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MAFIA TEES
Just $20 a shirt, a steal!
Not often you steal from the Mafia and live to tell the tale...
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Written by Jamie Troughton
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Thursday, 01 November 2007 |
MIKE Delany is the only Super 14 bolter named today, as the Steamers paid the price for their bleak Air New Zealand Cup season.
Just five Bay of Plenty players were picked up by franchises after finishing 13th out of 14 teams in the domestic showpiece, with Delany drafted to the Highlanders and Ben Castle, Simms Davison, Tanerau Latimer and Jamie Nutbrown keeping their Chiefs contracts.
It's the Steamers lowest selection total since just four players - including Davison and Castle - were picked in 2003.
Chiefs coach Ian Foster has leant heavily on the draft, snaring second-five Callum Bruce (Otago), loose forwards Tom Harding (Wellington), Hayden Hopgood (Canterbury) and Fafili Levave (Wellington), prop Ben May (Tasman) and Viliame Waqaseduadua (North Harbour).
Waqaseduadua is a former Rotorua Boys High wing who played for the Blues this year.
The Chiefs also benefit with Waikato signing Canterbury lock Kevin O'Neill to help fill the void left by All Black Keith Robinson, who retired from all rugby with a persistent knee injury yesterday.
Robinson said he had considered retirement after this year's Super 14 but wanted to stick around for the World Cup which he eventually made despite breaking down again in the Tri-Nations with a calf problem.
Gone from the Chiefs are Steamers first-five Murray Williams, who broke his arm against Northland this year and struggled to get back, and wing Anthony Tahana who is heading overseas.
The unluckiest Bay players were undoubtedly loose-forwards Colin Bourke and Solomon King, who were among the most consistent Bay players this season, with Foster preferring Harding, Hopgood and the little-known Levave.
"We've certainly used the draft more than we have in the past," Foster said. "We were able to secure quality players and they are a mixture of experienced Super 14 players, as well as some young guys looking for an opportunity to impress."
Bourke's cruel luck continues - the No 8's only taste of Super rugby was a stint with the Highlanders in 2005, as a rookie 20-year-old. He and Delany were the only Steamers to play all 12 first-class games this season, and he even took over the goal-kicking duties near the end.
King and fullback Lance MacDonald are expected to be called into the Chiefs wider training group, though King is also involved in the New Zealand sevens camp this week.
Castle and Davison are now two of the most experienced Chiefs players, with Davison eyeing eight more matches to hit 50 for the franchise. He also has a Bay of Plenty contract extension on the table at the moment and is expected to make his decision before the end of next month.
The Chiefs squad includes 21 players from the 2007 campaign, which finished sixth, and includes first-five Tasesa Lavea, who has signed with Counties Manukau after playing for the Chiefs last year as a draft player.
Foster will name his captain in December, but it is likely to be either lock Jono Gibbes or hooker Tom Willis.
2008 Chiefs squad: Ben Castle, Simms Davison, Tanerau Latimer, Jamie Nutbrown (BOP), Ben May (Tasman), Craig West, Aled de Malmanche, Tom Willis, Jono Gibbes, Toby Lynn, Kevin O'Neill, Sione Lauaki, Liam Messam, Brendon Leonard, Stephen Donald, Richard Kahui, Sosene Anesi, Mils Muliaina, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Dwayne Sweeney (Waikato), Kristian Ormsby, Tasesa Lavea, Lelia Masaga (Counties-Manukau), Tom Harding, Fafili Levave (Wellington), Hayden Hopgood (Canterbury), Callum Bruce (Otago), Viliame Waqaseduadua (North Harbour).
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Steamers 2008 |
| : Air New Zealand Cup |
| 31 July: Tasman Away |
| 9 Aug: Counties Rotorua |
| 16 Aug: Harbour Baypark |
| 22 Aug: Northland Away |
| 30 Aug: Wellington Away |
| 5 Sep: Otago Baypark |
| 12 Sep: Auckland Rotorua |
| 18 Sep: Canterbury Away |
| 25 Sep: Southland Baypark |
| 3 Oct: Hawke's Bay Away |
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