Otago set to unleash rookie try-scoring machine on Manawatu
Otago have made three personnel changes and a further two positional switches as they go in search of their first Mitre 10 Cup win of the season against Manawatu on Sunday.
Headlining the alterations is promising rookie wing Freedom Vahaakolo, who comes into the starting side following Otago’s 38-6 drubbing at the hands of Auckland in last weekend’s opening round.
The 23-year-old made his provincial debut off the bench in that match, but has been handed a chance to prove his worth with the run-on side after being named to start on the right wing by head coach Tom Donnelly.
Those within Otago rugby circles have spoken highly of the sizeable speedster after he impressed in local club rugby with the Dunedin club following a move south from Auckland side Ponsonby earlier this year.
A former Auckland age-grade and sevens representative, Vahaakolo brings with him a reputation of churning out tries, scoring six in his first five games for Dunedin this year, and 21 for Ponsonby last season.
He joins a formidable outside back trio made up of Highlanders pair Jona Nareki and Vilimoni Koroi, the latter shifting to fullback after donning the No. 14 jersey against Auckland.
Koroi takes the place of captain Michael Collins, who has moved to centre in place of the benched Josh Timu to create a midfield partnership with Aleki Morris-Lome.
Timu fills the void left by the suspended Sio Tomkinson in the No. 22 jersey, and will be joined in the reserves by young Southland recruit Sean Withy, who is in line for his first-class debut.
The backline will be steered around the park by one-test All Blacks first five Josh Ioane and Highlanders halfback Kayne Hammington.
In the forwards, Crusaders prop George Bower, who was part of the South Island team that won the North v South clash earlier this month, is a straight swap for ex-New Zealand Schools front rower Jonah Aiona.
The only other change comes at lock, with Canterbury loanee Will Tucker replacing New Zealand Maori U20 and New Zealand Universities starlet Josh Hill to partner up with former Ulster and Ireland U20 representative Jack Regan in the second row.
There are no other changes to report, with All Blacks hooker Liam Coltman retained in the starting lineup, while Tonga star and former Highlander captain Nasi Manu remains on the bench.
Otago team to play Manawatu:
1. George Bower, 2. Liam Coltman, 3. Josh Hohneck, 4. Jack Regan, 5. Will Tucker, 6. Charles Elton, 7. Slade McDowall, 8. Dylan Nel, 9. Kayne Hammington, 10. Josh Ioane, 11. Jona Nareki, 12. Aleki Morris-Lome, 13. Michael Collins (c), 14. Freedom Vahaakolo, 15. Vilimoni Koroi.
Reserves: 16. Ricky Jackson, 17. Jonah Aiona, 18. Hisa Sasagi, 19. Josh Hill, 20. Nasi Manu, 21. James Arscott, 22. Josh Timu, 23. Sean Withy.
Comments on RugbyPass
We’re building a bridge but can't agree where the river is.
2 Go to commentsfirst no arms shoulder or helmet tackle into his rib cage is going to be so very painful even to watch. go back to RU mate.
1 Go to commentsBulls by 5. Plus another 50.
3 Go to commentsJohan Goosen avatar. Cute. Surely someone at RP knows how to do a google image search?
3 Go to commentsCan’t these games play a little earlier? Asking for a friend.
3 Go to commentsIt’s impressive that we can see huge stadiums with attendance in the 40 000 to 50 000 region. It shows how popular this competition is becoming. What is even more impressive is the massive growth in broadcast viewership. The URC is one of the two best leagues in the World, the other being the Top14.
7 Go to commentsChristie is not Sottish, like the majority of the Scotland team.
2 Go to commentsHold the phone, decline over-rated. Is it a one game, dead cat bounce or the real thing? Has the Penney dropped? Stay tuned.
45 Go to commentsTotally deserved win for the Crusaders Far smarter than the Chiefs who seem to be avoiding the basics when it matters Hotham showed them what was missing and Hannah seems a real find - a tad light but that can be fixed over time
8 Go to commentsGreat insight into the performance culture with Sarries and I predict Christie will be a fixture in the Scotland team now for some time to come. However, he is slightly missing his own point around Scotland “being soft” when he cites physicality examples in defence of that slight. The issue is much closer to the example he referenced around feeling off before a game but being told “it doesn’t matter, you can still play well” by Farrell. Until Scotland can get their psyche in that square, they will carry on folding under extreme pressure…
2 Go to comments> We are having to adapt, evolve and innovate more than when we were in Super Rugby where there was only really one style that everybody had to play to gain the most success. Have = able to? Interesting what that one style might be? I thought SA sides still had bad tours now, or at least bad schedule, months away? Those extra few hours flights have to be a killer though, no surprise to see their sides doing so badly at the start of the season each year. I wouldn’t enjoy that unfairness as a supporter.
7 Go to commentsThe problem for NZ, and Aus, is they ripped up the SR model and lost a massive chunk of revenue that hasn’t been replaced. Don’t forget SA clubs went North because they were left with no choice, Argy unceremoniously binned and Japan cast adrift. Now SR wasn’t perfect, far from it, but they’ve jumped into something without an effective plan, so far, to replace what they’ve lost. The biggest revenue potential now lies in Japan but it won’t be easy or quick to unlock, they are incredibly insular in culture as a nation. In the meantime, there is a serious time bomb sitting under SH rugby and if it happens then the current financial challenges will look like a picnic. IF the Boks follow their provincial teams and head north then it’s revenue meltdown. Not guaranteed to happen but the status quo is a very odd hybrid, with the Boks pointing one way and the clubs pointing the other way. And for as long as that remains then the threat is real.
45 Go to commentsI think Etene has had some good tuition, likely while at the Warriors to be a professional that helped his rugby jump, but he was certainly thrown in the deep end way too early. Should have arguably 20 less SR caps, and therefor a way better record that he does at his age, but his development would have been fast tracked by the need to satiate his signing away from league. Again, credit to him and others that he has done it so well. Easy to fall over under that pressure in the big leagues like that but he kept at it when I myself wasn’t sure he was good enough.
1 Go to commentsAwesome story. I wonder what a bigger American (SA) scene might have mean for Brex.
1 Go to comments“Johnny McNicholl and the Crusaders” save a Penney. Who has been in camp this week and showed them how to play?
8 Go to commentsSo, reports of the Crusaders’ demise / terminal decline are perhaps just - slightly - premature/exaggerated…? 🤔 Will we see a deep-dive into that by the estimable Rugbypass scribes, and maybe one or two mea culpas? Thought not.
8 Go to comments1. The Chiefs are rudderless without DMac, which enhances his AB chances 2. Chiefs pack are powderpuffs. The hard men arent there anymore 3. They had their golden title chance last yr and wont threaten this yr. Gone in second round of playoffs.
8 Go to commentsHonestly, why did you have to publish such a foolish article the day they play us? 😂
45 Go to comments> They are not standalone entities. They are linked to an amateur association which holds the FFR licence that allows the professional side to compete in the league. That’s a great rule. This looks like the chicken or egg professional scenario. How long is it going to be before the club can break even (if that is even a thing in French rugby)? If the locals aren’t into well it would be good to se them drop to amateur level (is it that far?). Hope they can reset from this level and be more practical, there will be a time when they can rebuild (if France has there setup right).
1 Go to commentsWhat about changing the ball? To something heavier and more pointed that bounces unpredictably. Not this almost round football used these days.
35 Go to comments