BY
PETER JONES [Marlborough App]
The
Tasman Mako selectors have leaned heavily on club form when naming their High
Performance XV to take on their Hawke’s Bay counterparts in Lower Hutt on
Wednesday.
A
selection of prominent club players from across the top of the south will have
first chance to stake a claim for NPC selection in Tasman’s first pre-season
hit-out.
The
side named for Wednesday is full of rising stars, many of whom have been in the
Mako development system for several seasons.
Six
of the starting XV are from the unbeaten Nelson club, including powerhouse No 8
Isaiah Miller and goal kicking first five Willy Havili who have been at the
forefront of their side’s success so far this year.
Newcomers
to the region this season who have made the first cut include Renwick
midfielder Michael Vaeno, Nelson loosehead prop Kershawl Sykes-Martin, Waitohi
prop George Tuineau, Hugo Nankivell and Anty Burnett from the Stoke club and
Marist forward Jacob Norris.
Several
of the players have already worn the Mako jersey, including long-serving loosie
Vernon Fredericks, halfback Ben Finau, first five Tim O’Malley, plus outside
backs Tima Faingaanuku and Tomas Aoake.
However, with so many Super Rugby players returning to Mako ranks this year,
and already contracted, places in the final squad will be limited, meaning
opportunities to impress at a higher level will also be few and far between.
Mako
assistant coach Shane Christie said the side was a mixture of Academy players,
club players in the Tasman High Performance Group and a few contracted players.
"We
have only had three trainings together but are reasonably well prepared … it
should be a good game and hopefully we go OK.
"It
gives our young guys especially an opportunity to play at a higher level than
club. They are all excited … it will be a pretty big week for them, playing
three games in seven days.”
Christie
said he wanted the team to stick to the systems they had been training.
"If they do their homework and nail their own role our systems should work
and we will be able to string phases together and put pressure on Hawke’s Bay.”
Mako High Performance XV: 1 Kershawl Sykes-Martin
(Nelson), 2 Brendan Asomua-Goodman (Nelson), 3 Blair Prinsep (Stoke), 4 Mike
Curry (Moutere), 5 Caleb Havili (Marist), 6 Vernon Fredericks (Moutere), 7 Anty
Burnett (Stoke), 8 Isaiah Miller (Nelson); 9 Ben Finau (Moutere), 10 Willy
Havili (Nelson), 11 Tomas Aoake (Stoke), 12 Mike Vaeno (Renwick), 13 Nick
Foxley (Nelson), 14 Rupena Parkinson (Stoke), 15 Tima Faingaanuku (Nelson).
Bench: 16 Sam Moli (Marist), 17 Ryan Coxon (Wanderers), 18 George Tuineau
(Waitohi), 19 Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta (Stoke), 20 Jacob Norris (Marist), 21
Hugo Nankivell (Stoke), 22 Jack Grooby (Stoke), 23 Tim O’Malley (Waitohi), 24
James Hawkey (Marist), 25 Caleb Coventry (Waimea Old Boys). Kick off 2.30pm.