• Liaki Moli to play 50th match for Auckland
• 14 players with Super Rugby experience named
• Two debutants in the starting line up
Auckland coach Nick White has named a strong team to open the Mitre 10 Cup season against Canterbury in Christchurch on Saturday.
14 of the team have Super Rugby experience, while brothers Rieko and Akira Ioane will take the field, having returning from the Rio Olympics on Tuesday.
White said he is pleased with the makeup of the team.
“We’ve got a strong forward pack and have all our Super Rugby players back which is good. We’ve given an opportunity to a few guys on the wing, both of those players have taken their chances in pre-season and deserve their position.”
Alluding to Pryor Collier and Stacey Ili, named on each wing for the opening game, neither was in the initial Auckland squad but brought in for injury cover. White said the experience of Ioane and Vince Aso in the midfield, along with Melani Nanai and fullback will help the debutants.
The other talking point sees Joe Edwards named at openside flanker.
“The main reason for that is because Blake Gibson is injured. But with these new rules you don’t need and out and out seven because the opportunity to jackal has gone. It’s something different for Joe but we are confident,” said White.
The new laws at the breakdown will present a big change to the way the game is played.
“The good players will adapt. It comes down to the forwards having that awareness and making good decisions.”
White said the challenge of playing Canterbury in Christchurch is a big one, Auckland not claiming victory in the mainland since 2007.
“It’s not easy down there so we will have to back ourselves to play well and have a go.”
Simon Hickey will captain the team.
The match will be played at AMI Stadium
1. Sam Prattley (Pakuranga)
2. Greg Pleasants-Tate (Ponsonby)
3. Isi Tu’ungafasi (Grammar TEC)
4. Scott Scrafton (Grammar TEC)
5. Liaki Moli (Manukau Rovers)
6. Taleni Seu (Grammar TEC)
7. Joe Edwards (Pakuranga)
8. Steven Luatua (University)
9. Leon Fukofuka (Marist)
10. Simon Hickey (Grammar TEC)
11. Pryor Collier (Ponsonby)*
12. Vince Aso (Ponsonby)
13. Rieko Ioane (Ponsonby)
14. Stacey Ili (Manukau Rovers)*
15. Melani Nanai (Manukau Rovers)
16. Kurt Eklund (University)
17. Tom McHugh (Grammar TEC)
18. Marcel Renata (University)
19. Michael Fatialofa (Ponsonby)
20. Akira Ioane (Ponsonby)
21. Jono Hickey (Grammar TEC)
22. Tyrone Elkington-MacDonald (University)**
23. Latiume Fosita (Papatoetoe)**
*Will make provincial debut for Auckland
** Will make Auckland debut
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