Rugby: Manu ready and confident for another busy season

The engine inside Nasi Manu does not know the off button.

Not that he is complaining.

More rugby is his cup of tea.

Manu (23) played every Super 15 game last year for the Highlanders, and then turned round and was on the field for Canterbury in every game when it won the ITM Cup.

Now he readies himself for another Super 15 season, one where it looks like he will clock up plenty of minutes.

"Last year was just a good year all round. I was definitely more professional in my rehab from some niggles and was really thorough in preparing for games," he said.

"All this little stuff has helped in getting my shoulders and knees right. I think I'm playing with a bit more confidence in my game."

Manu will be a key man for the Highlanders at No 8 and knows he has plenty to carry on his shoulders.

"Sure there are bigger expectations but we know that.

We've brought in a couple of X-factor players and that should help us. It will make us under a bit more pressure but you want the pressure."

Manu will team up with John Hardie and Adam Thomson in the final pre-season game against the Blues today.

The loose forward area is about the only part of the Highlanders squad which is relatively injury-free. The midfield remains decimated and Southland youngster Cardiff Vaega has been called in to sit on the bench.

A member of the Southland rugby academy, Vaega is the son of former Highlanders midfielder To'o Vaega, who played 13 games for the Highlanders in 1996-97.

New boy Phil Burleigh will team up with Ben Smith in the midfield and coach Jamie Joseph admitted the injured players were not likely to play next week in the competition opener, against the Chiefs in Hamilton.

Tamati Ellison may be back in the country next week if his Japanese side loses its match in the weekend and Joseph said he would have no hesitation rushing him into the team.

Props Chris King (groin) and Ma'afu Fia (hamstring) are also out injured, so scrum coach Kees Meeuws will sit on the bench.

Meeuws (37) should not look out of place, as he played provincial rugby last year, and Joseph said there were few quality tighthead props available around the country.

Winger Kade Poki (knee) and first five-eighth Colin Slade (hernia) are still injured and are all but out of next week's game.

Prop and captain Jamie Mackintosh and lock Josh Bekhuis have both come through their short work-outs last week, and will start today.

Joseph said the pair had been in surprisingly good shape after their runs against the Chiefs last weekend, and would play as much of the game as they could today.

The Highlanders fly up this morning and return this evening. The game is being played at the Unitec ground in Auckland, where the Blues train.

The Blues will not start Piri Weepu and former Highlander Michael Hobbs will get a chance at first five-eighth.

Skipper Keven Mealamu will play his first game of the season.

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Highlanders v Blues
Auckland, today, 2.30pm
Highlanders: Kurt Baker, Telusa Veainu, Ben Smith, Phil Burleigh, Hosea Gear, Lima Sopoaga, Jimmy Cowan, Nasi Manu, John Hardie, Adam Thomson, Nick Crosswell, Josh Bekhuis, Bronson Murray, Andrew Hore, Jamie Mackintosh (captain). Reserves: Jason Rutledge, Jacob Ellison, Kees Meeuws, Culum Retallick, Hoani Macdonald, Doug Tietjens, Aaron Smith, Chris Noakes, Buxton Popoali'i, Cardiff Vaega.
Blues: Rudi Wulf, David Raikuna, Rene Ranger, Benson Stanley, Lachie Munro, Michael Hobbs, Alby Mathewson, Jerome Kaino, Daniel Braid, Luke Braid, Ali Williams, Anthony Boric, Charlie Faumuina, Keven Mealamu (captain), Tom McCartney. Reserves: Pauliasi Manu, Angus Ta'avao, Tevita Mailau, Liaki Moli, Filo Paulo, Peter Saili, Chris Lowrey, Brad Mika, Piri Weepu, Gareth Anscombe, Isaia Toeava.
Referee: Keith Brown.

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