Big changes on bench for Taranaki
All Blacks wing Waisake Naholo has been released to play for Taranaki when they meet Wellington on Saturday.
Naholo, who did not feature in the All Blacks opening Rugby Championship test against Australia in Sydney, will start off the bench for Taranaki in the Mitre 10 Cup crossover match in the capital.
He will be joined there by Hurricanes hooker Ricky Riccitelli who was also released by the All Blacks after he had provided injury cover until Dane Coles was classed fit enough.
The pair are part of a radically changed bench from the one which watched the start of Taranaki’s 34-29 win over Waikato in New Plymouth last Saturday.
Gone are Donald Maka, Adrian Wyrill, Logan Crowley, Beaudein Waaka and Latu Vaeno, who have been replaced by Riccitelli, Fin Hoeata, Kylem O’Donnell, Johnny Fa’auli and Naholo.
Wyrill has been promoted to the starting line-up at the expense of Pita Sowakula who drops out of the match day 23 altogether.
Despite Naholo and Riccitelli being released, Taranaki coach Colin Cooper had little choice but to put them in the reserves given the lack of time they have had to train with the squad.
Saying that, there might have been a temptation to start the Hurricanes rake given the problems Taranaki had with their lineout against Waikato when the set piece struggled from start to end.
Still, Lea has been afforded the chance to improve on that front and he can not shoulder the entire blame for the faulty area of Tara- Taranaki: Marty McKenzie, Declan O’Donnell, Sean Wainui, Charlie Ngatai (c), Seta Tamanivalu, Stephen Perofeta, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Toa Halafihi, Adrian Wyrill, Lachlan Boshier, Leon Power, Leighton Price (c), Angus Ta’avao, Sione Lea, Mitchell Graham. Reserves, Ricky Riccitelli, Jared Proffit, Mike Kainga, Brad Tucker, Fin Hoeata, Kylem O’Donnell, Johnny Fa’auli, Waisake Naholo.
naki’s game.
Wyrill’s promotion was also not entirely unexpected given his strong pre-season and club form and Cooper’s desire to experiment slightly with his loose forward
trio.
His inclusion means Lachlan Boshier will start at blindside, a job he should have little trouble with.
Cooper has resisted making any changes to a backline that functioned reasonably well against Waikato.
However, there must have been some thought given to bringing Seta Tamanivalu in from the wing to centre to allow someone like Manasa Mataele to start but he has again missed out on a spot in the match day squad and will have to settle for a run in the development side along with a number of players who would probably start for most sides in the competition given Taranaki’s depth in some areas.