Magpies men Ash Dixon (left), Neria Fomai, Jonah Lowe and Stacey Ili are all smiles during their win over Wellington last week. Photo / Ian Cooper
Magpies men Ash Dixon (left), Neria Fomai, Jonah Lowe and Stacey Ili are all smiles during their win over Wellington last week. Photo / Ian Cooper
After a tough week for the city of Napier, the Hawke's Bay Magpies are keen to give residents something to smile about by beating Taranaki tomorrow.
Head coach Mark Ozich said the flooding in the city made for a "bizarre week" for the team, with a few players being displacedfrom their homes or having their vehicles flooded and lost.
But he said they have made the most of a disrupted week in training ahead of the final Mitre 10 Cup regular season game in Inglewood at 2.05 pm.
"The best thing we can do is hopefully go and have a really good performance even though the prep hasn't been ideal," Ozich said.
"Hopefully we go and do a good job, give something for people in the Bay to smile about. I know there's a fair few in the community that are hurting at the moment, which is quite sad."
Hawke's Bay are guaranteed a home semifinal at McLean Park next week and beating Taranaki would confirm their right to host a final at McLean Park the week after as well.
Kianu Kereru-Symes, left, will lead the Magpies for the second time after doing so against North Harbour in Week Five. Photo / Getty
Ozich still sees room to rest a few players who have had heavy workloads this season though, with regular captain Ash Dixon switched onto the bench for Kianu Kereru-Symes, who will lead the side from hooker for the second time this season.
Flanker Marino Mikaele-Tu'u has been left out of the 23 entirely to rest, with Geoff Cridge stepping into the No 6 jersey and Isaia Walker-Leawere getting the start at lock.
Bryn Evans will cover the second row from the bench, with brother Gareth joining him there as the loose forward returns from a niggly ankle injury.
Solomone Funaki will start at openside flanker in the absence of Brendon O'Connor, who has been given more time to recover after a head injury assessment.
Prop Sona Taumalolo's three-week ban opens the door for Joel Hintz to come back onto the bench, with Namatahi Waa selected to start at loosehead over Pouri Rakete-Stones.
Centre Stacey Ili also gets a bit of respite with a place on the bench, with Sam McNicol getting another start and Danny Toala dropped from the 23.
Ozich said he is really interested in seeing how the oft-injured Chiefs midfielder McNicol goes in the 13 jersey.
"He's fit and well now, so just another dynamic for the team to have a look at moving forward," he said.
The coach said the whole squad will have a chance to press for a place in his best 23 for the semifinal and beyond.
"The depth is such within the team at the moment, and we don't have too many injuries touch wood, that the internal competitiveness for a jersey is well and truly alive in the group," Ozich said.
