4 days ago
Revived fixture effectively a trial
A blast from the past is back to give the new North Otago coach an effective trial this afternoon.
The once-beloved Town v Country game is back and will allow Luke Herden an opportunity to crystallise his thinking before announcing his first Old Golds squad on Tuesday.
There was a time when the clash — between Old Boys, Excelsior and Athletic Marist players (Town) and the best from Valley, Kurow and Maheno (Country) — formed a regular and important part of the calendar, usually in the middle of the Citizens Shield club season.
It has been mostly dormant for the best part of a couple of decades so there should be some interest in today's game in Maheno.
That is especially the case for those wondering which loan players Herden will recruit as the Old Golds seek a return to the Meads Cup placings after a few lean years. He has named five players from Dunedin club rugby in the Country squad.
Zingari-Richmond flanker Flavius Roberts-Vili is an energetic type, and clubmate Ben Fakava is a robust midfielder.
First five Kenta Iemura and halfback Kodai Okazaki are from the Shizuoka Revs club in Japan Rugby League One who have spent some time with the Harbour club.
Solid prop Steve Salelea has been in consistent form for University and was on the bench for Otago's preseason game against Southland yesterday.
Eight players from Excelsior will back up from their Citizens Shield victory for Town, and there are 10 from beaten finalists Valley in the Country squad.
A pleasing feature is the selection of leading locals Hayden Tisdall, Kelepi Funaki and Junior Fakatoufifita, all of whom were unavailable for the Heartland Championship last season.
The junior game kicks off at 1pm and the senior Town-Country clash is at 2.30pm.
