Waikato ease into pre-season training
Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:07
Waikato coach Tony Hanks has named his first pre-season squad, a group of 36 players, who will start preparations for the Air New Zealand Cup.
The squad is without Waikato's All Blacks, New Zealand Maori, New Zealand Under-20 and Manu Samoa Under-20 representative players - who would only join the squad when their representative seasons are completed.
"The squad will train at Waikato Stadium over the next four weeks and will continue to play club rugby during this time," Hanks said.
"It is their opportunity to impress before a squad of 26 is chosen to play against Hawke's Bay in the preseason match in Napier on 11 July."
Mark Burman was not considered for selection due to his season-ending knee injury, sustained earlier this year.
Prop Craig West currently has a pelvic injury, scrumhalf Josh Sutherland is recovering from a shoulder operation and midfielder Watene Waenga has a broken thumb.
The final Waikato Air New Zealand Cup squad will be announced on 22 July.
Waikato training squad: Armyn Sanders (Hautapu), Sosene Anesi (Marist), James Kamana (Fraser Tech), Watene Waenga (Marist), Roimata Hansell-Pune (Fraser Tech), Henry Speight (Hamilton Old Boys), Tim Mikkelson (University), Sam Christie (Fraser Tech), David Bason (Hautapu), Malcolm Barnes (Hamilton Old Boys), Josh Sutherland (Marist), Matt Cameron (Hamilton Old Boys), Jordan Smiler (Hautapu), Adam Cathcart (Hamilton Old Boys), Tom Harding, Matt Blain (Hautapu), Murray Iti (Hamilton Old Boys), Faifili Levave, Kent Fife (Hautapu), Kevin O'Neill, Romana Graham (Hautapu), Josh Olsen (Marist), Toby Lynn (Te Rapa), Jono Gibbes (Te Awamutu), Nathan White (Te Awamutu), Josh Hohneck (Fraser Tech), Toby Smith (Hamilton Old Boys), Craig West (Hamilton Old Boys), Hikairo Forbes (Hautapu), Mike Moore (Fraser Tech), Brad Chubb (Fraser Tech), Ted Tauroa (Otorohanga), Shaun Muir (Hamilton Old Boys), Simon Chisholm (Matamata), Thomas Scheres (Fraser Tech), Vern Kamo (Fraser Tech).
