Exam time starts today for Otago
RUGBY Mitre 10 Cup
IT is exam season in many schools at the moment.
Otago is also under the microscope as its season begins and the first test for the side is the equivalent of a scholarship in advanced calculus.
It is going to be tough — a real test of strength and heart. And brainpower.
The men from the City of Sails come calling and look big and strong.
The Blues played the Highlanders last month at Forsyth Barr Stadium and muscled the home team out of the game.
Expect more of the same from Auckland at Forsyth Barr Stadium this afternoon.
The forward pack from Auckland is big and strong and will look to dominate the set piece. It even has the luxury of leaving Patrick Tuipulotu out of its forward pack.
The Auckland backs are also sharp and in Caleb Clarke and Rieko Ioane have some real X factor.
But Otago will not want to throw up the white flag. It just has to look at past history to see reputations count for little.
Auckland came calling in 2017 with a quality team including the likes of Malakai Fekitoa, Jerome Kaino and Akira Ioane. But it was smashed by a superb defensive effort from Otago which had the home team winning 3426.
Auckland won the title the following season but its only loss was to Otago in that season.
Otago will want to make it a hat trick of victories.
It needs to make a statement in what is going to be an extremely competitive championship division in the Mitre 10 Cup.
The side has talked of wanting to get out of the bottom division for too many years now.
Coach Tom Donnelly said there was no secret in the fact it wants to win the championship.
It is going to be hard in what is a strange year, with All Blacks around and sides having had plenty of time to prepare.
Otago: Michael Collins (captain), Vilimoni Koroi, Josh Timu, Aleki MorrisLome, Jona Nareki, Josh Ioane, Kayne Hammington, Dylan Nel, Slade McDowall, Charles Elton, Will Tucker, Josh Hill, Josh Hohneck, Liam Coltman, Jonah Aoina. Reserves:
Ricky Jackson, George Bower, Hisa Sasagi, Jack Regan, Nasi Manu,
James Arscott, Sio Tomkinson, Freedom Vahaakolo.
Auckland: Jordan Trainor, AJ Lam, Rieko Ioane, TJ Faiane (captain), Caleb Clarke, Harry Plummer, Jonathan Ruru, Hoskins Sotutu, Adrian Choat, Akira Ioane, Jack Whetton, Scott Scrafton, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Leni Apisai, Alex Hodgman. Reserves: Mike SoseneFeagai, Jarred Adams, Angus Ta’avao, Liam HallamEames, Blake Gibson, Danny Tusitala, Simon Hickey, Tumua Manu.
Referee: James Munro (Canterbury)
A good start against Auckland is just the right way to do it. The side looked good at times against Southland in a warmup game last week but this is a very different sample.
Coach Donnelly has a good mix of youngsters and the core of experience.
Look for a big game out of Otago flanker Slade McDowall. He was knocking on the door of Super Rugby and then got his chance with the Highlanders, only to be left out in the cold when Covid19 hit.
No 8 Dylan Nel will also be champing at the bit after minimal time with the Chiefs.
Otago will look to Josh Ioane to get the team in the right position and he is developing into a fine player.
The biggest variable, though, will be the empty stands. It will create an eerie feeling for the players and give an artificial feeling to the game.
That can affect players in different ways and make them do silly things. For Otago it simply must remain calm and composed, and nail every chance that comes along.