Chance for potential Tasman Makos players to show their wares

The payoff for compelling club form is about to be rewarded as the Tasman Makos rugby selectors cast their eye over the province's emerging talent.

Tasman's pre-season campaign begins in Palmerston North on Wednesday when a Tasman Emerging Players team takes on their Manawatu counterparts at FMG Stadium. It kicks off a three-match programme, including a game against Otago at Trafalgar Park on Saturday, followed by Wellington at Blenheim's Lansdowne Park the following Thursday. Tasman's national provincial championship opener is against Waikato in Hamilton on Friday, August 14.

With so many of Tasman's players involved in this year's Super Rugby competition, coaches Kieran Keane and Leon MacDonald are using the next couple of weeks to not only rest some key players, but also to let the most promising of this season's club players test themselves at a higher level.

As always with pre-season build ups, results are peripheral to the prime objective of testing newcomers under pressure and analysing their potential as first class players. And while there will still be a healthy sprinkling of contracted players on deck against Manawatu, the focus will be on other players to test their ability.

"It's a watch and wait scenario to see how they handle things. It's a big day, it's a pretty tough ask but it'll be good for sorting the wheat from the chaff," head coach Keane said.

He confirmed that the preparation had been "minimal", with only four full training sessions possible prior to tomorrow's game.

"There's quite a bit of new stuff to teach and we want to test some new structures and new ideas so these boys are the combatants for that.

"Results are secondary, it's more about giving players a chance to play at a rep level that they aspire to, put a few contracted players around them who need a bit of football - and also have a look at some of our new stuff that we're trying to bring through.

"They've all come through the high performance trainings so they know the concepts that we don't negotiate with. So they do have a grounding, we're not throwing them in the deep end."

Central prop Jake Stafford-Wood, 2.11m-tall Stoke lock Will Carrick-Smith and Kahurangi's Ben Sadrugu are among the new tight forwards on display, with mobile Marist flanker Shannon Frizell and Moutere's Mike Curry joining contracted player Pete Samu among the loose forwards. Contracted players, hooker Jesse MacDonald and prop Ross Geldenhuys, complete the starting forward lineup.

Midfielder Alex Nankivell and Moutere utility back Johhny Ika join winger Kerehama Barrett as the backline newbies, leaving the halves combination of Jimmy Cowan and Rohan Saifoloi, centre Kieron Fonotia and long-serving fullback Robbie Malneek to provide the necessary experience.

Marist hooker Nathan Baxter, Kahurangi prop Brock Kahu, dynamic Wanderers loosie Tone Ng Shiu and Waimea Old Boys halfback James Lash Makos players Siua Halanukonuka, Jeff Lepa, David Havili and former captain Andrew Goodman among the reserves.

Keane said he'd been satisfied that this year's club scene had thrown up plenty of fresh talent, particularly with Nelson Bays finalist Kahurangi and new Marlborough champion Moutere having performed so well.

"We're pretty young on both sides of the hill. Squads have thrown up some new talent and some new names, but across the board, there seems to be a bit of a new guard appearing throughout the club scene.

"There are some bright new faces there and that augurs well for succession. We are quite a settled team and we've got a bit of age on our side, so it's quite refreshing."

Identifying genuine Makos contenders takes on added significane in light of a lengthy injury list which Keane said had kept him "on edge".

Star winger James Lowe (shoulder) and midfielder Tom Marshall (knee) are already gone for the season, with Tevita Koloamatangi, Vernon Fredericks, Joe Wheeler, Alex Ainley, Ross Geldenhuys, Liam Squire, Viliami Lolohea, Tim Perry, Kane Hames all at various stages of rehabilitation.

Tomorrow's game kicks off at 1.30pm.

Tasman Emerging Players: Robbie Malneek, Kerehama Barrett, Kieron Fonotia, Alex Nankivell, Johnny Ika, Rohan Saifoloi, Jimmy Cowan, Peter Samu, Mike Curry, Shannon Frizell, Ben Sadrugu, Will Carrick-Smith, Ross Geldenhuys, Jesse MacDonald, Jake Stafford-Wood. Reserves: Nathan Baxter, Siua Halanukonuka, Brock Kahu, Jeff Lepa, Tone Ng Shiu, James Lash, Andrew Goodman, David Havili.

Manawatu Turbos: Hamiora Thomas, Newton Tudreu, Jaxon Tagavaitau, Jamie Perigo, Semisi Masirewa, Sam Malcolm, Jamie Booth, Mark Atkins, Callum Gibbins, Antonio Kiri Kiri, Fraser Stone, Tom Hughes, Michael Alaalatoa, Nick Grogan, Adrian Barone. Reserves: Rob Foreman, Hakarangi Tichborne, Fraser Armstrong, Tim Cadwallader, Tom Parsons, Valentino Mapapalangi, Brice Henderson, Kayne Hammington, Jason Emery, Shai Wiperi