Nalaga, Cooke to make debuts against Wellington

Storm week equals the winds of change blowing through the Otago team.

Coach Tom Donnelly has predictably made a bundle of changes for the NPC game against Wellington tomorrow night.

There are three new caps, including two in the starting XV, and 11 alterations to the run-on side.

Rugby trainspotters will have to do some googling to find out more about Waqa Nalaga, who makes his debut for Otago on the right wing.

Nalaga, 21, who was born in Fiji and schooled at Whanganui Collegiate, was a member of the Fijian Drua squad this year.

He made his NPC debut for Manawatu last year and has recently arrived in Dunedin as a loan player, highlighting again the (real or perceived) paucity of outside back stocks in Otago.

The other new cap in the starting XV is a more familiar face.

Dunedin club midfielder Joe Cooke gets an opportunity to start for Otago at Forsyth Barr Stadium after some stellar seasons with the Sharks.

The other newcomer is on the bench, where Green Island hooker Heath MacEwan will hope to continue his memorable year after captaining the Grizzlies to their club first title in 46 years.

Everywhere you look, there are new combinations as Otago seek some fresh legs and momentum after fading badly in their loss to Canterbury at the weekend.

Nathan Hastie and Ajay Faleafaga are the new inside-back partnership, and there are two new flankers in Oliver Haig (shuffled back from lock) and Lucas Casey.

An all-new tight five has Will Tucker and Ale Aho in the second row behind Rohan Wingham, Henry Bell and Abraham Pole.

It is a 15th and blazer game for Wingham and Haig.

The bench looks strong with front-liners Saula Ma’u, Cameron Millar and Thomas Umaga-Jensen poised for impact, while dynamite New Zealand under-20 halfback Dylan Pledger gets another chance.

Sam Gilbert, Tom Sanders, Jake Te Hiwi, Jeremiah Asi, Jack Leslie, Lui Naeata, Josh Timu and Fabian Holland are unavailable.

 

Otago team

To play Wellington

Finn Hurley, Waqa Nalaga, Hudson Creighton, Joe Cooke, Jona Nareki, Ajay Faleafaga, Nathan Hastie, Christian Lio-Willie (captain),  Lucas Casey, Oliver Haig, Will Tucker, Ale Aho, Rohan Wingham, Henry Bell, Abraham Pole. Reserves: Heath MacEwan, Ben Lopas, Saula Ma’u, Sam Fischli, Will Stodart, Dylan Pledger, Cameron Millar, Thomas Umaga-Jensen.