Waikato ready for Hawke's Bay clash
Wed, 09 Jul 2008 10:43
New Zealand's premier domestic competition, the Air New Zealand Cup, is just around the corner, and teams are putting together their squads for pre-season warm-up games.
Twenty-six players have been selected by Waikato's Air New Zealand Cup coach Tony Hanks to play against Hawke's Bay in Napier this coming Friday.
The pre-season fixture is set to kick off at 18.00 local time at McLean Park, Napier.
Hanks said: "The first pre-season match is a great opportunity to see players put their skills to the test at a higher-level rugby match.
"Selection was based on players that have impressed in the club rugby competition and in training over the past three weeks with the Waikato wider training squad."
"Hawke's Bay are formidable opponents - they are a team that beat us twice on their home ground in the 2007 Air New Zealand Cup season.
"Our guys will thrive on the challenge ahead. This match will also assist us in choosing which players we will take to our week-long training camp next week."
Up to 30 players will be selected to attend a week-long training camp at Waihi Beach on Saturday following the first preseason match.
The final 2008 Waikato Air New Zealand Cup squad will be announced on Tuesday, July 22, with the Air New Zealand Cup tournament starting on Thursday, July 31.
Waikato: 15 Armyn Sanders (Hautapu), 14 Sosene Anesi (Hamilton Marist), 13 Jackson Willison (Hautapu), 12 Roimata Hansell-Pune (Fraser Tech), 11 Tim Mikkelson (University), 10 Sam Christie (Fraser Tech), 9 Malcolm Barnes (Hamilton Old Boys), 8 Faifili Levave (Melville), 7 Tom Harding (Melville), 6 Jordan Smiler (Hautapu), 5 Josh Olsen (Hamilton Marist), 4 Toby Lynn (captain) (Te Rapa), 3 Josh Hohneck (Fraser Tech), 2 Simon Chisholm (Matamata United), 1 Hikairo Forbes (Hautapu).
Replacements (from): Ted Tauroa (Otorohanga), Thomas Scheres (Fraser Tech),
Mike Moore (Fraser Tech), Kent Fife (Hautapu), Romana Graham (Hautapu), Adam Cathcart (Hamilton Old Boys), David Bason (Hautapu), Dean Devcich (Hamilton Marist), Mark Murray (Te Awamutu), Save Tokula (Fraser Tech), James Kamana (Fraser Tech).
