We continue our reviews on all 12 Heartland Teams
we now look at Mid Canterbury & North Otago
MID CANTERBURY
2013 finish: Meads Cup champions
The Hammers, again under coach Glenn Moore, recorded the best Ranfurly Shield challenge of any Heartland side in the past 14 years in holding Counties Manukau to 46-10 which indicates they will be a hard side to de-throne this season.
The bulk of the 2013 champion squad, which dropped only one match, is back again and bolstered by the addition of a few experienced players – Tasman flanker Gary Redmond, Northland prop Scott Vessey and North Otago lock Eric Duff while Canterbury-based fullback Matt Thatcher will be the Player of Origin.
Add in the return of ex-Canterbury and Tasman winger Willie McGoon, Ponsonby goal-kicking first five Murray Williams (123 pts last season) who has repped for Auckland, Bay of Plenty and the Chiefs, Canterbury halfback Jake Ashby (injured at pesent) and mid fielder Peni Manumanuniliwa and possibly Otago three-quarter Dwayne Burrows.
Hooker James Carr is sitting on 99 games for the union while last year’s captain and No 8 Jon Dampney plus props Tokalua and Simon Fleetwood are all in the selection mix.
The backline squad again includes former Taranaki and Samoan international second five Esera Lauina, NZ Heartland rep halfback William McKenzie, fullback Richard Catherwood and utility back David Maw.
Missing from last season are former Otago and Manawatu lock Grant Polson (retired), mid field back Manase Nonu and Canterbury loan winger Muleli Bula.
Mid Canterbury, endeavouring to match Wanganui (2008-09) in winning back to back Meads Cups, has tune-up games against Southland and South Canterbury.
LATE NEWS: ( Thanks Jason Ree – Mid Canterbury )
Scott Vessey has pulled out due to injury before the shield game, James Carr has retired (Played 108 games) , also they have ex-Tasman Winger Brenton Connell, back in the fold after playing for Methven this season
Mid Canterbury 2014 Heartland Championship | |||
Week One | |||
23-Aug | Mid Canterbury v West Coast | Ashburton | 2:30 p.m. |
Week Two | |||
30-Aug | Wai-Bush v Mid Canterbury | Masterton | 1:30 p.m. |
Week Three | |||
6-Sep | Thames Valley v Mid Canterbury | Paeroa | 2:00 p.m. |
Week Four | |||
13-Sep | Mid Canterbury v Wanganui | Ashburton | 2:30 p.m. |
Week Five | |||
20-Sep | Mid Canterbury v Buller | Ashburton | 2:30 p.m. |
Week Six | |||
27-Sep | East Coast v Mid Canterbury | Ruatoria | 2:30 p.m. |
Week Seven | |||
4-Oct | Mid Canterbury v North Otago | Ashburton | 2:30 p.m. |
Week Eight | |||
11-Oct | Sth Canterbury v Mid Canterbury | Timaru | 2:30 p.m. |
NORTH OTAGO
2013 finish: Meads Cup runners-up
The 2007 and 2010 champions have had a three-match tour of Fiji and Tonga in August to warm-up for the championship, again under Munster’s Mike Mullins as coach with Troy Looms his understudy.
The Old Golds have considerable changes from last season with 10 players gone but offset by 11 newcomers from England, Canada and Argentina.
Losses include top points scorer Ed Koehane (115 pts), one of three returnees to England, second five J’Andre Liebenberg to Hawke’s Bay, and first fives Ratunaisa Vatuinaruku (to Fiji) and Ben Patston (to Dunedin).
Gains include utility back Kayne Middleton from North Harbour, Canadians D J Sears-Buru (prop), Wayde Hodgen (hooker), Ben Le Sage (mid field) and Ben Palmer (five eighths), Argentinians Gonzallo Angella (mid field) and Diego Biro (fullback) and English backs Cameron Keenan (halfback), Chris Perry (fullback), Joe Marston (mid field) and Callum Lines.
Last year’s NZ Heartland rep trio of front rowers Ralph Darling and Matt Duff and mid-fielder Lemi Masoe are back along with 2013 skipper Josh Clark (flanker), ex-Fiji and King Counry utility back Simeli Koniferedi and top try scorer Chris Talanoa.
Despite dropping the first two games to Wairarapa-Bush and South Canterbury last year North Otago bounced back to reach the Meads final in Ashburton, losing 26-20 after winning 19-18 at home in the qualifying rounds.
The Old Golds will clearly be a strong force again this season
North Otago 2014 Heartland Championship | |||
Week One | |||
23-Aug | Buller v North Otago | Westport | 2:30 p.m. |
Week Two | |||
30-Aug | North Otago v Poverty Bay | Oamaru | 2:30 p.m. |
Week Three | |||
6-Sep | Wanganui v North Otago | Wanganui | 2:30 p.m. |
Week Four | |||
13-Sep | North Otago v King Country | Oamaru | 2:30 p.m. |
Week Five | |||
20-Sep | Thames Valley v North Otago | Paeroa | 2:00 p.m. |
Week Six | |||
27-Sep | North Otago v Sth Canterbury | Dunedin | 2:30 p.m. |
Week Seven | |||
4-Oct | Mid Canterbury v North Otago | Ashburton | 2:30 p.m. |
Week Eight | |||
11-Oct | North Otago v East Coast | Oamaru | 2:30 p.m. |
Next Up :
POVERTY BAY – 2013 finish: 12th
&
SOUTH CANTERBURY – 2013 finish: Lochore Cup winners
Previews compiled by JB Phillips
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