Pre-season trial v Otago preview [Marl Express]
The Tasman Makos' buildup to the ITM rugby competition continues on Sunday at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin when they take on an Otago selection.
Makos coach Kieran Keane and his assistant, Leon MacDonald, were pleased with Friday's 29-5 win over a Canterbury selection at Kaikoura and they are looking for further improvements.
Keane said: "The cohesion they showed last week against Canterbury was really good.
"We've got a few injury niggles, a few bumps and bruises but nothing extraordinary."
Keane intends running two different combinations, one in each half, against Otago as he continues to work towards settling on his starting XV for the ITM Cup opener against Canterbury.
On the injury front, Waitohi centre Bryce Heem returns, having missed last week's game with an ankle injury and skipper Andrew Goodman comes back having missed the Canterbury match due to a head knock suffered in the Nelson Bays grand final.
Marlborough-based players George Millar and Daniel Hawkins, backup players to the Makos squad and who got game time against Canterbury, won't be travelling south.
They are turning out for Marlborough in tomorrow's Seddon Shield defence against Buller.
The Makos coaches are trying some players in different positions on Sunday. Waratahs back Peter Betham will feature at both fullback and wing, Joe Wheeler at lock and blindside flanker and Robbie Malneek at first-five and fullback.
Former All Blacks prop Campbell Johnstone, ex-Manu Samoa lock Filipo Levi and No 8 Vernon Fredericks have been named to play both halves, while Goodman will also play the majority of the match at second-five.
The injury news is not so flash for Crusaders utility back Tom Marshall and loose forward Liam Squire, who will both be unavailable for at least another month.
Lock Riki Hoeata will miss Sunday's match due to a knee injury but Keane said he should be available for the ITM Cup opener against Canterbury at Trafalgar Park in Nelson on Friday, August 24, at 8.05pm.
Otago began their warmup phase with an 87-0 romp over South Canterbury in Dunedin last week.
They will not have the services of any Super rugby players, nor their All Blacks Tamati Ellison, Ben Smith and Adam Thomson, and they've also lost their original first-choice captain, loose-forward Eben Joubert, with a career-ending neck injury.
Kick-off in Dunedin on Sunday is at 1pm.
Tasman Makos team for the first half is: Peter Betham, Mitchell Scott, Kieron Fonotia, Andrew Goodman (cpt), James Lowe, Robbie Malneek, Steve Alfeld, Vernon Fredericks, Gary Redmond, Tevita Cavubati, Joe Wheeler, Filipo Levi, Campbell Johnstone, Francis Smith, Tim Perry.
Second half team: Malneek, Scott, Bryce Heem, Goodman (cpt), Betham, Hayden Cripps, Jeremy Sua, Fredericks, Shane Christie, Wheeler, Cavubati, Levi, Johnstone, Quentin MacDonald, Sam Prattley
Otago:Tony Ensor, Matt Faddes, Jayden Spence, Glenn Dickson, Buxton Popoali'i, Hayden Parker, Fumiaki Tanaka, Paul Grant (cpt), Lee Allan, TJ Ioane, Rob Verbarkel, Tom Franklin, Aki Seiuli, Sam Anderson-Heather, Scott Manson. Subs: Shota Horie/Liam Coltman, Tama Tuirirangi, Justin Ives/Adam Hill, Hugh Blake/Gareth Evans, Brad Webber, Peter Breen, Mike Collins/Marshall Suckling.
