The Otago under-19 rugby team survived the Christchurch earthquake earlier this month, but face another shuddering experience against the New Zealand secondary schools team today.
While the earthquake caused the game against Canterbury Country to be called off, there will be no escape from the thundering schools team at the University Oval today.
"We are excited by the challenge and will be giving it 100 percent," Otago under-19 coach Brett McCormack told the Otago Daily Times yesterday.
"We know the successful history of the New Zealand schools team and will be keen to give them a good hit out."
The Otago under-19 team has played three games this season. It lost to Canterbury 16-9 and Tasman 26-22 in a triangular tournament in Christchurch and beat Otago Country Colts 46-7.
The two premier players in the side are University A fullback Matt Faddes and Dunedin No 8 Gareth Evans.
Other players in the New Zealand age group trials are former Alexandra player Jayden Spence (centre), Brad Weber (halfback), Lee Allan (flanker) and Blair Tweed (lock).
The New Zealand Schools team will be captained by second five-eighth Ope Peleseuma. The squad captain TJ Perenara is on the bench.
The game starts at the University Oval at 11.45am.
• Otago Metropolitan will take on Nelson Bays this morning in a semifinal of the under-16 tournament in Queenstown.
Otago Country missed out on the top four after a heart-breaking 13-10 loss to South Canterbury yesterday.
Otago Metropolitan won through to the semifinal by beating Canterbury Country 15-12 yesterday.
In the other semifinal, South Canterbury would take on Canterbury Metropolitan.
Canterbury Metropolitan had a convincing 34-8 win over Southland yesterday.
Southland would take on Otago Country today in a match to decide which side will go into the final of the middle four. The sides have played earlier this season, with Otago Country coming out on top.
Otago Country made plenty of running yesterday in its match and it could have gone either way. South Canterbury led 8-5 at the break.
OTAGO UNDER 19 v NZ SECONDARY SCHOOLS
• Otago Under 19: Matt Faddes, Tony Ensor, Jayden Spence, Logan Moore, Sam Lawson, Brandon Manuel, Brad Weber, Gareth Evans, Mitch Clarke, Lee Allan, Matt Fraser, Blair Tweed, Ben Hoffman, Sam Sturgess, Blair Laughton.
Reserves: Chris King, Matt Te Tana, Steve Burt, Ethan Todd, Chris Beeby, Kerrod Baldwin, Logan O'Connell.
• New Zealand Secondary Schools: Junior Tofa-Vaa, Milford Keresoma, James Lowe, Ope Peleseuma (captain), Matt Proctor, Scott Eade, Bryn Hall, Suilogo Fotofili, Jacob Heenan, Tupou Sapoaga, Joe Latta, Michael Fatialofa (vice captain), Ofa Tuungafasi, Gafatasi Su'a, Tuki Raimona.
Reserves: Michael Gardner, Aston Talaia, Nick Ross, TJ Perenara, Doug Horrocks, Matt McGahan, Jason Emery.
