Former Gisborne players to line up against Bay

File picture

RUGBY

FIVE former Gisborne Boys’ High School first 15 players have been named in the Taranaki rugby squad to play Poverty Bay in the Ranfurly Shield challenge match at New Plymouth on July 28.

Toa Halafihi, Adrian Wyrill, Jared Proffit, Beaudein Waaka and Donald Maka will be using this and any other Shield games to cement their claims for a place in the Taranaki Mitre 10 squad.

Poverty Bay coach Mana Otai and assistant Dwayne Russell will name their squad on Tuesday.

“We’ve had a couple of training sessions without the players involved in the Lee Bros Shield final (today) . . . we’ll wait and see how they come through the game,” Otai said.

Waikohu have eight Poverty Bay rep players involved in the final and YMP, five.

The Waikohu players are forwards Lynden Manuel and Ken Houkamau, and backs Mario Counsell, Kelvin Smith, Ethine Reeves, Jesse Fleming, Tawhao Stewart and Hamuera Baker.

YMP’s Poverty Bay contingent are forwards Shayde Skudder, Willis Tamatea, Fawn White and Mekepio Brown, and back Te Peehi Fairlie.

“We’re going to use the Shield game to see where we’re at, with the big picture being the Heartland Championship,” Otai said.

“Taranaki have been training since January.

“I’ve watched them train and you can see they don’t want to go down to a Heartland team . . . but it would be nice to give them a run for their money.

“Our boys are amateurs but we’ll need a professional attitude for the 80 minutes.

“For us, it’s also about putting systems in place, again with an eye to the Heartland Championship.

“We’ve got games against Horowhenua Kapiti in Napier and Hawke’s Bay Saracens in Napier and a training camp with Manawatu Turbos in Gisborne, before our first Heartland game against Wairarapa Bush on August 25.”

Otai said he had a strong squad with good competition for places across the team.

“For example, Mario Counsell and Willy Grogan were rivals for the halfback jersey last year and they were always pushing each other in training.

“But the good thing was they were the best of friends and always encouraging each other all the time.

“Now we’ve got another halfback, Hamuera Baker, in the mix and it’s going to be a good battle for the starting place.”

Taranaki won 54-13 when they last played Poverty Bay, in a Division 2 match in 1992.