Irishman to help prop up Turbos

Heard the one about the Englishman, the Irishman and the New Zealander?

No joke. It could be the Manawatu Turbos front row against Bay of Plenty at Mt Maunganui on Thursday night.

Only a day after taking a phone call from Manawatu coach Dave Rennie on Sunday, Irishman and loosehead prop Donal McNamara drove through the rain from Wellington to train with the Turbos in the Barber Hall yesterday.

The man from Exeter, Shane Kingsland, was one of the other fit props, alongside Karl Haitana.

Tighthead prop Ma'afu Fia's rib injury will probably rule him out as will Grant Polson's knee.

McNamara didn't hesitate when the summons came to be a loan player for as long as required, and Wellington B were happy to release him. He has been in the wider Wellington Lions squad.

"I was delighted to get the call, a great opportunity," he said.

A builder when he's not throwing his 31-year-old, 1.85m, 118kg frame at opposing tightheads, he is settled in Wellington with his family, including a little son. Originally from Limerick and the Young Munster club, he was an Ireland under-18 player.

"I wanted to have a crack over here in New Zealand," he said. "People score tries from nothing over here."

For the past three years he has represented Wellington B and featured in their 42-10 win over Taranaki B on Saturday.

"I'm good to go," he said. "I love scrummaging and playing the tight game."

In Wellington, he has been blocked by Neemia Tialata, John Schwalger, Jacob Ellison, Anthony Perenise and Tim Fairbrother.

Kingsland played 50 times for the Exeter Chiefs before coming to Palmerston North this year on the advice of his agent who heard the Turbos pick players from club rugby.

Now 23, the 1.83m, 112kg Old Boys-Marist prop had been with Exeter since he was 11 and a professional since 18.

He echoed McNamara's comments: "The game over here is much faster than in England."

Kingsland looked happier at loosehead prop against Wellington on Saturday for 61 minutes after replacing Polson.

"Getting some minutes under my belt was good," Kingsland said.

The Turbos might have James Oliver on the openside flank on Thursday.

Callum Gibbins suffered concussion against Wellington and total rest was ordered yesterday. Doug Tietjens has a stiff neck courtesy of a grapple tackle during a cleanout, allegedly by Wellington captain Rodney So'oialo.

The Turbos trained indoors for the first time yesterday after even the Fitzherbert Park hockey turfs were too wet. Until yesterday, they'd had just two wet practices all season.

In his report from the Wellington game, Rennie noted Wellington were penalised five times for offences at the breakdown but 12 were missed, and that didn't include marginal transgressions.

- © Fairfax NZ News