Favourites: Counties-Manukau
Counties Manukau and Otago have named their strongest available line-ups for the ITM Cup Championship Final at ECOLight Stadium, Pukekohe.
Otago are boosted by the inclusions of Ben Smith, Tamati Ellison and Adam Thomson as they look to topple the regular-season winners Counties.
"With Tamati and Ben back there I think it's going to help the team out a lot and hopefully in those crucial moments we'll make the right decisions," Otago head coach Tony Brown told ONE News.
"They've been a big part of our team this year even though they've only played two or three games and it's great to have them back and the boys enjoy training and playing with them."
The Steamers' line-up seems much the stronger with the likes of full-back Tim Nanai-Williams, hooker Mahonri Schwalger and wing Sherwin Stowers involved, but the visitors enter the finale confident following their 41-34 semi-final victory over the Tasman Makos.
Counties made their way to the final after beating Southland 48-23 in another entertaining clash where Stowers, Bundee Aki, Ray Lee-Lo (2), Tony Pulu and DJ Forbes all crossed.
The teams:
Counties: 15 Tim Nanai-Williams, 14 Tony Pulu, 13 Rey Lee-Lo, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Sherwin Stowers, 10 Baden Kerr, 9 August Pulu, 8 Jimmy Tupou, 7 DJ Forbes, 6 Mark Selwyn, 5 Daniel Adongo, 4 Ronald Raaymakers, 3 Matt Talaese, 2 Mahonri Schwalger, 1 Simon Lemalu.
Replacements: 16 Suliasi Taufalele, 17 Maka Tatafu, 18 Sikeli Nabou, 19 Maama Vaipulu, 20 David Bason, 21 Kane Hancy, 22 Tyrone Lefau.
Otago: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Marshall Suckling, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Glenn Dickson, 11 Buxton Popoali'i, 10 Hayden Parker, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 8 Gareth Evans, 7 Lee Allan, 6 Adam Thomson, 5 Rob Verbakel, 4 Jackson Hemopo, 3 Tama Tuirirangi, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Aki Seiuli.
Replacements: 16 Shota Horie, 17 Jacob Ellison, 18 Adam Hill, 19 TJ Ioane, 20 Peter Breen, 21 Jayden Spence, 22 Tony Enso.
Date: Friday, October 26
Kick-off: 19:35 local
Venue: ECOLight Stadium, Pukekohe
Referee: Keith Brown
Assistant referees: Richard Kelly, Ben Skeen
Television match official: Garratt Williamson
Comments
Otago says...
startledwombat, I fear you may be right. I'm still optimistic for an Otago victory though.
Posted 23:35 25th October 2012
Ferdie says...
I have not followed much of the 2nd tier ITM rugby, but will watch this one. Counties-Manukau have often seemed 'unlucky' to me, unable to finish/close-out games they could well have won.
A few players of interest (to me anyway), DJ Forbes the NZ Sevens captain, Daniel Odongo from Kenya and SA's Bulls who from what I've read has improved in his 4 mths here - good to see overseas players involved, as is Otago's reserve hooker Shota Horie from Japan, he has this week been named in the squad for their test series,
And a couple of Taranaki connections, Mahonri Schwalger was (stolen!) playing here till last year, and old Tama Tuirirangi also ex Taranaki and Hurricanes/Chiefs/Reds and in Italy, he started 15 seasons ago for Taranaki - a classic club/provincial player.
Posted 22:59 25th October 2012
startledwombat says...
Counties. Pukekohe is an Otago graveyard.
Posted 09:33 25th October 2012