The 137kg loose forward, who stands close to 2m tall, played the final 20 minutes off the bench in the Southland Stags’ 56-8 loss to Auckland in Invercargill on Wednesday night.
Tosi (20) is also
to be used from the bench in Southland’s final game of the 2018 season against Manawatu in Palmerston North tomorrow.
He said the short stint on the field against Auckland had given him an idea on what was required at this level.
"At first I found it tough. Being on your debut you go out there fizzing and I was nervous. But once I got my hands on the ball, and got involved, it just became another game," he said.
Tosi’s presence was obvious as the Marist loose forward carried the ball strongly soon after he got on the field.
That ability to bend the opposition’s defensive line through sheer size and power is something Southland has had little of this season.
Tosi is well aware he is still a work in progress.His off-season target is to get a bit lighter and fitter.
"I’m about 136-137 [kg]. I’d like to get down under 130kg. My fitness has always been something I’ve needed to work on," he said.
It has been at No8 where Tosi has made his mark in Southland rugby to date, but he was introduced on the flank against Auckland.
Added to his debut challenge was that Tosi had just two days with the team to work through all the lineout calls and various Stags’ systems to ensure he was up to speed.
He is a touch more comfortable heading into tomorrow’s game against Manawatu and hoping for even more game time.
Tosi said at this stage he had nothing set in stone for next year but he would probably remain in Southland.
"If nothing pops up, I’ll probably stay down here for another year and play another season for Marist."
Tosi is a former New Zealand secondary school rugby league representative who moved from Rotorua to Southland last year after his final year at Rotorua Boys’ High School. As expected, there have been several changes to the team which lost to Auckland for Sunday’s game against Manawatu.
Lock Manaaki Selby-Rickit and loose forward Tony Lamborn started against Auckland on Wednesday and will also start against Manawatu.
Ethan De Groot, Jesse MacDonald, and Morgan Mitchell return to fill the front-row spots, while Ben Fotheringham comes back into the second row.
Ray Tatafu and Phil Halder, who was a late scratching from the game against Auckland because of a hip injury, join Lamborn to make up the loose forward trio. Nico Costa retains his place at halfback and James Wilson returns to first five-eighth. Ray Nu’u and Matt Johnson make up the midfield, Isaac Te Tamaki, Rory van Vugt, and Lewis Ormond comprise the back three. Manawatu has been bolstered by the inclusion of All Blacks Nehe Milner-Skudder, Ngani Laumape, and Jackson Hemopo.
Sam Stewart, who started the year as Star’s captain in Southland club rugby, will start at hooker for Manawatu.
The former Southland Boys’ High School player shifted north this year to try push for more game time with Manawatu.
He played one game for the Stags off the bench last year.
Kick-off for tomorrow’s game is 4.35pm.
- Logan Savory
Southland
To play Manawatu
Southland: Lewis Ormond, Isaac Te Tamaki, Matt Johnson, Ray Nu’u, Rory van Vugt, James Wilson, Nico Costa, Tony Lamborn, Phil Halder, Ray Tatafu, Manaaki Selby-Rickit, Ben Fotheringham, Morgan Mitchell, Jesse MacDonald, Ethan de Groot. Reserves: Andrew Ready, Joe Walsh, Chris Apoua, Bill Fukofuka, Viliami Tosi, Jay Renton, Broc Hooper, Aleki Morris-Lome.
Manawatu: Sam Malcolm, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Rob Thompson, Ngani Laumape, Ngani Laumape, Otere Black, Kayne Hammington, Sam Slade, Antonio Kiri Kiri, Jackson Hermopo, Nick Crosswell, Liam Mitchell, Michael Alaalatoa, Sam Stewart, Fraser Armstrong. Reserves: Gene Syminton, Sean Paranihi, Sione Asi, Liam Hallam-Eames, Brice Henderson, Jamie Booth, Jade Te Rure, Hamish Northcott.