Turbos need to prove selves with away win

Manawatu's Turbos proved last Saturday they can win; now they must show us they can win away from home.

Playing on foreign soil is not Manawatu's best suit – don't mention Whangarei!

The Turbos tend to get nose-bleeds once the wheels lift off from Milson Airport and could do with a repeat of their 25-23 away win over Southland last year. No team has emulated that at Invercargill since.

Manawatu haven't beaten Bay of Plenty away since 1951 at Rotorua, the first time they clashed, and there was a 6-6 draw at Tauranga in 1977. They have never met at Mt Maunganui in a first-class game; but at least this one is in a familiar stockcar arena.

While there are six changes and tweaks to the Turbos forward pack and the rain disrupted training this week, nouveau confidence rippled through the camp after the Wellington heist.

Bay of Plenty might be vulnerable with upwards of eight men short of their first XV and having survived the horrifying tremors in Christchurch last Friday night.

For the Turbos, it will be up to loosehead prop Shane Kingsland to fill Grant Polson's boots, Sean O'Connor to match Rob Foreman at hooker, Reece Robinson to repeat Fraser Stone's zest at lock and a new loose trio to click.

The scrum is the most vital facet, that it holds up long enough against former Tasman men Daniel Perrin and Tristan Moran and the sole Rotorua player in the squad, prop Joe Savage, long enough for Mitchell Crosswell to clear the ball.

At some stage loan player Donal McNamara will be inserted at prop and he could be the first Irishman to represent Manawatu.

The Steamers can still field a formidable pack despite the loss of forwards Solomon King, Luke Braid, Luke Andrews and John Pareanga to injury. Gone from the backs are halfback Taniela Moa, wing Lance McDonald, centre Brett Mather.

But they still have All Blacks in flanker Tanerau Latimer, first-five Mike Delany and slippery wing Lelia Masaga.

The Turbos saw in the bone-chilling pre-seasoner at Reporoa how Bay of Plenty are obsessed with the almost obsolete percentage kicking game. It has secured them only two wins so far, and against Canterbury last Friday they kicked 1200 metres, Delany and Phil Burleigh hoofing every ball they got.

There is no more contrast to Manawatu who get their kicks from running. The pressure is on the Steamers from their disgruntled home supporters to leap into the top seven.

They have former Reporoa College star Sam Cane, 18, making his starting debut on the flank. BOP easily won the Reporoa hit-out 35-10 but the Turbos were straight off the oats then and their defence was mismothered.

- © Fairfax NZ News