Rams co-captain enjoying new team role
Southland Rams co-captain Shaun Tamariki-Todd is feeling at home in the middle of the park this season, heading into Saturday’s South Island premier rugby league competition match against the Aoraki Eels.
The 28-year-old prop has captained his club side He Tauaa for a number of years, but is part of a new-look Southland Rams leadership team, alongside last year’s captain Dylan Lovett, under new head coach Te Iwi Wairau.
‘‘This is my first year as captain with the Rams, with Dylan [Lovett], he goes well, he does most of his leading with what he does on the field. It is my talk and communication with referees that sort of helps us out,’’ he said.
‘‘We have formed a bit of a combination and it is working so far, we have just got to get our boys to believe in it with what we are trying to work on.’’
Tamariki-Todd has been playing for the Rams on and off for the last eight years and is feeling positive heading into the round three fixture, as the team builds on a loss and a win earlier this season, as they adjust to playing under coach Wairau.
‘‘That’s league, it happens, you just have to buy into what they are trying to coach you. He is a good coach and he has simplified everything for us, we just have to get the wins for him now,’’ Tamariki-Todd said.
‘‘I feel fine, our build up has been good, I think we should do all right this weekend.
‘‘Our first game against Otago, we hadn’t had enough time together and then having that game against West Coast last week, we were able to figure out some combinations and so we should hit the ground running in this game this weekend.’’
The Rams have to do their homework as they look to remain in South Island title contention following their 36-34 win over the West Coast.
Their next opponents will be the new team in the competition, the Aoraki Eels, who notched up an impressive 44-20 victory over the Tasman Titans in their first game of the season.
‘‘I think they had a big win over Tasman who were quite strong last year, up there as well, so it is a bit of the unknown for us coming into this game, because we have never seen Aoraki play,’’ he said.
‘‘I don’t know many of their players, I have done a little bit of research on their lineups seeing who they were, so it is a bit of an unknown this weekend with them.
‘‘It makes it a bit more exciting for us guys, for some of us this is the most professional it’s going to get for some of our boys and getting to play new guys and teams makes it exciting.’’
Meanwhile, Southland junior age group player Tamati Taylor-Taia has been named in the South Island Scorpions under-17 team to play in the NZ Championships in Rotorua.