Northland rugby coach Mark Anscombe rewarded his well performed forward pack by naming an unchanged front eight to face Otago in round two of the Air NZ Cup at Carisbrook in Dunedin tomorrow night.
Anscombe has made only one personnel change to the team by naming Tony Koonwaiyou at centre, and
that change was only necessary because David Holwell is nursing a damaged shoulder.
It is a clear signal that he was pleased with Saturday's effort against North Harbour. The drawn match has underlined his faith in his forward pack, particularly his front row.
But Anscombe is wary of what awaits his team in Dunedin, particularly as Otago are coming off a huge loss to Wellington in the opening round.
"Why change what ain't broke. The forward pack played well enough to warrant selection again and we hope we can take a step up, because we are going to need to when we face Otago," Anscombe said.
"We are being careful not to get too far ahead of ourselves. We can't afford to be too worried about what the opposition might or might not do because we have to get out of this cycle of reasonable then shocker, reasonable then shocker," he said.
"In those terms were are a long way off when you look at the calibre of the competition."
But while keen to keep his pack intact, Anscombe made two significant changes on the reserves bench. Hooker Jamie McQueen is out and Justin Davies in as the second string rake. Lock Steve Baker is back from injury and usurps Junior Gadolo in the reserves as well.
Jake Paringatai survived his brush with North Harbour flanker Rob Colhoun intact, thanks to stitches to his upper lip, and will start at No.8 as expected. Colhoun was suspended for two weeks after being found guilty of trampling Paringatai at a judicial committee hearing last night.
Koonwaiyou's elevation to the starting team is a surprise, though, and may be a significant gamble to try to get the former Blues game-breaker back up to match fitness. Still sporting a noticeable limp from a long-standing stress fracture in his leg, Koonwaiyou will partner Leo Taliu in the midfield with Dan Bowden handed the play-making role at first five-eighths.
