Tana Umaga back for Ranfurly Shield tilt

CHRIS SKLETON/The Dominion Post

INSPIRATION: Tana Umaga will replace Reynold Lee-Lo at second-five for Counties Manukau's game against Southland on Saturday.

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Counties Manukau coach Milton Haig says it will be NPC points first and Ranfurly Shield second when he lists his priorities for Saturday's huge game against Southland in Invercargill.

Haig has made just one change to the starting team that beat Wellington last weekend with the inspirational Tana Umaga coming in to replace Reynold Lee-Lo at second-five.

He'll be looking to draw on all that leadership and experience from Umaga for the challenge on Saturday as well as the strong organisational skills he demonstrated against Otago in round one.

But in a move to perhaps stop his players getting over-excited about the game, Haig says he's told them that the top priority is to remain the leaders on the points table.

''We've discussed it as a group and said that our focus and objective is to get five points from the weekend and stay on top of the table after this round,'' Haig said.

''If we can do that, then the natural by-product will be the fact that we end up bringing a piece of luggage home with us.

''So if we can get five points from the game then everything else will take care of itself.''

Haig said that for nearly all of his side a battle for the Log o' Wood is a journey into the unknown, which is why he wants the players to keep their feet on the ground in the lead up to the game.

''To be honest nobody here has really challenged for it before, there's only Tana in our group that has played for it.

''It just gives us a different focus [to talk about NPC points] and makes us think about the process of what we've been doing.

''What we've been doing so far has been working for us so we don't want to do anything different.''

Plenty has been written about the Steelers' backline this season. It's been their strong point since the days when Jonah Lomu and Joeli Vidiri ran out for the province.

But from Haig's point of view what's pleased him the most is how his forwards have rose to the challenge this season.

''We've been rapt with the way the forwards are going,'' he said.

''In the previous couple of seasons I've been involved our forwards haven't been as dominant as they've been this year.

''That has certainly been the challenge that we chucked out to the forward pack at the start of the year, that no one would rate them, everyone knew we had good backs, but no one gave our pack any respect at all.

''So their job this year was to try to get some respect from the general public and also the opposition and I think they've done that for the first couple of weeks.''

COUNTIES MANUKAU: 15 Tim Nanai-Williams, 14 Ahsee Tuala, 13 Siale Piutau, 12 Tana Umaga, 11 Sherwin Stowers, 10 Baden Kerr, 9 August Pulu; 8 Viliami Fihaki, 7 Pepa Koloamatangi, 6 Fritz Lee, 5 Jamie Chipman (capt), 4 Taiasina Tuifua, 3 Jono Owen, 2 Grant Henson, 1 Simon Lemalu. Reserves: 16 Mark Price, 17 Jeremiah Fatialofa, 18 Ronald Raaymakers, 19 Mark Selwyn, 20 Samisoni Fisilau, 21 Reynold Lee-Lo, 22 David Raikuna.

SOUTHLAND: 15 Robbie Robinson, 14 Glen Horton, 13 Kendrick Lynn, 12 Matt Saunders, 11 James Paterson, 10 James Wilson, 9 Scott Cowan; 8 Kane Thompson, 7 Tim Boys, 6 John Hardie, 5 Alex Ryan, 4 Josh Bekhuis, 3 Chris King, 2 Jason Rutledge, 1 Jamie MacKintosh (capt). Reserves: 16 Brayden Mitchell, 17 Nic Barrett, 18 Dion Bates, 19 Elliott Dixon, 20 Sonny Rangitoheriri, 21 Mark Wells, 22 Tony Koonwaiyou.

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