Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby team's wider training group players who gave club play a miss on Saturday have been ruled ineligible for tomorrow night's Saracens game against the Manawatu Evergreens in Palmerston North.
"We told our group they needed to be playing for their clubs to be considered for this game. Fourteen of our group are either injured or unavailable and this has forced a major reshuffle to the team we announced to the group last Wednesday night," Magpies assistant coach Danny Lee said before the Saracens trained last night.
"Five players withdrew with injuries collected during Saturday's club play. We were hoping to give some players who missed out on the game against Wairarapa Bush a run but some of them have missed out with injuries," Lee added.
Hastings Rugby and Sports prop Jason Long will captain the Saracens team which includes two Central players, second five-eighth Cole Eru and flanker George McPherson, in the starting XV and another two, halfback Tim Sciascia and midfield back Kody Lancaster, on the bench. This is the most the Waipukurau-based club has contributed at this stage of the season for more than two decades and a reflection of how well the Central team has been performing this season.
Napier Old Boys Marist hooker Logan Ede is a doubtful starter with an injury and if he is ruled out Taradale's Joe Simeon will travel.
