Super boost for Makos
The Tasman Makos ranks were boosted considerably ahead of their pre-season firmly with Canterbury on Friday.
Canterbury will play under the Cantabrians banner in this pre-season NPC outing.
The Makos revealed that Waratahs wing Peter Betham had signed for the NPC campaign this year.
The 23-year-old adds what Makos coach Kieran Keane described as, "something different". Although he played for the Rebels this season, Betham, out of the Sydney University Club, is signed to play for the Waratahs in 2013.
Betham - who made his SDuper Rugby debut for the Rebels last year and played for the Tahs this year - is a straight replacement for Auckland wing Tenina Sauileoge, who ruptured his ACL in a knee while playing club rugby in Auckland two weeks ago.
He's the second significant signing by Tasman in the last week, alongside New Zealand Under-20 No.8 Jordan Taufua - ironically on loan from Canterbury.
Canterbury coach Tabai Matson, for the first of two pre-season outings, have named a decidedly second string team for the trip to Kaikoura.
"We will be finalising our squad for the NPC competition later this month, so these pre-season games are a chance for players to prove their worth and earn a spot in the Canterbury squad," Matson said.
"The Cantabrians squad that will travel to Kaikoura tomorrow [Friday] is a 50-50 mix of previous Canterbury squad members and fresh faces, so there is plenty of exciting new talent putting their hands up for consideration.
"The harder they make our job of selecting a final squad, the better,” Matson added.
The Cantabrians next play Southland in Oamaru on August 9.
Teams:
Cantabrians squad: Mark Abbott, Nepo Laulala, Michael Allardice, James Lentjes, Shayne Anderson, Rhys Llewellen, Simon Berghan, Taniela Manu, Dominic Bird, Willie McGoon, Jed Brown, Fia Meafou, Sam Dickson, Sam Monaghan, Joel Everson, Andrew Olorenshaw, Paea Fa'anunu, James Schrader, Ben Funnell, Michael Stewart, Kolio Hifo, Mark Swanepoel, Jordan Hyland, Codie Taylor, Mark Jackman, Telusa Veainu, Luke Katene, Jamie Verran.
Tasman: TBC
Date: Friday, August 4
Venue: Kaikoura, Marlborough
Kick-off: 14.00 (02.00 GMT)
Referee: TBC