Rugby: Trio make debut as injuries hit Otago

Matt Faddes moving to centre sees fullback Tony Ensor move to the right wing and Peter Breen come into the side at the back.

Injuries have forced changes to the Otago team to take on Hawke's Bay tomorrow night.

Three players will make their debut for Otago against an experienced and powerful Magpies line-up.

Centre Jayden Spence rolled his ankle at training and is unavailable, with winger Matt Faddes coming in to the No13 position.

Faddes looked lively for his University club team in this position all year and will relish the opportunity to get more involved.

Faddes moving to centre sees fullback Tony Ensor move to the right wing and Peter Breen come into the side at the back.

Otago coach Cory Brown said Breen had performed well at fullback when he came on last week against Canterbury and gets a chance to start the game.

Gavin Stark comes into the reserves and if he gets on the field will make his Otago debut.

Flanker James Lentjes left the field last week with a suspected concussion and has had vision problems during the week. He will be replaced by Theo Commissaris, making his debut at this level.

Commissaris is out of the Canterbury system and was squeezed out by the talent in red and black country.

He came to Dunedin about midway through the season and played at club level for Kaikorai.

Brown said Commissaris had impressed in his club rugby and would be keen to make an impact.

Also in the pack, lock Jackson Hemopo has picked up a knee injury and will miss the game.

He had damaged his medial ligament in the early stages of last week's game but battled on.

With Tom Franklin (elbow) and Joe Latta (eye socket) both injured, Blair Tweed has come into the team and will make his first-class debut.

Prop Aki Seiuli is over his knee problem and takes his place in the reserves.