Rugby: Meeuws, Kelleher fit for double contest

All Blacks Byron Kelleher and Kees Meeuws will return to the Otago team for Saturday night's NPC-Ranfurly Shield rugby double against Canterbury in Christchurch.

Kelleher missed the game against Southland last Saturday because of an injured shoulder, while Meeuws was dropped to the reserves.

Kelleher has recovered from his injury and has replaced Donovan Hall, while Meeuws is back at tighthead prop, in place of Carl Hayman.

Romi Ropati, who also missed the game against Southland because of a shoulder injury, can only make the reserves.

Otago coach Kevin Gloag said there had been "no problems" with Kelleher's shoulder, while Meeuws has been reunited in the front row with All Black team-mates Anton Oliver and Carl Hoeft.

"Carl Hayman played very well last week and we've talked to him and emphasised he hasn't been dropped," Gloag said. "But we're starting Kees and we'll use Carl in a different role [from the bench]."

Ropati has had a wretched season with injury - he has started in only two of the first seven games - but many observers thought a place would have been found for him in the starting line-up.

"Romi's fine," Gloag said when asked about Ropati's fitness. "But the back three played well last weekend and Romi hasn't had a lot of rugby this year."

Gloag said there had been no thought given to pairing Ropati with Pita Alatini in midfield, where they have played a lot of rugby together for the Highlanders.

Josh Kronfeld is the only member of the side who played in Otago's last shield challenge against Canterbury, in 1994.

Meanwhile, the Canterbury forward coach, Steve Hansen, has asked for further improvement from his team.

"It was a good performance from one to 22 against Waikato last week," Hansen said yesterday. "They played really well and we were happy with the way they went. Now the challenge for them is to try to better that performance."

Hansen said Canterbury's approach to defending the shield would not differ from their winning challenge.

"Every time you play for it you have to win it - and you only win by attacking. The only advantage for us is that you defend it in your home town and on your home ground."

Canterbury coaches Hansen and Robbie Deans have a dilemma of a pleasant kind today when they name their team.

All Black prop Greg Feek and hooker Mark Hammett are available again after recovering from operations.

Yet the incumbents David Hewett and Matt Sexton have played well in their absence and may keep their places in the starting XV.

TAB betters believe Canterbury are unbeatable. The opening book had Canterbury at $1.22 and Otago at $3.80.

Otago: Justin Swart, Brendan Laney, Seilala Mapusua, Hayden Reid, Pita Alatini, Tony Brown, Byron Kelleher, Kelvin Middleton (captain), Josh Kronfeld, Taine Randell, John Blaikie, Simon Maling, Kees Meeuws, Anton Oliver, Carl Hoeft. Res: Romi Ropati, Charles Hore, Donovan Hall, Josh Blackie, Filipo Levi, Carl Hayman, Tom Willis.

Poverty Bay and Horowhenua-Kapiti will be without a regular player each on Saturday after the two were sent off in their match in Gisborne last week.

The NZRFU judicial committee suspended Horowhenua's Matt Harvey and Poverty Bay's James Hutana for a week each. Harvey was spotted punching in a ruck and that led to a fight in which Hutana became involved.

A second Poverty Bay player who was sent off for stomping in the same match, Pene Fotuaiki, escaped with a warning, as did Southland's Simon Etheredge for a late tackle against Otago.

- NZPA