Expect Magpies halfback Brad Weber to fire to his full potential tonight after a spell. Photo / Paul Taylor
It's a case of two desperate teams going to war but the Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby team will prevail tonight.
There's too much Super Rugby experience in the Magpies team for them to lose tonight's Mitre 10 Cup crossover match against the Southland Stags at Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill.
It's a must-win clash in the Magpies quest to avoid relegation from the Premiership.
The last Magpies team to be relegated in 2012 lost their first five games. This year's team has already lost five - that should be motivation enough for captain Ash Dixon and his troops.
Key players like Dixon, Chiefs halfback Brad Weber, Crusaders centre-winger Robbie Fruean and loosies Trent Boswell-Wakefield and Fa'alemiga Selesele were either rested or had limited game time in Sunday's 63-7 loss to Canterbury in Christchurch. They will be fizzing.
Fruean gets his first start at centre this season after starting on the wing in his only previous outing. This is proof he is injury free and ready to fire.
It's no secret that when Fruean fires the entire team fires. By his own high standards Weber wasn't as hot as he should have been during his 69 minutes of action in the 25-24 loss to Auckland on September 27.
There were a couple of wayward passes and a couple of kicks which went out on the full when they shouldn't have.
With the Maori All Black tour squad scheduled to be announced next month it's the right time for Weber to return to top form.
He will be keen to give his former Napier Boys' High School 1st XV first five-eighth Ihaia West, another Maori All Black hopeful, a memorable 50th first class outing for the Magpies. Surely the Magpies will be eager to give West a winning 50th.
West has provided several Houdini-type victories, including last year's sideline conversion of winger Mason Emerson's try to give the Bay the Championship title and promotion to the Premiership. He needs to be repaid and there is no better time.
Magpies head coach Craig Philpott earlier this week heaped kudos on physio Mark Nicol and doctor Ian Taylor for the work they did to get several key players, including the Hurricanes pair of Tony Lamborn and Ricky Riccitelli, ready for action again after collecting injuries against the Cantabs. Nicol and Taylor need to be thanked in the appropriate manner.
It could have been easy for Hawke's Bay Rugby Football Union CEO Mike Bishop and the union's directors to turn down the request from Philpott and his assistant Danny Lee for the team to be based in Christchurch after Sunday's game before travelling to Invercargill yesterday. The team need to show Bishop and co it was a case of money well spent and a definite option for the future.
While the Magpies will prevail, they still have to reduce the missed tackle counts recorded in their previous five outings.
They still have to look after the ball better on attack so they can build more pressure and they must improve their accuracy at lineout time.
The Stags will be fired up in front of their home crowd. Their forwards are traditionally tough and with handy No8 Mika Mafi returning, the host pack commands plenty of respect.
The difference between tonight's Stags team and those the Magpies have faced in recent seasons is the amount of creativity in their backline.
With Brumbies halfback Michael Dowsett, a new recruit who will get time off the pine when former All Black Jimmy Cowan needs a spell, expect that creativity to last the entire game.
Dowsett, 24, has been with the Brumbies since 2014 and this year played seven Super matches mainly from the bench. His experience and offensive spark will be valuable.
With an ideal weather forecast, partly cloudy and around 11C, for the 7.35pm kickoff, it should be an entertaining encounter in which the Magpies should get the bonus point for four tries.
Providing they play to their potential, Magpies fans can expect a 32-23 victory.
Both teams:
Hawke's Bay Today: Matt Garland, Jonah Lowe, Robbie Fruean, Tiaan Falcon, Mason Emerson, Ihaia West, Brad Weber, Fa'alemiga Selesele, Tony Lamborn, Trent Boswell-Wakefield, Mark Abbott, Geoff Cridge, Ben May, Ash Dixon, Ricky Riccitelli.
Substitutes, forwards: Jorian Tangaere, Jason Long, Tolu Fahamokioa, Ross Filipo, Ben Hamelink.
Backs: Chris Eaton, Billy Ropiha, Ryan Tongia.
Southland Stags: Junior Ngaluafe, Tauasosi Tuimavave, Kieran Moffat, Dylan Collier, Jaye Thompson, Wharenui Hawera, Jimmy Cowan, Mika Mafi, Phil Halder, Bill Fukofuka, Matthew Philip, Mike McKee, Guy Millar, Brayden Mitchell, Joseph Walsh.
Substitutes, forwards:, Jaon Rutledge, Reuben Northover, Peni Ravai, Mike Stewart, Joshua Clark.
Backs: Michael Dowsett, James Schrader, Mike Molloy.