Lochore not consolation cup

READY FOR THE BIG OCCASION: Poverty Bay halfback Mario Counsell gets his kick away under pressure from a King Country defender. Counsell has been a key player for the Bay this year, encouraging his teammates to ever-greater efforts. Picture by Paul Rickard

POVERTY Bay assistant coach Dwayne Russell says his side are not looking, at the Lochore Cup as a consolation prize — as they prepare to play favourites Mid Canterbury in the semifinals, at Ashburton tomorrow.

“If, and it’s a big if, we win tomorrow and then go on to win the cup it means we finish fifth in the 12-team competition, an improvement on seventh place last season,” Russell said.

“It also means we would have won our last four matches, not a bad way to end the season. It’s about putting pride back in the jersey and the region.

“But first things first, we have to beat Mid Canterbury, who only missed out on a top-four place on points differential after finishing the round-robin format on 26 points with Wanganui.”

Wanganui scored 279 points and conceded 125 while the South Islanders record was 275/224.

LeaderBrand Poverty Bay head coach Mana Otai said he wasn’t looking that far ahead (winning the cup).

“Obviously that’s the aim but you can’t win the final if you’re not in it so all our focus is on Mid Canterbury,” Otai said.

When asked how his team could turn around a 34-5 loss, Otai laughed, then said: that’s a good question”.

“My crystal ball is still in being reconditioned.

“But it’s about being prepared, rising the occasion, and going about our work for 80 minutes.

“That includes being disciplined, staying within our systems and backing ourselves.”

The Bay go into the game as underdogs after getting thumped in Ashburton in the opening game of the season.

But skipper and openside flanker James Grogan said his team don’t fear Mid Canterbury.

“We respect Mid Canterbury but don’t fear them,” Grogan said.

“We have to go into the game believing we can win and take the game to them . . . get up on defence and get into their faces.

“If we do that for 80 minutes we’re in with a shout.

“One thing we can’t afford to do is give them a 17-point start, like we did Thames Valley last week.

“It’s a semifinal, there’s no second chances.”

Grogan said he was happy with the underdog tag.

“The pressure’s on Mid Canterbury.

“They’re at home and put 30 points on us the last time we played.

“Everyone, including I suppose some people here, think Mid Canterbury will win.

“That’s fair enough but we’re going down there believing we can win.”

While Bay No.8 Siosiua Moala and fullback Ethine Reeves have been grabbing the headlines all season, halfbacks Mario Counsell and Willy Grogan have key roles to play tomorrow.

Counsell is a good distributor and communicator — a chirpy positive character who can often be seen encouraging his teammates when they do well or getting them back on track when they’re not doing their job.

Grogan, who came on early in the second half of last week’s game with Thames Valley, plays like an extra loose forward.

“We’re lucky to have two good halfbacks who bring different qualities to the game,” said Russell.

“They’re our hinge players, both with different attributes.

“Willie is a good ball runner, who asks questions of the opposition’s defence and is strong on defence when we’re under the pump.

“Along with Jake Holmes (first-five) they’re our finishers.

“Jake is really unlucky not to start. He’s worked on his passing and is one of our best defenders, he hardly ever misses a tackle.

“And that’s going to be a crucial part of tomorrow’s game.

“We have to make sure we make our first-up tackles and not allow Mid Canterbury get on a roll.”

FOOTNOTE: The last time Poverty Bay won the Lochore Cup, in 2011, they did it from eighth position, beating Buller (5th) in Westport then South Canterbury (6th) in Timaru, a South Canterbury, who put 40 points on the Bay in round-robin play. Two members of that 2011 team, coached by Grainger Heikell and Trevor Crosby, Sione Ngatu and Kelvin Smith, are playing tomorrow.