By: Glenn McLean

There is no shortage of experience in the Yarrows Taranaki Bulls squad named to meet Waikato in their final pre-season match at Te Kuiti on Friday (behind closed doors) before the Mitre 10 Cup kicks off next week.

Captain Mitchell Brown returns to lead the side along with a host of players who missed Yarrows Taranaki Bulls opening warm-up match against Manawatu in Whanganui almost a fortnight ago.

Brown, who will start on the side of the scrum, is joined in the pack by fellow Super Rugby players Reuben O’Neill, Ricky Riccitelli and debutant Ben May who brings close to 250 first class games of experience to the front row.

Former captain Mitchell Crosswell will start at No 8 alongside Brown and Inglewood’s Rhodes Fetherstone in the loose forward mix.

Yarrows Taranaki Bulls coach Willie Rickards has tinkered with the starting backline from the Manawatu encounter, opting to start Tukapa’s Jayson Potroz in the No 10 jersey, a position he excelled in helping his club side to the CMK premier title in 2020.

Vice captain Teihorangi Walden also returns in the midfield where he will partner Southern’s Lewis Ormond while the exciting Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens moves out to the wing with Codey Rei shifting to fullback.

Despite the Yarrows Taranaki Bulls scheduled pre-season encounter with Auckland being cancelled last week due to Covid-19 restrictions, Rickards has been impressed with the work he has seen from his enlarged squad.

“While we would have obviously liked to have had that hit-out against Auckland, the boys have used the time really well as we prepare to face Waikato,” he said.

“We have had a productive couple of days in camp at Tikorangi and welcomed in some of the Super guys who look like they will get up to speed really quickly.”

Rickards said May had come in and added a strong voice to the squad while remained plenty of competition for places for the Bulls opening Mitre 10 Cup match against Bay of Plenty at Inglewood’s TET Stadium & Events Centre on Sunday, September 13.

“We have also got a number of established players still to come in so we believe we are in a pretty good space right now.”

YARROWS TARANAKI BULLS: Codey Rei, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Lewis Ormond, Teihorangi Walden, Lukas Halls, Jayson Protroz, Lisati Milo-Harris, Mitchell Crosswell, Rhodes Featherstone, Mitchell Brown ©, Jack Jordan, Josh Lord, Ben May, Ricky Riccitelli, Reuben O’Neill. Reserves, Bradley Slater, Jared Proffit, Donald Brighouse, Corbin Porteous, Christian Fa’avae, Josh Walden, Daniel Waite, Brayton Northcott-Hill, Chris Gawler, Kylem O’Donnell, Crusader Faletagoa’i, Milliennium Sanerivi.

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Article added: Wednesday 02 September 2020