Rugby: Shield defenders ready to turn up heat

By CHRIS RATTUE

Second division Wanganui will face close to the full force of Waikato's rugby power when they challenge for the Ranfurly Shield in Tokoroa on Saturday.

Waikato coach Kiwi Searancke has used the first three challenges from lesser teams to build towards the NPC championship but has ended up naming almost a full strength lineup for the match.

The game will be crucial to the NPC hopes of a couple of the Waikato players. Hookers Guy Coleman and Anton Edwards are battling with the Fijian captain Greg Smith for NPC places, while props Deacon Manu and Tony Philp are vying to back up Paul Martin and David Briggs.

Two of the Waikato reserve front rowers, Philp and Edwards, are former Wanganui players.

Wanganui will be without 1999 captain and flanker Jason Caskey, who has had a leg operation, while coach Bernie Kelly has named loose forward J J Walker at lock.

Meanwhile, Waikato's first NPC opponents, Otago, have lost wing Dan Parkinson, an Auckland import, for the season and fellow backs Romi Ropati and Matt Carrington will miss the start of the championship.

Parkinson had one Super 12 appearance for the Highlanders before being sidelined by a knee injury, which has flared again and will probably require surgery.

Ropati injured a shoulder and is out for a month, and Carrington will be out for up to six weeks with a broken thumb.

Otago have already lost centre Jeremy Stanley and flanker Duncan Blaikie for the season and will be missing about eight All Blacks when the NPC begins.

Waikato: Todd Miller, Roger Randle, Keith Lowen, Mark Ranby, Bruce Reihana, Glen Jackson, Ben Willis; Deon Muir (capt), Jono Gibbes, Nick Holten, Chresten Davis, Royce Willis, Paul Martin, Guy Coleman, Deacon Manu. Res: Grant McQuoid, Haden Hireme, Rhys Duggan; Scott Couch, Tony Petero, Tony Philp, Anton Edwards.

Wanganui: Donovan Nepia, Johnny Muir, Dwayne Kemp, Darren Balcombe, David Kereti, Jerome Nahona, Raymond Lee Mason; Paul Ipipi-Amani, Scott Brider, Chris Masoe, John Thomson (capt), J J Walker, Peter Hay, Danny Logan, Vern Pomana. Res: Scott Brown, Richard Ropata, Jason Hamlin; Karl Leary, Paul Belliss/Giles McHugh, Jeremy Emmett/Kim Brown, James Urwin.