Rugby: Pivot relishes break after stint on bench

Tyrone Elkington-Macdonald's promotional duties will take back seat to an ITM Cup start tomorrow. PHOTO/FILE

FORGET the guest-speaker roles and other promotional duties, Hawke's Bay Magpies first five-eighth Tyrone Elkington-MacDonald has got an ITM Cup start after two years on the sideline.

"It's a massive opportunity. In addition to wanting to help the boys get a win to keep our chances of a home final alive, I want to put in a good performance in the countdown to the end-of-year reviews as I'm off contract at the end of the year," Elkington-MacDonald said as he pondered tomorrow's ninth-round ITM Cup clash against the Southland Stags in Invercargill.

The former Canterbury Colts rep didn't get any Cup game time last year because Ihaia West and Matt Berquist were ranked ahead of him in the battle for the pivot role. The closest Elkington-MacDonald has got to Cup time this season was when he was the only non-playing sub during Wednesday night's 22-all draw with Wellington in the capital.

During one of his guest-speaker stints, the first pre-match function this season before the Ranfurly Shield defence against Northland, Elkington-MacDonald said his main goal was to put as much pressure on West as possible for more game time at Cup level. West has seldom put a foot wrong this season and his goalkicking has added to his list of match-rescue acts.

"It hasn't worked out for me. Ihaia is a quality player and he is the incumbent and there have been a couple of times when Hosser (Andrew Horrell) has been the back-up No10 and closed out games," Elkington-MacDonald said.

"Now I've got the opportunity and I'm thankful."

Magpies coaches Craig Philpott and Danny Lee have made numerous changes to their team with the aim of keeping key players fresh for next Friday night's final Ranfurly Shield defence of the season against Waikato.

Elkington-MacDonald will play outside his Napier Old Boys Marist clubmate and halfback Ellery Wilson, who will be vice-captain to captain and blindside flanker Trent Boswell-Wakefield.

"Ellery and I have a pretty good combination. As a team we've had one training and there are a few new faces and we all see it as an opportunity to stake a claim," Elkington-MacDonald said.

The Marlborough Boys' High School 1st XV product will have the goalkicking duties and Magpies fans won't complain if he can repeat his seven-from-seven performance in July's Shield defence against Wairarapa Bush.

Tomorrow's game will be his first in three weeks.

"I can't wait ... I'm fizzing," he said.

Regular captain Brendon O'Connor has been rested alongside regular second five-eighth Horrell and centre Richard Buckman. Another midfielder, Billy Ropiha, is unavailable because he is a groomsman at a wedding this weekend.

Lewis Marshall will start at second five-eighth partnering Robbie Fruean, the regular centre last year.

After playing for the Hawke's Bay under-19s, Mason Emerson will make his first Cup start, on the left wing, as will No8 Kaleb Sweet.

"We always said it will take 35 players to win the championship. This game is an opportunity for some of our players who haven't had much game time to stand up and fight the fight," Philpott said.

There is over 200 games of first-class experience to use off the pine, including the likes of halfback Chris Eaton, West, Highlanders frontrowers Ash Dixon and Brendon Edmonds, and Canes lock Mark Abbott.

BOTH TEAMS

SOUTHLAND: Junior Ngaluafe, Keanu Kahukura, Kieran Moffatt, Willis Halaholo, Sosi Tuimavave, Lima Sopoaga, Scott Eade, Elliott Dixon (captain), Tim Boys, Bill Fukofuka, Joel Everson, Josh Bekhuis, Guy Millar, Dillan Halaholo, Reuben Northover.

Substitutes, forwards: David Hall, Morgan Mitchell, Brayden Mitchell, Michael Stewart, Alex Taylor. Backs: Liam Howley, James Schrader, Mike Molloy.

Hawke's Bay: Zac Guildford, Ryan Tongia, Robbie Fruean, Lewis Marshall, Mason Emerson, Tyrone Elkington-MacDonald, Ellery Wilson, Kaleb Sweet, Tom Stanley, Trent Boswell-Wakefield (captain), Sanaila Waqa, Michael Allardice, Mark Braidwood, Jorian Tangaere, Jason Long.

Substitutes, forwards: Ash Dixon, Tolu Fahamokioa, Brendon Edmonds, Mark Abbott, Tony Lamborn. Backs: Chris Eaton, Ihaia West, Jonah Lowe.