Big minutes for Big Mike
Turbos prop rested for NPC opener
After a hefty Super Rugby schedule, Turbos prop Michael Alaalatoa will miss the Manawatu Turbos’ first game of the season.
Instead of taking the field for the side against Wellington in Palmerston North on Sunday, he will take advantage of his final week of available post-super Rugby leave.
That is a necessary step if there is any chance of the man, who has had some calling him a potential future All Black, being fresh enough to tackle the full provincial campaign.
His Crusaders team-mate, Turbos captain Heiden Bedwellcurtis, is back with the team and will be available for selection.
But there is a big difference in game time between the pair.
Alaalatoa racked up 713 minutes over 19 games, largely off the bench, including 40 minutes in the Super Rugby final.
Bedwell-curtis played 368 minutes in seven games, but has not seen the field since the Lions tour wrapped up.
Hurricanes players are also on deck, but that really only means Otere Black, since Nehe Milnerskudder and Ngani Laumape are with the All Blacks. They saw a lift in minutes in 2017, but largely from the bench. Black played 15 games and registered 471 minutes in his final season in the capital before moving to the Blues.
Highlanders players Kayne Hammington and Jackson Hemopo re-joined the team last week. Hemopo played 345 minutes in nine games, while Hammington was a regular on the bench, playing 315 minutes across 13 matches.
Laumape, whose involvement in the Turbos will be limited, leads the way in terms of matches for Manawatu players.
Between his Hurricanes and All Blacks involvement so far, he has racked up 1540 minutes in 20 matches this year.
That level of game time will factor into the All Blacks’ coaching staff’s decision-making process when it comes to releasing players for matches.
Due to his ankle injury, Milnerskudder has played significantly less than Laumape. The All Blacks outside back has played nine games, registering 619 minutes.
Aaron Smith has played 1010 minutes over 15 games, but that is sure to increase with the All Blacks’ test against the Wallabies in Sydney on Saturday.
Highlanders midfielder Jason Emery picked up his knee injury before he could register a match this season.
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