NPOB expect typical Clifton battle
New Plymouth Old Boys will head into round two of the Taranaki premier rugby competition in unfamiliar territory when they host Clifton after they lost in the opening week.
Their 34-19 loss to Coastal was just the third time in a decade they had been beaten first-up.
While it’s far from a pointer to how their season will end up, they did go through every match bar the final in 2016 without a loss.
The CMK feature match of the round also features another side who lost last week, with Clifton beaten 33-23 by Spotswood United.
Old Boys co-coach Michael Carr said they had identified a couple of areas they needed to improve on from their match at Rahotu.
‘‘It was clear and obvious in our review that our breakdown work was not where it needed to be while we also had to make some changes around our defensive system,’’ he said.
‘‘For us, it’s about adjusting back to the old [breakdown] rules as well.’’
While their tight five looks a strong unit, Old Boys look a little thin in the loose forwards, illustrated by regular hooker Willie McBride packing down at No 8.
Their backline also lacks experience at premier level but Carr was more than happy with what they could put out.
‘‘We’re always happy with the team we put out because we have no other choice.’’
Their choices have been somewhat limited so far this season with half of last year’s squad not returning or unavailable, including a number of really influential players.
There has been some good news this week, though, with Logan Rei back from Australia and available from the bench.
Carr said they were under no illusions of how tough Clifton would be.
‘‘There has always been a fantastic respect between Old Boys and Clifton and it’s going to be a really tough and competitive match. It should be a cracker.’’
Clifton also lack experience aside from prop Abe Haira and loose forwards Mark Shaw and Chris Black.
However, there is plenty of players with a lot of potential, including first five-eighth Matt McKenzie, whose maturity belies his 19 years.
Clifton coach Kerry Eynon obviously shares that view after naming the Taranaki Rugby academy player as captain who will play outside halfback Cody Whittaker who was on the fringe of the Taranaki squad last season.
The visitors also have plenty of pace on the wings with Taylor Haskell and former New Plymouth Boys’ High School player Meli Naholo.
Elsewhere, first week winners Coastal and Stratford-Eltham meet at Rahotu.
By all reports Coastal were fairly ruthless at the breakdown against Old Boys and might just have a bit too much talent across the park against the combined side.
Defending champions Tukapa will be under pressure to improve from their first-up loss when they travel to Hawera to meet Southern who beat Inglewood 30-23 last week.
Spotswood United, who also impressed in the first week, winning away at Clifton, host Inglewood in the remaining game.