Rugby: O'Connor intends to be fighting fit

Brendan O'Connor.

If Hawke's Bay Magpies captain Brendon O'Connor's confidence levels are an indication, expect him to start in Saturday's Ranfurly Shield defence in Napier.

"I'm as confident as I can be ... I've passed all the tests," openside flanker O'Connor said on Monday as he pondered his team's second defence of the season against Bay of Plenty.

O'Connor was knocked out in the 44th minute of Sunday's first defence against Otago at McLean Park when attempting to tackle Razorbacks flanker TJ Ioane. Magpies head coach Craig Philpott is adopting a more cautious approach than O'Connor.

"If Brendon gets any headaches at any stage during this week's New Zealand Rugby Union's Return to Training Protocols programme the whole process starts again," Philpott warned.

Philpott pointed out O'Connor was fine after completing a couple of laps of the field at training yesterday after doing nothing on Monday. While today is a scheduled day off for the Magpies, O'Connor will undergo further tests in an attempt to meet the criteria.

"If he ticks this box he will then have a go at getting through contact sessions on Thursday and Friday before getting the thumbs up," Philpott said.

Winger Shannan Chase, who had an impressive debut in the Magpies' first shield defence, a 41-0 win against Otago on Sunday, was at training yesterday despite Philpott not having contacted his boss in the boning room department at Takapau's Silver Fern Farms plant.

Chase made last week's starting XV without being selected in the Magpies squad at the start of the season or having played for the Hawke's Bay Saracens team this season.

"The fact he was at training suggested all was good with his boss and he is available for the match against the Steamers," Philpott said.

Regular starting second five-eighth Andrew Horrell, who played his final match against Otago, travels to Auckland tomorrow for hip surgery. Philpott and his assistant Danny Lee will decide tomorrow on his replacement.

Horrell's Taradale clubmates Jason Shoemark and Billy Ropiha are the leading contenders. The fact former captain Shoemark has been with the squad since the start of the campaign is likely to give him the nod.

Ropiha, who has had a couple of outings for the Hawke's Bay Saracens this season, may get a berth on the bench.

Hooker Ged Robinson is available for selection again after missing the Northland and Otago games while recovering from knee surgery. The Magpies and the Steamers teams will be announced on Friday morning.

The Steamers last won a Ranfurly Shield challenge 10 years ago with a 33-28 win against Auckland at Eden Park. Current Ireland coach and former Napier Boys' High School 1st XV coach Joe Schmidt was assistant coach of the Steamers and a former Magpie, Colin Bourke, was a Steamers sub in the thriller controlled by then Hawke's Bay-based referee Kelvin Deaker.

Hawke's Bay's first Ranfurly Shield defence in 1922 was against Bay of Plenty. The Magpies won 17-16.