Rugby: Magpies quarter-final star Le Roux Malan out of semi with injury, lock linchpin Isaia Walker-Leawere ready for 50th game

Impact player and lock-loose forward Isaia Walker-Leawere is expected to make his 50th Magpies appearance in Saturday's NPC semifinal in Christchurch.

A try-scoring star of last weekend’s heroic Hawke’s Bay Magpies Bunnings Warehouse NPC quarter-final win over Taranaki will miss Saturday’s semifinal because of injury.

Namibian midfield back Le Roux Malan, 26, dived over in the left-hand corner for Hawke’s Bay’s first try of the night – a crucial breakthrough in the 26-12 win over Taranaki at McLean Park.

The home side had conceded only a penalty goal after more than 20 minutes on defence and mainly without the ball, as Taranaki threatened to beat Hawke’s Bay for the fifth time in a row.

Magpies head coach Brock James confirmed in naming the semifinal 23 on Wednesday that Malan had copped an injury and would be unable to line up for the big match in Christchurch against playoffs top-seed Canterbury.

Canterbury, who beat Hawke’s Bay 26-7 earlier in the season in Napier, are a warm $1.37 TAB favourite to win.

The place at centre will be taken by Napier Pirate and former Poverty player Anaru Paenga Morgan, who has impressed in earlier appearances in his Magpies debut season.

Australian second-year Magpie Lukas Ripley moves back into the reserves, and the only other change is the return of prop Pouri Rakete-Stones, who was originally named in last weekend’s game but had to withdraw because of injury.

His place in the team was taken by Hadlee Hay-Horton, who, after being another of the stars on the night, will in Christchurch be an impact player from the bench.

James said the team wanted to thank the 5200 supporters who turned out and created the atmosphere to lift the team to Saturday’s win, as the team move towards the season’s ultimate goal of winning the NPC top division for the first time in the championship’s 50 years.

“We set out to be in this position,” he said, “and the boys definitely felt that support.”

It’ll be a special night for lock and loose forward Isaia Walker-Leawere, now a near-resident impact from the bench.

He is set to make his 50th appearance for the Magpies, buoyed by being named this week as one of three Magpies in second-string national squad the All Blacks XV’s for upcoming games in the Northern Hemisphere.

Teams for Hawke’s Bay’s Bunnings Warehouse NPC men’s rugby semifinal against Canterbury in Christchurch on Saturday, starting at 7.10pm:

Hawke’s Bay: Pouri Rakete-Stones, Jacob Devery (co-captain), Joe Apikotoa; Geoff Cridge, Tom Parsons (co-captain); Miracle Fai’ilagi, Sam Smith; Devan Flanders (vice-captain); Folau Fakatava, Lincoln McClutchie; Neria Fomai, Anaru Paenga-Morgan, Nick Grigg, Jonah Lowe; Zarn Sullivan. Reserves: Kianu Kereru-Symes, Hadlee Hay-Horton, Manahi Goulton; Isaia Walker-Leawere, Frank Lochore; Ereatara Enari, Lukas Ripley, Andrew Tauatevalu.

Canterbury: Finlay Brewis, George Bell, Seb Calder; Sam Darry, Jamie Hannah; Zach Gallagher, Tom Christie; Dom Gardiner; Louis Chapman, Andrew Knewstubb; Ngatungane Punivai, Dallas McLeod, Braydon Ennor, Manasa Mataele; Chay Fihaki. Reserves: Nick Hyde, Daniel Leinert-Brown, Darcy Breen, Liam Jack, Torian Barnes, Tyson Belworthy, Shun Miyake, Jone Rova.

Doug Laing has been a reporter for more than 50 years, since before the National Provincial Rugby Championship started in 1976.