Shane Hurndell
Taradale lock Reon Watts will have his first start for the Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby side this afternoon.
A rib injury has forced Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports kingpin Lua Lokotui out of the Kelt Capital Magpies side to play the Hawke's Bay Development team at Porangahau's White Domain.
It's the
Magpies first outing on the ground and their final rehearsal before opening their Air New Zealand NPC second-division campaign against defending champions Nelson Bays at Napier's McLean Park next weekend.
Magpies coach Brendon Ratcliffe has named what he considers to be his first string line-up (apart from Lokotui) for this stage of the season with Nelson Bays in mind. But he emphasised there would still be opportunities for his substitutes, all of whom will get game time, and his players in the Development side to push their way into the line-up with top performances this afternoon.
As White Domain is the home ground of one of Hawke's Bay's favourite sons and most capped outside back Robbie Hunter it will be appropriate if Ratcliffe has a better idea of the pecking order among his outside backs this afternoon.
Hunter scored 311 points in 125 first class appearances for the Bay from 1971- '82.
Ratcliffe has an abundance of talented outside backs with the likes of James Rosenberg, Donovan Nepia and Jacob Kennedy contesting the fullback berth, Kennedy, Karl Mudzamba, Kevin Ward and Ray Karauria the wing positions.
With so much hot competition for these berths and fine weather forecast Ratcliffe should be encouraging plenty of running rugby from his outside backs. And that's what the Porangahau fans deserve on such an occasion.
The Hawke's Bay Development side includes five members of the Magpies NPC squad - Kennedy in the starting line-up, loose forwards Pama Petia and Karl Lowe, midfield back Hayden Lafaele and Ward - who will all get game time off the bench.
Like Ratcliffe and his assistant George Konia, Development team coaches Ross McLeod and Terrence Taylor, intend giving all of their squad game time in the buildup to their match in Taupo next weekend against the King Country NPC third-division side.
Should Taylor and McLeod use their five Magpies wisely their side should be reasonably competitive.
