Tasman chief has reason to smile [Nelson Mail]
Andrew Flexman could be excused for sporting one of the broadest grins at Tasman Rugby Union headquarters this week.
Tasman's chief executive certainly was not getting ahead of himself in the wake of the Mako's impressive season-opening 25-22 upset national provincial championship win over Canterbury on Friday. But he was feeling some sense of vindication after the union's new off-season signings turned up trumps against the defending champions.
Eight players were making their Tasman debuts on Friday, with a ninth, lock Filipo Levi, returning after just four games with the side last season.
Flexman said it was also satisfying to have already proved some sections of the rugby media wrong in the season's opening game, many of whom had predicted another lean year for Tasman.
"It's early days to be fair and we're pretty intent on staying grounded, which I think you have to, because we've got another nine games to tick off yet," Flexman said.
"We know that if we have a bit of luck with injuries... and as Friday illustrated, we've got a bit of depth off the bench this year. And let's be honest, that's the key at this level, you've got to have impact off your bench and I think we definitely have that.
"I remain quietly confident that we've got a squad that's capable of giving it a bloody good crack in the second seven [championship] and we've already knocked over a team in a crossover game."
Ahead of Saturday's Ranfurly Shield challenge against Taranaki, Flexman said that the squad would be left largely to its own devices in terms of preparing for what is arguably their biggest match of the season.
"I can see that they're already pretty much in the zone and focused. I've seen that from the coaches [Kieran Keane and Leon MacDonald], you know, a lot of intensity around everything they were doing [on Monday].
"The whole notion with this game, with the likes of a shield challenge, it's a big opportunity for these boys and I'm sure in their own minds they all recognise that.
"The reality is, I think you can put too much pressure on yourself if you drastically change anything. It's just another game and you've got to go out and do a job over 80 minutes."
However, he said that the union would be doing a presentation with major sponsor SBS Bank tomorrow involving a "substantially sized" placard incorporating a Ranfurly Shield and messages of support from some of the team's supporters who attended Friday's game.
"We'll present that to Goody [captain Andrew Goodman] on Thursday morning, just so that the boys know that the region's behind them."
In terms of Tasman's prospects of lifting New Zealand provincial rugby's most prized possession, Flexman alluded to a comment by television presenter Tony Johnson last weekend that challengers would need a crowbar to take the trophy off Taranaki.
"I tend to agree. From [Taranaki's] perspective, it's their first major defence... so they're going to be absolutely hell bent on keeping the thing.
"They're going to be tough, no doubt about it, but at the same time, our coaches have identified what they consider to be a few weaknesses and they're certainly a team that's beatable.
"If you front on the night and get it right over 80 minutes, there's no reason why you can't do it."
