Steelform Wanganui skipper Peter Rowe will no longer captain the New Zealand Heartland XV in his last games for his country.
The Steelform Wanganui players in the new-look NZ Heartland XV have been getting used to a fresh set up ahead of this afternoon's clash with NZ Marist for the Ian MacCrae Cup at Auckland's Ardmore club in Papakura.
Last year's Heartland XV included four Wanganui players in the regular starting forward pack, plus the crucial halfback-first five combination.
But under new coach Barry Matthews of South Canterbury, today's lineup has all eight forwards coming from different provinces, while stalwart Peter Rowe, after eight caps for his country, has relinquished the captaincy role to No8 Kieran Coll in a 'changing of the guard' decision.
Rowe, who has captained NZ Heartland since 2012, is in his final representative season before retirement, with Matthews' preferring his own 28-year-old provincial captain in Coll - wanting him to get an education on international leadership from Rowe while he is still available for these three games in seven days.
Previously, it had not been certain that Rowe would make the New Zealand squad after a very competitive Heartland season across the 12 teams, with Matthews wanting to pick players on form.
"In the end, himself and [King Country's] Aarin Dunster played so well we couldn't leave them out," he said.
"Peter is more of a No6 than a No7 for us, and we thought it was more of an opportunity for Kieran, to learn while Peter was still there.
"Peter hasn't changed, he's talking like a captain. He still has that [team] respect, that mana."
Coll, who has played Mitre 10 Cup for Hawkes Bay and captained South Canterbury for two seasons, said last week he was surprised to get the role and was looking forward to Rowe showing him the ropes.
"He's been a hell'va leader and a hell'va bloke, so I am looking forward to working with him."
In preparing for the game this week, Matthews took the team through multiple training sessions, including two yesterday.
He admitted this was more time than he wanted to use, especially with all 28 players coming off a long Mitre 10 Heartland campaign.
"New coach, new captain, new system, it just takes time.
"But better now than in Fiji, where it's 35 degrees."
A week after facing each other in the Meads Cup final, Wanganui's incumbent halfback Lindsay Horrocks is now partnering first-five James Lash, who will be the vice captain and also do the goal kicking.
The 20-year-old bolter Te Rangatira Waitokia was certain to start until bumping his knee at training, thus currently being bracketed with Mid Canterbury's Maleli Sau.
However, Matthews said yesterday that Waitokia was looking like he would be all good to go.
"He's a very exciting young boy with a big future."
Wanganui's other debutant Viki Tofa takes the reserve prop spot.
Just like the new team and leadership, Matthews does not know too much about this year's NZ Marist side, having received their team sheet yesterday.
However, his focus was for the team to "practice what's in front of us".
"It's more of the old cliche - it's more about us.
"We're training 3-4 different game plans on attack that we've got up our sleeves. We'll see what [Marist] do."
Some very experienced players have been left on the bench in Dunster, Timaru Tafa (South Canterbury) and Zayn Tipping (King Country).
Matthews said tomorrow's starting lineup was not necessary the 'A' team as they prepare for their big Fiji tour with games against Nadi at Prince Charles Park on Tuesday, followed by Nadroga at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka next Saturday.
"Three games in six days is huge - the six guys that aren't stripping, I told them they'll be definitely stripping on Tuesday.
"We've picked the last game in Fiji as our toughest. That's the game we're we'll put out our strongest team, aside from any injuries."
Last time these teams met in Masterton in 2015, NZ Heartland just got home 47-42 after an exciting game.
Kickoff is at 2pm today.
The New Zealand Heartland XV is
1. Ralph Darling (North Otago); 2. Hayden Wisnewski (Thames Valley); 3. Scott Cameron (Horowhenua Kapiti); 4. Josh (JJ) Manning (West Coast); 5. Everard Reid (Poverty Bay); 6. Peter Rowe (Wanganui); 7. Dan Hytongue (Buller); 8. Kieran Coll (c) (South Canterbury); 9. Lindsay Horrocks (Wanganui); 10. James Lash (vc) (Buller); 11. Willie Paia'aua (Horowhenua Kapiti); 12. Lemi Masoe (North Otago); 13. James Hemara (King Country); 14. Te Rangatira Waitokia (Wanganui) or Maleli Sau (Mid Canterbury); 15. Sam Monaghan (Wairarapa Bush).
Reserves - 16. Jackson Donlan (Mid Canterbury); 17. Timaru Tafa (South Canterbury); 18. Viki Tofa (Wanganui); 19. Aarin Dunster (King Country); 20. Eddie Cranston (Wairarapa Bush); 21. Zayn Tipping (King Country); 22. John Koko (King Country); 23. Maleli Sau or Nete Caucau (Mid Canterbury).