After seeing red, Whanganui gets Pinky for Poverty Bay trip
Above: Ethan Robinson takes over as starting fullback for Whanganui’s away game against Poverty Bay. Photo by Blake Davison
By Jared Smith
Steelform Whanganui has tinkered slightly with their lineup out of both necessity and invention at the halfway point of the Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship campaign.
Heading to Gisborne on Friday to prepare for a hurting Poverty Bay, who just lost the Bill Osborne Taonga after the inaugural reign, Whanganui is counting the cost of their narrow 30-24 loss to Meads Cup favourites South Canterbury.
Lock Peter-Travis Hay-Horton will potentially miss the rest of the season after accepting a five week ban following his red card for a head butt in the 64th minute.
“It was longer – a ten week ban, based on information they received,” said coach Jason Hamlin.
“Whether or not it is [accurate information], is another issue.”
Starting from the “mid-range” penalty of ten weeks, Hay-Horton and the Whanganui staff received word at Tuesday night training from the NZR Judiciary that the sentence would be halved if he did not contest it.
“There was no guarantee he would get any less, if he contested,” said Hamlin.
“He made his decision to go where it is.”
This means the earliest the big lock could play again would be a potential Meads or Lochore Cup final, October 22-23.
It is therefore fortuitous timing that regular starting lock Josh ‘Pinky’ Lane is ready to return from the rib injury which has kept him out since late July – playing 71 minutes in the McFall Fuel Whanganui Development XV’s game last weekend.
“I spoke to Josh, obviously he was a little hesitant first up, but once he received contact, he was as good as he was ever going to be,” said Hamlin.
Therefore, with Lane coming onto the bench, Matt Ashworth rejoins the starting lineup, with regular flanker Ben Whale staying at lock, given No8 Semi Vodosese can also jump in the lineout.
“We don’t have much choice but to deal with what we’ve got,” said Hamlin.
“Being a bit more smarter around our footy, we’re a good side when we want to be.
“We’ve got a game this week to start it all.”
Like Lane, the other big change is his Kaierau club captain Ethan Robinson moving into the starting lineup, replacing Ezra Malo.
Joining in at the end of preseason due to busting his shoulder in the club semifinals, Robinson has come off the bench in all four games and scored 23 points – two tries, five conversions and a penalty.
“It was always going to happen. Ethan, just a good footballer, that kid,” said Hamlin.
“Sooner or later, these guys want to have an opportunity to start.
“Between the red cards, the yellow cards and the injuries, I’ve got to give some players football, because after a week I might need them.
“It’s more about getting squad balance, see where we are.
““Going forward, in all honesty, I’ve got 28 and possibly that narrows down after this week.”
The backline reserves are therefore re-jigged, as apprentice player Jack O’Leary is in line to make his Heartland debut off the bench, with Peceli Malanicagi and Tiari Mumby unavailable this weekend.
Kahl Elers-Green regains the reserve halfback spot ahead of Caleb Gray.
The other change is reserve utility forward Ranato Tikoisolomone’s sore ankle ruling him out, as flanker Regan Collier rejoins the lineup.
Hamlin is quite happy to stick with props Keightley Watson and Bradley Fountain, who made their starting debuts last weekend in the cauldron against South Canterbury’s vaunted pack.
“Thought they did really well. Bradley, even though he’s a younger player, he’s had a bit of experience.
“Keightley – he’s shown why we picked him as apprentice last year. He’s learning off the players around him and all the coaches he’s had before – got a good grounding on it.”
Currently second on the table and wanting to keep the chasing pack off their heels over the rest of the regular season, while possibly overtaking leaders South Canterbury if they slip up, Whanganui need a strong recovery performance against their hosts.
Poverty Bay lost 30-22 away to King Country in the season opener, just defended the Taonga against Wairarapa Bush 30-26, got hammered on their South Island trip by Buller 48-20, and lost the Taonga to East Coast 12-10 in a muddy match last weekend.
Known as an attacking flair team, although the weather is preventing it, they have scored ten tries so far this campaign, with fullback Moses Christie contributing 35 points.
“Poverty Bay, in years gone past, have been a team that can score 20-30 points, but give up 35 points,” said Hamlin.
“Conditions aren’t allowing them to do that at present, the same as us.”
Kickoff is 2.30pm.
The Whanganui team is
- Keightley Watson; 2. Roman Tutauha; 3. Bradley Fountain; 4. Ben Whale; 5. Matt Ashworth; 6. Samu Kubunavanua; 7. Jamie Hughes; 8. Semi Vodosese; 9. Lindsay Horrocks; 10. Dane Whale (c); 11. Tyler Rogers-Holden; 12. Timoci Seruwalu; 13. Kameli Kuruyabaki; 14. Alekesio Vakarorogo; 15. Ethan Robinson.
Reserves – 16. Slade Hay-Horton; 17. Tai Pulemagafa; 18. Jack Yarrall; 19. Josh Lane; 20. Regan Collier; 21. Kahl Elers-Green; 22. Jack O’Leary; 23. Josaia Bogileka.
