The Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union has decided not to use loan players this year, preferring to develop local talent.
“We are about playing locals — this adds to our depth in areas where there is a need at Heartland level,” Cairns said.
“We want to use local boys who have identity and have some skin in the game.”
Poverty Bay are playing pre-season games against Central Bay of Plenty in Rotorua on August 10 and Hawke’s Bay Saracens at Rugby Park on August 17.
Pirates-GMC player Ken Houkamau will lead the side.
Cairns said the coaching staff were pleased with the form of the local club players they had selected.
The 36-man squad features 13 players from OBM, who won the Lee Bros Shield last Saturday, finishing a fine season by defeating YMP by 60 points in the premier-grade final.
Six players are from YMP, five from High School Old Boys, four from Waikohu, three from Ngatapa and three from Pirates-GMC.
The union also named three development players — Gisborne Boys’ High School students Jordan McFarlane (prop) and Ofa Tauatevalu (lock), and Ngatapa flanker Chase Sheridan.
Cairns said they would train with the team and could get a run in the Heartland Championship this season.
The decision to name an extended training squad resulted from players “putting their hand up for selection” in recent weeks.
A development team will also play against New Zealand Marist Colts at Rugby Park on August 10 and Heartland training squad members not selected for the pre-season games will play that game.
“Every player will get an opportunity to play in the pre-season fixtures before we trim the squad,” Cairns said.
“Looking at current form, it’s going to be tough but it’s fantastic to see the depth of talent in our region.”
Cairns said Jody Allen, from the Taradale club, would add size and depth in the tighthead position and he would help to develop the Poverty Bay squad’s other tighthead props.
Allen first represented Poverty Bay in 2006 and he played for Hawke’s Bay and North Harbour and in Spain for two seasons and rejoined his home province in 2016 and 2017.
Torrance-Read is effectively carrying on from last year, though his season was cut short when he was sent off, and then suspended for four weeks, for “stamping” in a game against Thames Valley.
The 1.97-metre-tall lock first played for Poverty Bay in 2013 and had an appearance for Taranaki in 2017.
His Spotswood United club were the champions in Taranaki this year.
Cairns said Torrance-Read would add “genuine lock height”.
He had a shoulder injury but would complement the other locks selected, Cairns said.
Squad numbers are a little thin in the midfield backs following Reihana Wyllie’s retirement, and Alin Zaharia wasn’t considered because of injury. Poverty Bay had also hoped to secure the services of centre Pomare Samupo from Taranaki but the former Gisborne Boys’ High School student was named in the Taranaki development squad to play in the Northern Regions B competition.
However, Poverty Bay still named Mark Atkins, Whaimotu Craft-Chemis, Te Peehi Fairlie, John Jones and Matt Raleigh in the pre-season squad, and utility back Ethine Reeves could provide midfield cover.
Forwards: Toru Noanoa (Waikohu), Campbell Chrisp (Ngatapa), Lance Dickson (OBM), Rikki Terekia (OBM), Shayde Skudder (YMP), Matekaeroa McGuire (HSOB), Semisi Akana (Ngatapa), Jody Allen (Hawke’s Bay), Myles Tawa (HSOB), Ken Houkamau (c) (Pirates-GMC), Juston Allen (OBM), Micaiah Torrance-Read (Taranaki), Jacob Cook (OBM), Gabe Te Kani (OBM), Morgan Reedy (OBM), Will Bolingford (Pirates-GMC), Adrian Wyrill (OBM), Fawn White (YMP), Nicolas Carizzo (OBM), Tamanui Hill (HSOB), Jesse Kapene (YMP).
Backs: Willy Grogan (OBM), Mario Counsell (Waikohu), Jacob Leaf (Pirates-GMC), Kelvin Smith (Waikohu), Jake Holmes (OBM), Mark Atkins (OBM), John Jones (OBM), Whaimotu Craft Chemis (YMP), Te Peehi Fairlie (YMP), Matt Raleigh (Ngatapa), Korey Love (HSOB), Nathan Rangihuna (YMP), Scott McKinley (OBM), Andrew Tauatevalu (HSOB), Ethine Reeves (Waikohu).
