No 2 only doubt as Brown fields unchanged side

Cory Brown.
Cory Brown.
Otago has predictably gone with the same team for the Mitre 10 Cup championship final against North Harbour tomorrow night.

The only doubt surrounds hooker Sam Anderson-Heather, who has been bracketed with Sekonaia Pole. Anderson-Heather has a sore calf and will have until tomorrow morning to prove his fitness, but he looks to be an unlikely starter.

It is a shame for Anderson-Heather, who has played some of his best rugby in the Otago jersey this season. He is not far off 50 games for the province and if he is forced to pull out of the biggest game for Otago for many years, it will be a blow to both Otago and the players.

Andrew Hore has been brought out of retirement from the fields of Maniototo and will come off the bench if Anderson-Heather does not make it.

Elsewhere, Otago coach Cory Brown has kept faith with the team that delivered the semifinal victory over Bay of Plenty. It would have been tough to have made any changes after a polished display from the side in the 27-20 win over Bay of Plenty.

Winger Jack Wilson has been back training after recovering from a shoulder injury but he is not included in the match-day squad.

Whatever happens tomorrow, it may well be the last time a number of players are seen in the Otago jersey.

Wilson is heading back to the United Kingdom and will link up with Bath. Captain Paul Grant is also making the same journey to Bath and though he has not ruled out coming back, he turns 29 today so is not getting any younger.

Fellow loose forward Naulia Dawai has signed with Irish side Connacht and will head to Ireland almost straight after the final.

The future of winger Fa'asiu Fuata'i is also up in the air while on the other side, Mitchell Scott has surprised and had a good season, having started out not even being named in the squad.

North Harbour has a couple of injury concerns and will not name its team until today. It travelled to Dunedin last night and would have a run at Forsyth Barr Stadium today.

The North Harbour side is on a good run of form. Since losing to Otago on September 17, it has had just one loss, to Canterbury in Christchurch. It drew with Tasman and has beaten Southland, Bay of Plenty, Northland and then Wellington in the semifinal last week.

Meanwhile, Highlanders first five-eighth Marty Banks will make his final appearance in a Tasman jersey on Sunday in the premiership final despite a broken hand.

Banks, who is leaving for Italian club Treviso at the end of the season, has a broken knuckle but will play against Canterbury in Christchurch.

Add a Comment

OUTSTREAM