Captain Strachan back for Lochore Cup title attempt

South Canterbury rugby coach Nigel Walsh has stuck with the same starting lineup that crushed Buller a week ago for the Heartland Championship’s Lochore Cup final against West Coast tomorrow in Greymouth.

The only change is on the bench where regular captain Nick Strachan returns from injury, leaving Miles Medlicott in charge from second fiveeight.

The match features seven players – Medlicott, Strachan, Willie Wright, Reegan O’Gorman (South Canterbury) and Sione Holani, Tyler Kearns and Troy Tauwhare (West Coast) – who were selected in the NZ Heartland squad this week for a three-match tour of NZ and Fiji in early November.

The Green and Blacks will be fully aware they let the West Coast back into their October 12 match where South Canterbury lost 24-27 after dominating play until the final quarter, leading 17-0 at one stage.

Last week in Westport the tight five provided a good base for the loose trio to cause damage in the commanding 56-24 semifinal win and Walsh will be expecting the same again again.

He was excited that all the 22 had put their hand up last week, and the return of Strachan gives him even more options around replacements and with Ryan McNab who managed a very busy 45 minutes last week after a few weeks off probably more match fit, the coaches can assess things on the day around what impact they need.

The backline, with Theo Davidson at halfback and Willie Wright at first fiveeight, worked effectively last week while the combination of Medlicott and Shane Anderson in the centres caused a lot of problems for their opposition and the attack will again be built around their option taking.

South Canterbury and West Coast have met 33 times since 1912 with South Canterbury leading the exchange with 26 wins to Coast’s seven, but some of those losses have been crucial games.

Recent matches have always been close affairs. South Canterbury’s most recent win over the Coasters was 45-38 in Greymouth in 2017, so hopefully that is an omen but the reality is it is this year’s team who have to take the field and finish the season on a high with the Lochore Cup added to their flight luggage on the return home.

Tomorrow’s match, with a 2.35pm kickoff at John Sturgeon Park, will be broadcast live on Sky TV.

South Canterbury (from 1): Tokoma’ata Fakatava, Ben Hewitson, Dan Suter, Reegan O’Gorman, Kieran Coll, Anthony Amato, Cam Russell, Ryan McNab, Theo Davidson, Willie Wright, Kalavini Leatigaga, Miles Medlicott, Shane Anderson, Molitoni Latu, James Wilson-Bishop.

Substitutes, Cameron Hucker, Aifala Taelega, Garrett Casey, Nick Strachan, Siu Kakala, Reilly Cormack, Jared Trevathan.