Southland club rugby has taken this weekend off and the focus is on the annual Country v Town fixtures at Rugby Park on King’s Birthday Monday.
A full afternoon of Southland’s best will be on show, beginning with the women’s game at 1.30pm, followed by the colts at 3.30pm and the main event at 5.30pm.
Town coach Ben McHugh said Rugby Southland staff members Matt Saunders, Davey Hall, Scotty Eade and James Wilson had selected the teams on a ‘‘state-of-origin’’ basis and were using the game as a Stags trial.
The two senior teams appear evenly matched. Country’s forward pack features several unbeaten Barbarians players.
The Baabaas front row has not been bettered yet this season, while Marist prop Shaun Stodart returns to the country colours and promising Blues hooker Tupou Kaufononga is also in the squad.
Pirates Old Boys’ four Japanese imports have been divided into each side as they each strive for Stags selection. Giant prop Shunsuke Asaoka will give the country boys a workout.
The Barbarians’ loose forward trio of Caine Taylor, Leroy Ferguson and Jacob Coghlan have been joined in the Country squad by Star’s Grayson Knapp, while Blair Ryall (Woodlands) is joined by Pirates Old Boys grafters Ben Keenan, Hayden Hegarty and Dustin Coveney in Town.
Town inside backs Liam Howley (Woodlands), Jay Renton (Blues), Kaea Nikora Balloch (POB), Ben Pope (Star) and Osika Kaufononga (Blues) have the better club form.
The Town midfielders also look to have superior ammunition, as Hawks pair Jaye Thompson and Isaac Te Tamaki are joined by Woodlands weapon Tauasosi Tuimavave.
The outside backs are well matched. Town’s powerful Stags winger Viliami Fine, Star’s skilful Cole Spinks and speedster Hughan Sharp will be hard to contain, but Country has its own smooth operator out wide in Levi Emery and the fastest man in the South, Michael Manson. Shuhei Yamaguchi will add the surprise factor.
Two Black Ferns feature in the women’s game.
Alena Saili will be playing for the Town women, and star prop Amy Rule will be helping with the Country team.
In the colts clash, Town fields a powerful tight five, meaning halfback Ian De Reuck and first five Sean Howlett could get room to move, though the Country colts’ loose trio of Jackson Bevin, Josh Evans and Billy Andrews looks impressive.
Written by John Langford
Squads.—
Country: Shaun Stodart, Tupou Kaufononga, Tom Scanlan, Jayden Henderson, Chris Barrett, Kane Prentice, Liam Ferguson, Mykel Sleeman, Tevita Makutu, Jakob Harrex, Woody Kirkwood, George Hazlett, Grayson Knapp, Leroy Ferguson, Jacob Coghlan, Caine Taylor, Jordan Stewart, Jahvis Wallace, Jack Keen, Levi Wairau, Rintaro Muriyama, Angus Simmers, Saqa Waqa, Joseva Mara, Vitali Roqica, Kalani Elder, Sheamus McGuigan, Michael Manson, Levi Emery, Henry Earland, Shuhei Yamaguchi.
Town: Shunsuke Asaoka, Jonah Aiona, Jacob Payne, Quinn Harrison Jones, Joe Walsh, Paula Latu, Niko Manaena, James Moodie, James Kora, Albert Qoro, Craig Smith, George Hall, Ben Keenan, Hayden Hegarty, Blair Ryall, Dustin Coveney, Olly Lawson, Liam Howley, Jay Renton, Kaea Nikora Balloch, Ben Pope, Osika Kaufononga, Tevita Latu, Keanu Kahukura, Isaac Te Tamaki, Jaye Thompson, Tauasosi Tuimavave, Viliami Fine, Cole Spinks, Hughan Sharp, Joe Koroaidi, Paula Latu.
