Canterbury team to play Taranaki

Aug 14 • General News, Mitre 10 Cup, New Zealand, Other Tournaments • 3530 Views • Comments Off on Canterbury team to play Taranaki

Canterbury Head Coach, Scott Robertson, has named his team to take on Taranaki this Friday night in their first game of the 2013 ITM Cup season.

Four players – Matt Symons, Milford Keresoma, Rob Thompson and Jamie Verran – will make their first starts for Canterbury. Sione Faletau, Richie Mo’unga and Marty Swart may also get their first Canterbury cap if they come off the bench on Friday. Symons, Keresoma, and Faletau are three of the new caps in the 2013 Canterbury squad named earlier this month, whereas Thompson, Verran, Mo’unga and Swart have been brought in from the wider training squad.

It is a relatively experienced front row that will pack down for Canterbury, with Paea Fa’anunu and Nepo Laulala as props and Ben Funnell as hooker. Canterbury will also present a fairly formidable loose forward combination of Luke Whitelock, Matt Todd and Jordan Taufua.
Willi Heinz will make his debut as Canterbury captain, with George Whitelock being rested.

Players unavailable for selection due to injury include: Dominic Bird (pectoral), Corey Flynn (knee), Robbie Fruean (heart surgery), Nasi Manu (foot), Johnny McNicholl (leg), Colin Slade (hamstring), Codie Taylor (pectoral) and Tom Taylor (knee).

Head Coach Scott Robertson says that while the number of current injuries no doubt creates an extra challenge for the team, this is a great opportunity for some of the newer players in the squad.

“We are fortunate to have good depth in most positions in this squad. We may be missing some of our more experienced players this week, but I am sure that the new players will take this opportunity with both hands and really rise to the challenge,” Robertson said.

“In saying that, we are very aware of just how tough this Taranaki side can be. They beat us during pool play last year when the Ranfurly Shield was at stake, and when we squared off against them in the 2012 semi-final they forced us into overtime to secure the win.

“If Friday night’s game is anywhere near as nail-biting as that semi-final, fans will be in for an awesome display of provincial rugby,” Robertson said.

Kick-off is at 7:35pm on Friday night at AMI Stadium (Addington). Tickets are available through Ticket Direct tickets.co.za or phone 0800 224 224

Canterbury team to play Taranaki:

No.	POSITION	FIRST NAME	SURNAME
1	Loosehead Prop	PAEA	FA’ANUNU
2	Hooker	BEN	FUNNELL
3	Tighthead Prop	NEPO	LAULALA
4	Left Lock	MATT	SYMONS
5	Right Lock	LUKE	KATENE
6	Blindside Flanker	LUKE	WHITELOCK
7	Openside Flanker	MATT	TODD
8	Number Eight	JORDAN	TAUFUA

9	Halfback	WILLI	HEINZ
10	First Five	TYLER	BLEYENDAAL
11	Left Wing	MILFORD	KERESOMA
12	Second Five	ROB	THOMPSON
13	Centre	ADAM	WHITELOCK
14	Right Wing	PATRICK	OSBORNE
15	Full Back	JAMIE	VERRAN