SHOT CALLER: Ihaia West receives a pass during yesterday's captain's run on the eve of his 100th first class game. PHOTO/WARREN BUCKLAND
Magpies v Makos
McLean Park, Napier
HE delivered in his 50th first class rugby game for the Magpies ... can Ihaia West deliver in his 100th first class outing a week later?
This question has been asked regularly this week when news of West's century, which will be ticked off when he runs out on to McLean Park for tonight's Mitre 10 Cup Premiership seventh round clash against the Tasman Makos, filtered through to Magpies HQ this week. Blues pivot West, 24, produced a player-of-the-match performance in the Magpies' 43-29 win against Southland in Invercargill last week.
In typical West fashion he wasn't allowing the pressure of another must-win match in the Magpies quest to avoid relegation and the milestone get to him.
"It's good to be celebrating this occasion at home. I like playing at McLean Park and after a couple of games on the road it's good to be back out there," West said.
"Tasman are a pretty hard team. It's going to be a special occasion too," West said referring to the 50th anniversary of the Magpies 6-0 Ranfurly Shield win against Waikato in Hamilton.
Former All Blacks and Magpies legends including Bill Davis, Blair Furlong, Ian MacRae and Neil Thimbleby will be among the 1960s shield era heroes in the crowd.
"It's pretty cool to have those legends come back. It will be awesome to play in front of them and hopefully we can catch up them at the after-match function," West said.
His clash with Makos first five-eighth Marty Banks is likely to have as much impact on the game's outcome as the battle between the two openside flankers, Hawke's Bay's Tony Lamborn and Tasman captain Shane Christie. Banks got the nod ahead of West when the 2014 Hurricanes team was selected and West got called into the Blues as injury cover later that year.
"If a team plays well the 10 usually plays well. I've had a couple of games against Marty in the past. He is a pretty classy player and will be an awesome test for me," West said.
"Earlier this season we there or there abouts for 20 or 30 minutes. Even when we won last week we didn't play for 80 but it was good to finally get a win. Hopefully we can put in 80 minutes against the Makos," West added.
Furlong, the Hawke's Bay union president who scored 110 points in 77 first class games for the Magpies between 1963 and 1971, has been a big fan of West for several seasons.
"I just like the way he plays. He is a very good player who has done Hawke's Bay and the Blues proud," Furlong said.
Former first five-eighth Furlong had his fair share of nailbiting moments during his career, just as West has throughout his.
"I remember when he missed that conversion attempt against Tasman in 2014. I also remember the one he got against Wellington last year which got us back up to the Premiership. Hopefully he slots them all tomorrow night, he leads us around the park and we have another win," Furlong said between shots during a round of golf with fellow players from the Magpies 1960s shield era yesterday.
"I know Tasman are a tidy team. They are quite a razzle-dazzle type team. We just have to take the bull by the horn and go for it," Furlong added.
Magpies halfback Ellery Wilson and fullback Shannan Chase will both start for the Hawke's Bay Development team which will play Wellington Development in the curtainraiser. This game is effectively the Hurricanes Development competition final and, after taking maximum competition points from the previous two wins, Hawke's Bay will take a five-point lead over Wellington into the match.
"Whilst in theory we only need a bonus point to claim the overall title, we are still looking for a victory to claim the shield for the first time and complete an unbeaten run in the comp," Hawke's Bay manager Mike Smith said.
HAWKE'S BAY MAGPIES: 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 (c), Ricky Riccitelli.
Substitutes, forwards: Jorian Tangaere, Jason Long, Tolu Fahamokioa, Ross Filipo, Ben Hamelink. Backs: Chris Eaton, Billy Ropiha, Ryan Tongia.
TASMAN MAKOS: Mitchell Hunt, Tima Faingaanuku, Kieron Fonotia, David Havili, Caleb Makene, Marty Banks, Billy Guyton, Peter Samu, Shane Christie (c), Tevita Koloamatangi, Quinten Strange, Jeff Lepa, Ross Geldenhuys, Andrew Makalio, Kane Hames.
Substitutes, forwards: Jesse MacDonald, Tim Perry, Siua Halanukonuka, Shannon Frizzell, Ethan Blackadder. Backs: Finlay Christie, Alex Nankivell, Trael Joass.