Taranaki should take advantage of new laws
RUGBY: Taranaki should have one clear advantage over Counties Manukau when they meet in Otorohanga on Saturday - the majority of their players are familiar with the new ruck interpretations.
Having introduced the new variations to its premier club rugby competition, which ensures tacklers must get to their feet and can then only play the ball from their side of the middle of the breakdown before it becomes a ruck, Taranaki are one step ahead of their pre-season opponents after the Counties union opted to stick to the old laws.
Anyone who saw the early weeks of Taranaki’s club competition would know it took time for the players to bed in the variations from the way they used to play, especially around when a breakdown is formed.
That’s because as soon as an attacking player, who has to be on his feet, is over the ball on the ground, no players may play the ball with their hands and no players may have their hands on the ground.
Simply, the adjustments take time, something acknowledged by new Counties Manukau coach Darryl Suasua when he named his national provincial championship
squad this week, a group that contains former Taranaki and All Blacks hooker Hika Elliot, as well as Sonny Bill Williams.
Suasua, like opposite Colin Cooper, do not have the luxury of playing the vast majority of what will be their frontline players at the neutral venue with those men either still involved in Super Rugby or on annual leave.
For Taranaki, it’s also a case of some getting some much needed game time after a frustrating club season interrupted injuries or concussion.
They include the likes of No 8 Toa Halafihi, hooker Sione Lea and wing Jackson Ormond.
For others, it will be a case of stepping out for the first time with guys they have never played beside, with Reds lock Ben Matwijow, first five-eighth Stephen Perofeta, former Counties Manukau midfielder Johnny Fa’auli all contenders to be major contributors during the NPC.
There will also be interest in who provides impact off the bench with the challenge put to the likes of returning lock Leon Power and former Hawke’s Bay fullback Trinity Spooner-Neera.
Cooper felt the squad, while shorn of its Super players, were ‘‘a lot more prepared’’ in comparison to 12 months ago when a number of distractions made things difficult for the management team.