Club rugby shaping as competitive
The Taranaki premier club rugby competition starts on Saturday. Glenn McLean looks at four of the eight squads.
NEW BOYS
Last year’s beaten finalists are operating on a lean 24-man squad at present as they prepare to open their season.
After winning all but the final last season, Old Boys still have a strong looking squad, although they have lost a number of influential players, including former captain Liam McBride, representative halfback David Ormrod, loose forward Hayden Patene while flanker Lachlan Boshier is with the Chiefs.
Despite that Old Boys will start with one of the strongest front row options with the likes of the O’Neill brothers - Reuben and Mitch - available with the likes of Caleb Mawson, William McBride and Jeremy Burton.
They do appear a little thin on options for the second row, however, with Trent Sutton likely to be joined by the returning Ric Fabish who has been a stalwart for the club.
The new faces in the pack include former New Plymouth Boys’ High School flanker Gabe Lauderdale-Smith while Patrick Stark arrives after playing for the first XV last season.
First five-eighth Daniel Waite shapes as an important player in a backline that still have plenty of talent. It will be interesting to see if the Old boys coaches opt to play Waite at No 10 or opt for another player straight out of Boys’ High in the form of Brayton Northcott-Hill.
Fullback Logan Rei returns after an excellent club season in 2016. PLYMOUTH OLD
NEW PLYMOUTH OLD BOYS: Forwards, Reuben O’Neill, Blake Morgan, Jeremy Burton, Mitch O’Neill, Caleb Mawson, William McBride, Trent Sutton, Hamish Alabaster, Brad Valentine, Ric Fabish, Patrick Stark, Gabe LauderdaleSmith. Backs, Shaan Waite, Luke de Villiers, Brooke Moses, Daniel Waite, Brayton NorthcottHill, Josh Rei, Jayden Ford, Sione Mafi, Matthew Guthrie, Jackson Carrington, Jamal Weir, Logan Rei. Coaches, Michael Carr, Phil Mitchell and Scott Ireland.
SOUTHERN Beaten semifinalists last season, Southern again look to have assembled a squad capable of making the top four.
While there are a number of names who stand out, with the likes of Jackson Ormond and Trinity Spooner-Neera, Southern’s squad contains a large contingent of players who have had three or four years experience at premier level.
They also have plenty of players capable of working hard for 80 minutes, especially in the pack where the likes of lock Jon Smyth and flanker Danny MacDonald will bring plenty of consistency across the two rounds.
The pack also contains several promising players, including loose forward Daniel Parete who should step up to replace older brother Jesse who shifted to Bay of Plenty at the end of last season.
In the backs, former Taranaki first five-eighth Daniel Brooks is absent, opening the door for the likes of Brent Landers to step into the position while promising youngster Te Kepa Grindlay should find the transition to premier rugby seamless.
SOUTHERN: Forwards, Michael Abel, Mikaere Bell, Todd Curtis, Reuben McLeod, Luke McLeod, Brody Norris, Jacob Northcott, Peter Northcott, Robert Northcott, Daniel Parete, Jon Smyth, Karl Frost, Daniel Hornby, Danny MacDonald. Backs, Reegan Corbett, Te Kepa Grindlay, Brent Landers, Cody McGrath, Jackson Ormond, Dane Picot van Heuven, Shelton Symes, Trinity Spooner-Neera, Luke Taplin, Jade Taylor, Josh Thomson, Sean White, Scott Mabbitt, Rory Hoffmans. Coach, Jason Skipper.
SPOTSWOOD UNITED Reaching their potential remains the biggest challenge for Spotswood United.
Despite regularly having squads that appear to be easily capable of making the top four, Spotswood United have failed to flatter, including last season when they finished seventh.
However, things might just change in 2017 if head coach Rhys Connell and assistants Matt Stone and Brent Perrett can get the best out of their players who must be conscious of showing more consistency.
Former captain Matt Goodwin returns to lead the side after an absence of two years while the pack will be a handful for any opposition through the likes of props Jared Proffit and Asa Sorovaki while utility Micaiah Torrance-Read has arguably been their best loose forward over an extended period.
The backline has a number of familiar names with first fiveeighth Josh Hamilton returning. Former Chiefs wing Latu Vaeno could be in for a big season if he gets plenty of time on the field.
New players include halfbacks Layne Connell and Alex Gawler while new midfield options come from Salesi Havea, Edele Fidow, Mitch Aro and Frank Tawake.
SPOTSWOOD UNITED: Forwards, Jacob Bourke, Jarrod Cameron, Matt Goodwin (captain), Tristian Lahmert, Kaleb Nolly, Ethan Perrett, Jared Proffit, Sione Sifa, Asa Sorovaki, Pita Sowakula, Richard Sutton, Micaiah TorranceRead, Michael Winter. Backs, Nick Arnold, Mitch Aro, Brayden Byrne, Layne Connell, Enele Fidow, Alex Gawler, Josh Hamilton, Paula Havea, Salesi Havea, Frank Tawake, Latu Vaeno, Mitch Williams. Coach, Rhys Connell.
COASTAL The loss of prop Mike Kainga and midfielder Johnny Fa’auli to Super Rugby will undoubtedly have an impact for Coastal given their influence in 2016.
However, Coastal have been no strangers to sticking to ’’local’’ players over the years and they more often than not prove to have a squad capable of pushing for a play-off spot.
That looks again the case this season given they have plenty of experience in key positions.
Up front, their loose forwards have depth with the likes of Kelvin Weir, Dylan Juffermans, Blake Barrett and Jeremy Newell while coach Aaron Fisher has a tough choice to make with newly signed Taranaki halfback Logan Crowley vying for the position with veteran Brett Goodin.
The latter could be an option at first five-eighth although Fisher has a number of players who cold step into that role.
Former Southern captain Ricky Tito has stepped up as co-coach and will handle the forwards. COASTAL: Forwards, Sam Lawn, Liam Hurley, Cal Davies, Jimmy Ellis, Lance Graves, Andrew Trolove, Dylan Schuler, Andrew Lane, Laurent Giucal, Dan Rae, Blake Barrett, Dylan Juffermans, Kelvin Weir, Jeremy Newell. Backs, Brett Goodin, Jarrod Davey, Logan Crowley, Mike Summerall, David Hughes, Liam Parker, Jacob Gopperth, Troy Stevenson, Thys van der Poel, Emmett Hurley. Coaches, Aaron Fisher and Ricky Tito.