Rugby: Steamers to showcase talent

Te Puke Sports winger Brynn Uriarau is one of a number of new players to trial for the Steamers in Rotorua next week.

Steamers head coach Clayton McMillan and assistant coach Rodney Gibbs have named two teams for the official Steamers trial to be held at Rotorua International Stadium on June 17 at 6pm.

"What we are looking for are people who are capable of performing at the ITM Cup stage. People have been selected on merit based on the performances we have seen of them during the club season," McMillan said.

"This is another avenue for them to showcase themselves in a trial situation. Those who are good enough may find they get selected."

Clayton McMillan

McMillan said the trial game was a showcase of the best of the Steamer hopefuls.

"We don't want it to turn into a circus or anything like that. It will be a proper game with two 40-minute spells. There will be the ability to change within each team but that is not what we are planning to do.

"We will have pretty set structures about the amount of time people will play. It is a midweek game and we are getting to the end of the club season so we aren't going to overload any player, given that they are having to back up on Saturday."

The trial teams did not include players involved in Super 15 or the World Rugby Under-20 Championships.

The trialists will train together at Te Puke Sports on Monday, June 15, at 6pm.

After the trial, the Wasps team would be named to play the Cavaliers in the first pre-season match on June 24 in Katikati. This is the final opportunity for players to put their hand up for the 2015 Steamers ITM Cup team, named mid-July ahead of two ITM Cup pre-season matches against Auckland on July 31 in Whakatane, and Manawatu on August 6 at Tauranga Domain.

Steamers trial: June 17, Rotorua International Stadium, 6pm
* Team Blue: Solomona Sakalia (Mount Maunganui), Joe Royal (Rotoiti), Jeff Thwaites (Tauranga Sports), Tim Bond (Te Puke Sports), Keepa Mewett (Tauranga Sports), Eru Wano (Te Puke Sports), Zak Hohneck (Rotoiti), Lionel Skipwith (Rotoiti) Te Aihe Toma (Te Puna), John Dodd (Tauranga Sports), Caleb Hall (Greerton Marist), Tino Nemani (Greerton Marist), Jesse Dodunski (Tauranga Sports), Brynn Uriarau (Te Puke Sports),Whaimotu Chemis (Whakarewarewa), Tukaha Carter (Te Puke Sports), Joe Key (Greerton Marist), Matt Wallis (Te Puke Sports), Taylor Jones (Greerton Marist), Daniel Crowther (Tauranga Sports), Matty Cole (Te Puke Sports), Tim O'Malley (Greerton Marist), Jason Harvey (Tauranga Sports), Te Rangi Fraser (Whakarewarewa).
* Team Gold: Ziggy Fisiihoi (Rotoiti), Vyron Smith (Mount Maunganui), James McGougan (Paroa), Troy Callandar (Greerton Marist), Lars Morrice (Te Puke Sports), Brett Ranga (Mount Maunganui), Matty Axtens (Mount Maunganui), Jesse Acton (Tauranga Sports), Jono Kitto (Te Puke Sports), Nick Evemy (Tauranga Sports), Jone Lagibola (Whakatane Marist), Marnus Hanley (Mount Maunganui), Jonah Bainavalu (Whakatane Marist), LeRoy van Dam (Greerton Marist), Craig Clare (Paroa), Leigh Hughes (Mount Maunganui), Wade Pereira (Whakarewarewa), Dan Goodwin (Te Puke Sports), Carl Axtens (Tauranga Sports), Luke Schuler (GreertonMarist), Jonty Wood (Mount Maunganui), Pera Gibbs (Mount Maunganui), Doug Edwards (Whakarewarewa), Maake Taulahi (Whakarewarewa), Ben Tyler (Mount Maunganui).