Manawatu will once again punch above their weight.
Vision Statement We’d like to be seen as innovative and hard working, those are the two big things for us. And we want have focus on improving the quality of our defence. Manawatu head coach Jason O’Halloran
Manawatu will be well organised and capable of pulling off a few surprises this season says TOBY ROBSON.
The Big Picture
The Turbos hinted at being quite good last season, but never really reached their full potential in narrowly missing out on the Championship playoffs for the second year in a row.
If everyone stays fit up front the Turbos have the makings of a decent side in 2014. They have two established Super Rugby props in Ma’afu Fia ( Highlanders) and the improving and mobile Chris Eves ( Hurricanes), workaholic lock and loose forwards respectively in the Chiefs pairing of Mike Fitzgerald and Nick Crosswell, and a genuine forager in new Hurricanes signing and Turbos captain Callum Gibbins.
Unfortunately Fitzgerald will need finger surgery after the Chiefs season and is set to miss at least the first three rounds of the ITM Cup, but the building blocks are there. Young first five- eighths Jade Te Rure, 21, a runner in the mould of Carlos Spencer, and teenage talent Otere Black, 18, provide contrasting options in the playmaking position, while wing Newton Tudreu looks an exciting prospect out wide alongside Nehe Milner- Skudder and Lewis Marshall.
The midfield is a little light, but Jason Emery has talent, Tudreu’s brother Nathan has size and Hamish Northcott form. Provincial rugby starts up front and if Fia, Eves and veteran hooker Rob Foreman can stay on the park a semifinal spot beckons.
One of the Turbos goals is to win a minimum of five games and they look capable of doing just that.
Rising star
Otere Black. The Turbos signed Black last season straight out of Tu Toa College. He was too young to play in the ITM Cup, but became the talk of the Manawatu club competition where he scored 223 points in 16 matches for College Old Boys. This season he’s sure to make his debut at the age of 18. Black’s got size, about 92kg, and temperament with rugby watchers describing him as having a good tactical head, a good boot, and an excellent passing game.
Old dog
Rob Foreman. The 30- year- old hooker is the sort of bloke who would run through a brick wall for his province. In matches for the Turbos, Foreman has become part of the green machine’s furniture. He’s been churning out solid performances since his debut in 2006. Born in Pahiatua, he started out with Wairarapa Bush before heading to the Manawatu where last season he chalked up his 100th consecutive first class match against Hawke’s Bay. A spot in the Hurricanes wider training group and a brief call up for the full squad are evidence Foreman is not far off the top drawer.
New arrivals
Not too many players have deserted the Turbos with big Fijian centre Timoci Seruwalu possibly the biggest loss. A damaging and talented player when fit and firing, Seruwalu is playing lower grade club rugby in Wellington after leaving Palmerston North under a cloud following a string of yellow cards. Coming into the Turbos squad are Samoan Under 20 loose forward So’otala Fa’aso’o, who will play out of Palmerston North as a loan player from Auckland, and Wellington Lions halfback Kayne Hammington.