Keen to make most of single match season
OTAGO Country’s season will kick off and finish today with a fixture against North Otago in Twizel.
That is as brief as seasons come. But for a while there it looked like the side might not get a run at all.
Covid19 meant the emphasis was rightly put on club rugby and any representative football was just a bonus.
But that does not mean the oneoff game will be more of a festival, though.
Otago Country coach Paul Tait said his side was taking the match seriously.
They have managed to get in three training sessions and the intensity has been good.
‘‘We had nothing for starters and were offagain, onagain. But then Covid came back and we weren’t sure.
‘‘We’ve had three [training sessions], which is not ideal, but it is what it is.’’
The largest contingent of the players have come from the southern region and central is also well represented.
There are also three players from West Taieri, who played in the southern tournament this season.
Loose forward Daniel Hurring is a quality player who has been in the Otago Country setup ‘‘for a while, and he seems to be a lot fitter this year’’.
Prop Ben Millar played a game for Otago last year and also played a full season for Otago Country last season. He was labouring with a crook shoulder, but has had it repaired and has returned a stronger player.
Halfback Ben Maxwell is the captain and is a seasoned Otago Country player.
‘‘He is playing good footy as well and has come of age a wee bit.’’
Tait said because there was just the one game this season he mostly selected people who had been involved with Otago Country before.
‘‘We defaulted to what we knew and who knew us because it is not worth getting a whole new bunch for one game.
‘‘But the intensity is there.
The boys are pretty keen all right.’’
North Otago coach Jason Forrest said his side was expecting a tough game despite the opposition having limited time together to prepare.
No 8 Junior Fakatoufifita was a standout for North Otago in the Ranfurly Shield challenge against Canterbury last week and is expected to have a big impact, while Jake Greenslade gets a start at hooker in the place of the injured Sam Sturgess.
‘‘These kind of guys are the leaders in our side now and we need these guys to step up [as we rebuild],’’ Forrest said.
The game is being played in Twizel due to a sponsorship arrangement.