Time for Yellows
While Feilding coach Kelvin Tantrum enjoys the big games, he would enjoy them even more if the Yellows won one of them. Sitting fifth, they shape up at Massey University tomorrow to Varsity, one of the four teams residing above them.
Feilding have lost to all four – 34- 30 to College Old Boys, 28- 27 to Kia Toa, 22- 16 to Old Boys- Marist and 9- 5 to Varsity in the season opener.
Yellows had chances to win all of those and they will have to start doing that to stay in the hunt for the semifinals.
‘‘ We’ve got to go week to week to pursue them,’’ Tantrum said.
He is yet to get a date when Turbos flanker Heiden Bedwell- Curtis will return from his beloved Inglewood. ‘‘ Hopefully sooner rather than later.’’ However, Chiefs flanker Nick Crosswell trained with Feilding on Tuesday night following his university capping and should help to offset the return of Varsity’s guns tomorrow.
‘‘ It’s great having him come back because he’s such a Yellows guy,’’ Tantrum said. ‘‘ He adds so much with his experience.’’
Even All Black Aaron Smith gives the club plenty of time when he comes back.
‘‘ The young guys in the team, some are only 20 years olds, they love it.’’
If Varsity needed reminding that they can’t go into games in the wrong frame of mind it came last week when Linton Army fixed bayonets. The soldiers almost toppled Varsity for the first time since round 2 in 2010 when they won 26- 25.
When Varsity edged the Yellows in round 1, Feilding virtuoso Brad Carr scored the only try of the game but Varsity retained the Stuart Freebairn Cup courtesy of three Clayton Stewart penalties. Varsity are vulnerable this season with their backs not the threat of those down through history.
also need no reminding how they conked out to in the Centennial Shield round last year. That though was at Rongotea when Kias were skinned for players; tomorrow’s is at Bill Brown Park with a full deck.
Kias’ only absentee will be lock Kingsley Teppett who will be out for more than a month after rupturing ankle ligaments against FOB- Oroua when the lifters dropped him in a lineout.
But back tomorrow from ankle injuries will be Manawatu lock Fraser Stone, Turbos wing Newton Tudreu, Aussie utility Ryan Kelleher and halfback Atutahi Henare as well as tighthead prop Murphy Johnston from injury. Replacing Teppett will be Fijian giant Inia Rasovo who has been in the Bs getting fit after a sumptuous off- season.
‘‘ The bye was a blessing in disguise for us,’’ said Kias coach Fusi Feaunati about his lengthy injury list.
Te Kawau are due a big result but with Kias’ pack beefed up, their backs, including Jade Te Rure and Tevita Taufu’i, will be hard to contain.
are also due some spark, after just one win ( over the Stags). It is unlikely to come against who will have got a big boost from their COB win. will have to contend with two of Feilding’s heavyweights tomorrow, Billy Raboiliku here barging into the College Old Boys
Photo: WARWICK SMITH/ FAIRFAX NZ
Two of the OBM players, Bain Champion ( nephew of former Manawatu first- five Glynn) and Sam Bergerson were out of the Palmerston North Boys’ High School 2nd XV who won the Manawatu schools title in 2011, Champion slotting a dropped goal five minutes from time to get the win.
get respite after being tipped up by Old Boys- Marist by journeying to Kimbolton where officials say the rabbit burrow in the deadball area will have been repaired.
For COB it is a matter of adjusting to life after Timoci Serawalu, their departed battering ram centre who the Stags did not enjoy tackling in the two games between them, one in pre- season.
have a requested a club bye the Alam Halfa exercise, only their reserve side is playing.