Rugby: Coltman's return against Southland boost for Otago

Liam Coltman.
Liam Coltman.
The casualty ward appears to be clearing for the Otago side before its crunch game against southern rival Southland.

Captain Liam Coltman has recovered from rib damage which forced him out of the past two games.

He was replaced by Sam Anderson-Heather but the Dunedin hooker picked up a nasty ankle sprain against Auckland 10 days ago and has not been cleared to play this week.

Coltman will be a key addition to the side and his ability around the breakdown and strong driving play will be in demand against Southland.

Promising hooker Sekonaia Pole made a sound starting debut against Wellington last Thursday and is an able back-up to Coltman.

Lock Jackson Hemopo is over his knee complaint and will be available this week, but the prognosis is not as good for Joe Latta.

Latta, who played for the Highlanders this season and was looking for a big year, has a stress fracture in his leg and it is unclear when it will come right.

Too much pressure and training on the leg will further damage it so Latta has been unable to fully train.

There is no defined time for recovery so Latta is in a holding pattern at the moment.

Flanker James Lentjes, who took a head knock in the first game against Canterbury and has not been sighted since, has been cleared to play and will be available this weekend.

Whether coach Cory Brown decides to bring back players such as Coltman and Lentjes straight back into the team has yet to be decided.

Lentjes has been replaced by Adam Knight for the past two games and the Southern loose forward has put in good efforts in the unfamiliar position for him of openside flanker.

Brown confirmed nothing had been decided on the team to face Southland.

Some of the returning players will come straight back into the side while others may come on to the bench.

It was a big game against Southland and not just because it was a game for the Donald Stuart Memorial Trophy.

Otago has the trophy after beating Southland last year in Invercargill.

Brown said it was a match with plenty up for grabs.

''The game is massive. They like to beat us and we like to beat them. Hopefully, we can get a good crowd in and give them a good game.''

Southland won the most recent game at the stadium between the sides, in 2013.

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