Early start to season for Taranaki Bulls

Preparations for the Yarrows Taranaki Bulls 2020 season have begun early with the start of the Chiefs Country Centurion Cup tomorrow.

The competition, formed by the Chiefs Rugby Club, will see the Super Rugby franchise provincial unions Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Counties Manukau and Taranaki play in a quadrangular competition in Hamilton as a curtain raiser to the Chiefs’ home matches at FMG Stadium Waikato.

Taranaki has named the side that will face Mitre 10 Cup Championship winners Bay of Plenty at 4.25pm. First five-eighth Jayson Potroz and prop Chris Gawler will share the captaincy. Along with the two skippers, there are eight others who have donned the amber and black strip in the Mitre 10 Cup.

Among those players is flanker Finn Hoeata, who will play his first match since a shoulder injury put a halt to his career in March 2018. Wing Kini Naholo and midfielder Lukas Halls also return after missing most of the 2019 season with leg injuries. The remaining players are those in the Taranaki Rugby Academy or who have impressed coaches in the CMK club competition and Taranaki Under 19 campaign.

All Blacks sevens squad member Jacob Ratumaitavuki Kneepkens has been named at fullback for the Bulls.

It will be Taranaki’s first match since their final game of the Mitre 10 Cup in October against Auckland at Yarrow Stadium. The new competition, which doesn’t have first class status, was created in honour of six Chiefs’ centurions: Liam Messam, Hika Elliot, Tanerau Latimer, Stephen Donald, Sam Cane and Brodie Retallick.

Yarrows Taranaki Bulls team

Chris Gawler (cc) Millennium Sanerivi Crusader Faletagoa’i Tupou Vaa’i Josh Lord Fin Hoeata Christian Fa’avae Johnny Faletagoa’i-Malase Lisati MiloHarris Jayson Potroz (cc) Kini Naholo Matt McKenzie Lukas Halls Josh Setu Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens. Reserves: Scott Mellow Jackson Clarke Jared Proffit Alex Kauvalu Cole Blyde Kristian Standen Josh Jacomb Daniel Rona Jahmarl Weir Jack White