knee injury and has not been named in the gameday 23.

Jackson will be replaced in the lineup by Taieri’s Brady Robertson, who will make his Otago debut from the bench.

Nu’u’s injury has not created many ripples either.

Thomas UmagaJensen has made a timely return from a groin niggle and will slot in at second five. Otago sorely missed UmagaJensen last weekend, the defence being a little leaky in his absence.

Donnelly has made further tweaks to the midfield.

Josh Timu, who started at centre against Auckland but shifted to second five after 20 minutes to cover for the injured Nu’u, will move to the bench.

Jake Te Hiwi, who also had to shift in a spot from right wing in Nu’s absence, has been given the nod to start in his favoured spot at centre.

Regular fullback Sam Gilbert moves to the right wing, which

Otago: Josh Ioane, Sam Gilbert, Jake Te Hiwi, Thomas UmagaJensen, Vilimoni Koroi, Cameron Millar, James Arscott, Christian LioWillie, James Lentjes, Sean Withy, Will Tucker, Fabian Holland, Jermaine Ainsley, Henry Bell, Josh Hohneck. Reserves: Brady Robertson, Abraham Pole, Saula Ma’u, Josh Hill, Rupeni Tamani, Kemara HauitiParapara, Josh Timu, Freedom Vahaakolo.

means Josh Ioane slips back from first five to fullback and Cameron Millar is given another starting opportunity at No 10.

Millar has been the more steady of the two first five options this season, but he has missed a few more goals than people are used to seeing from the gun goalkicker.

James Arscott brought some good energy off the bench last week and has been rewarded with a spot at halfback ahead of Kemara HauitiParapara, who drops to the bench.

Lock Will Tucker returns from a calf complaint and will link up with Fabian Holland.

Tucker had been in excellent form. He nabbed a late lineout steal to help Otago seal a 2519 win against Tasman earlier in the competition.

Otago has gone with an interesting loose forward mix. Captain James Lentjes returns to the starting lineup and will slot in at his preferred openside.

Sean Withy shifts to blindside and Christian LioWillie has retained his spot at No 8.

Rupeni Tamani will provide loose forward cover, which means Oliver Haig misses selection this week.

‘‘We’ve been really happy with the way Ollie Haig has been going, but it just gives us a chance to put two of our more experienced leaders out there in Jimmy and Sean and with Christian, who is our big ball carrying No 8,’’ Donnelly said.

Lentjes and Withy are both specialist opensides, so it is a fairly castiron hint Otago will be trying to play with plenty of width and pace.

The ArscottMillar combination plays into that game plan.

‘‘We just thought it was time for a bit of a change . . . and hopefully they will speed the game up a wee bit.’’

It is a lot of changes, but Otago produced its worst performance of the season against Auckland and needed to do something different.

Despite the loss, Otago remains on track for a spot in the playoffs.

Bay of Plenty’s team was unavailable.