Otago vs Hawke's Bay
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Magpies:
1 Pouri Rakete-Stones, 2 Ash Dixon (c), 3 Joel Hintz, 4 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 5 Tom Parsons, 6 Geoff Cridge, 7 Brendon O'Connor (vc), 8 Devan Flanders, 9 Brad Weber, 10 Lincoln McClutchie, 11 Mason Emerson, 12 Danny Toala, 13 Stacey Ili, 14 Jonah Lowe, 15 Caleb Makene
Reserves:
16 Kianu Kereru-Symes, 17 Ben May, 18 Namatahi Waa, 19 Solomone Funaki, 20 Josh Kaifa, 21 Folau Fakatava, 22 Neria Fomai, 23 Ollie Sapsford -
This is the squad posted by the HBRU on instagram. This morning's article in the HBT still had Jonah Lowe and Ollie Sapsford bracketed, saying that Lowe had to pass a fitness test this afternoon at captain's run. So either he has already passed the fitness test, or the HBRU will change the line-up if he doesn't.
Another of the Magpies former Otago players, former All Black No 8 Gareth Evans, won't take the field against his former team. Ozich said Evans eye injury collected in the August 11 win against the Manawatu Turbos needs more time to heal. Two-time Under 20 World Cup player with the Baby Blacks, Devan Flanders, moves from blindside flanker to the No 8 role. Former Baby Black Geoff Cridge moves from lock to replace Flanders in the No 6 jersey and Maori All Black Isaia Walker-Leawere replaces Cridge at lock. MAC club player Solomone Funaki replaces Walker-Leawere on the subs bench and if he takes the field it will be his second first class outing for the Magpies and first this season.https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503460&objectid=12260487
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@Stargazer I like the look of the team - good to see that Lowe will be back in as soon as he's uninjured. Also good to see IWL get a start. When is Mikaele Tu'u due back? We have some pretty decent depth at number 8.
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@Nepia About a month ago, I think before the preseason game against Waikato, they said Mikaele-Tu'u would be out for approx 6 weeks. So it shouldn't be too long until he'll be back, too. Yep, we have a good group of loosies, with quite a bit of competition for spots in the match day 23 if they're all healthy. Same with locks, btw (not sure what's wrong with Allardice and when he's due back).
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@Nepia suprising Walker-Leawere hasn't started earlier. He is better than both Parsons and Cridge.
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@Canes4life said in Magpies v Otago:
@Nepia suprising Walker-Leawere hasn't started earlier. He is better than both Parsons and Cridge.
Maybe Plumtree is influencing Ozich.
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@Canes4life Maybe they wanted to give him time to get to know the team and how they play. After all, the Maori ABs joined the squad late in preseason and he is new and has never (trained and) played with most of them.
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Otago
1 Aki Seiuli, 2. Liam Coltman, 3. George Bower, 4. Joe Latta, 5. Josh Dickson, 6. Adam Thomson, 7. James Lentjes (c), 8. Sione Misiloi, 9. Kayne Hammington, 10. Josh Ioane, 11. Jona Nareki, 12. Patelesio Tomkinson, 13. Aleki Morris-Lome, 14. Henry Purdy, 15. Vilimoni KoroiReserves:
16 Sekonaia Pole, 17. Jonah Aoina, 18. Hisa Sasagi, 19. Louis Conradie, 20. Dylan Nel, 21. Rowan Gouws, 22. Harumichi Tatekawa, 23. Michael Collins -
@Stargazer good point, interesting he is at 4 and not 5 - though I'm not too sure if it matters too much.
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@Higgins said in Magpies v Otago:
@Nepia said in Magpies v Otago:
7-7 Otago hot on attack and McClutchie is in the bin for a deliberate knock down.
Two nice defences of opposition linneout drvies though Napia. Shows we can hand them out as well as defend them.
Yep, and fatties in for another try.
