Howden has been named to start at lock in the Southland Stags’ Mitre 10 Cup game against Auckland at Rugby Park in Invercargill tonight.
Howden was a bolter when this year’s Stags squad was initially named before the start of the season. Now he is bracing himself for his first start.
After many years of playing for Midlands and the Eastern-Northern Barbarians at club level, Southland Country and Southland B looked to be his representative lot.
However, the Stouthland decision-makers offered him his first provincial contract for the 2018 season.
To date, his workload with the Stags has largely been restricted to the training field, although he has been used off the bench four times.
Howden said he had not found the physicality of provincial rugby a big step up but indicated the speed of the game was certainly quicker than playing for Southland Country.
"I’m a little bit anxious, a wee bit nervous, I suppose. But I’m also excited at the same time," he said about tonight’s opportunity to start at lock.
Southland rugby followers best know Howden as an abrasive loose forward, but it is at lock where the Southland coaches see him fitting best into their squad.
"I’m probably not quick enough at the moment as a loose forward. I put 8kg on in the off-season, so that speed is something I’ll need to work on this off-season," he said.
Howden’s selection is one of a host of changes to the team which lost 26-22 to Bay of Plenty on Sunday.
Only Selby-Rickit and Phil Halder will run out in the same jersey they wore on Sunday.
Most of the players missing have simply been rested, although Presley Tufuga broke his thumb coming off the bench against Bay of Plenty and James Wilson and Isaac Te Tamaki are carrying niggly injuries.
The starting XV contains 11 changes and a further positional switches. Tony Lamborn takes over the captaincy and moves back to the blindside flank while Lewis Ormond, one of three Southland try-scorers on the weekend, moves from left wing to fullback.
Shaun Stodart, Andrew Ready and Chris Apoua make up an all-new front row with Howden partnering Selby-Rickit at lock and Bill Fukofuka returning at No8.
The backline has been fully revamped. Nico Costa gets another start at halfback inside Tayler Adams, who will make his second start. Matt Johnson and Aleki Morris-Lome partner each other in midfield and Rory van Vugt and Jackson Ormond get starts on the wing.
Viliami Tosi caps a strong season for Marist and Southland B, coming on to the bench as loose forward cover for the game.Hewett said the changes were in part about managing workload, along with giving players an opportunity.
- Logan Savory
Mitre 10 Cup
Tonight, 7.35pm
Southland: Lewis Ormond, Jackson Ormond, Aleki Morris, Matt Johnson, Rory van Vugt, Tayler Adams, Nico Costa, Bill Fukofuka, Phil Halder, Tony Lamborn, Manaaki Selby-Rickit, Brenton Howden, Chris Apoua, Andrew Ready, Shaun Stodart.
Reserves; Jesse MacDonald, Joe Walsh, Rueben Northover, Ray Tatafu, Viliami Tosi, Jay Renton, Broc Hooper, Ray Nu2u.
Auckland:Jordan Trainor, Melani Nanai, Tumua Manu, TJ Faiane, Salesi Ravasi, Harry Plummer, Jonathan Ruru, Hoskins Sotuto, Adrian Choat, Waimana Riedlinger, Michael Fatialofa, Fa2atiga Lemalu, Marco Fepulea2I, Mike Sosene-Feagai, Ezekiel Lindermouth.
Reserves; Robbie Abel, Jarred Adams, Marcel Renata, Evan Olmstead, Akira Ioane, Desma Liaina, Daniel Kirkpatrick, Caleb Clarke.