By Glenn McLean

Taranaki club colours will be mixed with the traditional amber and black hoops at Inglewood’s TET Stadium and Events Centre on Sunday when Counties Manukau head south for the round seven Mitre 10 Cup match.

The Taranaki squad will be donning their club socks in celebration of ‘Club Day’ with fans also afforded the opportunity to win an array of prizes if they too wear their club colours.

Yarrows Taranaki Bulls head coach Willie Rickards has made three changes to the starting XV which narrowly lost 27-20 to Premiership leaders Waikato last week.

Veteran prop Ben May returns from suspension, with Reuben O’Neill moving to loosehead, while captain Mitchell Brown switches from the second row to blindside flanker in place of Mitchell Crosswell.

Brown’s move sees the return of lock Findlamor Hoeata to the starting side to partner teenager Josh Lord.

The backline remains largely the same from seven days ago, the exception coming on the left wing where Southern’s Lewis Ormond replaces Codey Rei.

New Plymouth Old Boys utility back Brayton Northcott-Hill will again partner club mate Sean Wainui, who made his 50th Taranaki appearance last week, in the midfield with Daniel Waite again ruled out with injury along with No 8 Pita Gus Sowakula.

Rickards said the coaching staff were happy with a lot of aspects of last week’s match which saw improvements in a number of areas.

“We just have to take a few things to a higher level and bring a bit more consistency to some parts of our game and we are confident we can do that.

“But it’s not going to be easy against a Counties Manukau side who are better than their results would indicate. They have been really competitive against everyone they have played and we are expecting a really tough match from an extremely physical side.”

Tukapa fullback Jayson Potroz will play his 20th and blazer game when the match kicks off at 4.35pm. 

Join us for Club Day on Sunday November 1 at the TET Stadium & Events Centre as we celebrate the grassroots game. Secure discounted $10 GA Adult and $6.50 GA Child tickets using your unique code. Click HERE to purchase tickets!

DISCOUNT CODES:

• NPOB
• TUKAPA
• SPOTSWOODUNITED
• INGLEWOOD
• STRATFORDELTHAM
• SOUTHERN
• COASTAL
• CLIFTON
• PATEA
• OKAIAWA
• TOKO
• NORMANBY
• KAITAKE
• BELL BLOCK
• TRRA

Article added: Friday 30 October 2020