Pressure on Steelers to recover from bad start

By CHRIS RATTUE AND NZPA

Counties Manukau must bounce back against Mid Canterbury today after a nightmare NPC start which has already signalled they face a tough time making another semifinals appearance.

The Steelers, beaten by Hawkes Bay in last year's second division final, were upset by promoted North Otago at Pukekohe in the opening round.

Lock John Kennedy and Pukekohe No 8 Waka Setitaia make their NPC debuts as the Steelers try to get on track in Ashburton today.

Kennedy made his Steelers debut against Italy this year, a momentous occasion as he became the third generation John Kennedy - all were locks from Waiuku - to play for the union.

Kennedy's grandfather passed away two weeks ago.

Setitaia is one of six players in the side from last year's Steelers Colts.

Mid Canterbury were thrashed 66-7 at Pukekohe last season when they finished sixth in the eight-team division.

They were beaten 35-7 by unfancied Thames Valley in Paeroa in the first round.

While Counties Manukau have just one loan player, Waikato's brief Super 12 prop Denis Hazelton, Mid Canterbury are heavily bolstered with imports, especially in the forwards.

Props Brydon Heller and Jason McCormick, plus No 8 Matt Lowe, are from Canterbury, joining Auckland lock Sam Anania.

First five-eighths Wayne Bell is another import from Christchurch.

Counties Manukau's star wing Sitiveni Sivivatu, the only second division player in this year's Super 12, is understood to have signed to play for Waikato after this season.

Mid Canterbury: John Ellis, Matangi Halaufia, Peter Thompson, Phil Prendergast, Jason Feutz, Wayne Bell, Nathan Fridd; Matt Lowe, Jason Gill (capt), Matt Foxcroft, Sam Anania, Mark MacGregor, Jason McCormick, Regan Johns, Brydon Heller. Res: James Carr, Nick Hartley, Dan Dwyer, Nathan Howden; Nick Webster, Ross Leadley, Joe Morris.

Counties Manukau: Sailosi Takicakibau, Sitiveni Sivivatu, David Wood, Robinson Avei, Niva Ta'auso, Stephen Donald, Kevin Farrell, Waka Setitaka, Tevita Finau, Aaron Enoka, Ramon Lindsay (capt), John Kennedy, Dennis Hazelton, Grant Henson, Dave Stewart. Res: Andrew Va'a, James Afoa, Kevin Busby, Craig Glendinning; Joseph Heta, Simon Porter, Mark Lawson.

Kickoff: 2.30pm.

Marlborough's new coach, Dennis Brown, is a dairy farmer, but he may have to change that to magician.

On Thursday morning Brown was happily toiling away on his Thames Valley farm, second division rugby probably one of the furthest things from his mind.

Then just two days out from one of Marlborough's biggest matches of the season, an NPC second division and Seddon Shield challenge against arch rivals Nelson Bays at Lansdowne Park, coach Alex Wyllie had his contract terminated and Brown answered an SOS from Marlborough to coach the Red Devils.

It's what many would call a hospital pass and there has been little time for Brown to prepare a magic potion for such a big game, and even less time to get a farm manager or organise his affairs before shifting south.

However, the man who co-coached the New Zealand Colts to their world title win earlier this year was positive. "It's something I'm really looking forward to. I made a decision pretty quickly so I'm here with all engines firing."

Brown, also the Chiefs Super 12 forward coach for the last two years and a former Thames Valley coach, had only Thursday night's training to familiarise himself with the team.

Wyllie was low key yesterday about his contract termination. He confirmed that the main sticking point was that he wasn't able to shift to Blenheim because of commitments on his Omihi farm.

In other second division matches today, Manawatu host Hawkes Bay in Palmerston North and North Otago clash with Thames Valley in Oamaru.