Counties Manukau will fancy their chances but Auckland has a proud record in Pukekohe that they will not be intending to let go.
HEAD TO HEAD: Counties-Manukau VS Auckland
VENUE & TIME: Growers Stadium, Pukekohe, Saturday October 9, 17.30 NZT.
Steelers were more than happy to name the same 22 for the second week running. Auckland, on the other hand, has made a number of changes this week, mostly optional. Jerome Kaino has been released to play this match (he was previously on compulsory All Black stand-down) while Isaia Toeava gets his first run since his hip surgery months back. John Afoa goes off to play hooker for Auckland B, while the first team hooker, Tom McCartney, takes Afoa’s place at prop. The experienced halfback pair, Toby Morland and Matt Berquist, have also been given a demotion which means Brenton Helleur and Gareth Anscombe start this match, which coach Mark Anscombe described as a must-win game for his side.
Both sides have been solid in the last month and each has recorded three wins in its last five outings. Counties-Manukau has made the most of its last home stand to collect nine of a possible ten points in the last two outings and would dearly love to make it three wins on the trot against the city-slickers from up State Highway 1. On current form they cannot be written off. Auckland may be trying to get out of a mini-slump but, like the Steelers, do not often suffer big defeats and last week played like a team trying to a) get the bruises from the Shield challenge out of its collective system and b) wasn’t used to a dry day and a firm track. The things that had served well in the wet were not quite waht was wanted in the dry and only a strong comeback from 16-31 well into the second spell allowed Auckland a share of the points.
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HEAD TO HEAD: Counties-Manukau VS Auckland
VENUE & TIME: Growers Stadium, Pukekohe, Saturday October 9, 17.30 NZT.
Steelers were more than happy to name the same 22 for the second week running. Auckland, on the other hand, has made a number of changes this week, mostly optional. Jerome Kaino has been released to play this match (he was previously on compulsory All Black stand-down) while Isaia Toeava gets his first run since his hip surgery months back. John Afoa goes off to play hooker for Auckland B, while the first team hooker, Tom McCartney, takes Afoa’s place at prop. The experienced halfback pair, Toby Morland and Matt Berquist, have also been given a demotion which means Brenton Helleur and Gareth Anscombe start this match, which coach Mark Anscombe described as a must-win game for his side.
Both sides have been solid in the last month and each has recorded three wins in its last five outings. Counties-Manukau has made the most of its last home stand to collect nine of a possible ten points in the last two outings and would dearly love to make it three wins on the trot against the city-slickers from up State Highway 1. On current form they cannot be written off. Auckland may be trying to get out of a mini-slump but, like the Steelers, do not often suffer big defeats and last week played like a team trying to a) get the bruises from the Shield challenge out of its collective system and b) wasn’t used to a dry day and a firm track. The things that had served well in the wet were not quite waht was wanted in the dry and only a strong comeback from 16-31 well into the second spell allowed Auckland a share of the points.
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