Samu Kubunavanua will play fullback for Wanganui in the RDO Shield final against Wellington Maori Development in Levin this afternoon.
Samu Kubunavanua will play fullback for Wanganui in the RDO Shield final against Wellington Maori Development in Levin this afternoon.
Wanganui Toyota Development XV coach Jerome McCrea has settled on his squad to 23 set to try and retain the Rugby Development Officers (RDO) Shield in the final in Levin tomorrow afternoon.
Expecting to face a stronger Wellington Maori Development squad from the team they defeated 49-22 at City Collegeon August 25, McCrea will have the services of three members of the extended Steelform Wanganui Heartland team.
Jackson Campbell will be at blindside flanker, while 51-game veteran Simon Dibben will be on the wing and lock Peter-Travis Hay-Horton is on the bench.
Having missed last weekend's narrow loss against Wairarapa Bush Development in Masterton, pivotal second-five Troy Brown is back in the team, while midfield partner Josiah Bogileka has recovered from the rolled ankle he sustained while scoring a try at Memorial Park.
The team's versatility is stretched again with prop Te Uhi Hakaraia covering hooker, regular fullback Nick Harding continuing his experiment as a first-five, and Samu Kubunavanua taking the No 15 jumper with Jaye Flaws on the wing to accommodate the in-form midfielders.
Meanwhile, Mid Canterbury have made one change from the team that was announced to play Steelform Wanganui in the Mitre 10 Heartland Championship game at Cooks Gardens tomorrow afternoon.
Lock Matt Bentley is out and replaced by Tom Blyth coming off the bench, with the new forwards reserve being Logan Bonnington.
