Kelleher believes it's time to step up

1.00pm

Byron Kelleher believes it's time to step up - both for himself and the Waikato NPC rugby team.

This year's No 2 All Blacks halfback, who faces his former province Otago in Dunedin tonight, said Waikato needed to find some consistency in their game as the race to the playoffs intensified.

"It's crucial at this time. There's four games left and we've got to step up and make sure we're really nailing our game," Kelleher said.

"And I personally want to play well in these next four games and just stamp some authority on my position in the Waikato team because I think we have to individually make sure we do well so collectively as a team we can achieve our goals."

Kelleher said he had been a bit rusty since his return to NPC action following a two-week break after the international Tri-Nations series.

"It's all about knowing and understanding the guys around you, the new positions, the new maps and game plans thoroughly so you can execute your game properly."

Kelleher has already been to Dunedin and won against one of his old teams this year when he helped the Chiefs beat the Highlanders 36-31 in the Super 12 in April, but he said the NPC was a different proposition and he could not wait to play there again.

"Otago will be desperate and I know what they are like when things aren't going too well. They always come out focused - especially at a home game."

That meant Waikato would have to be right on top of their game.

"Obviously it's going to be hard to play an expansive game in Dunedin, but it's certainly going to test other areas of our game that we've been working on and needed to work on from our last performance," Kelleher said in reference to the recent boggy nature of the Carisbrook ground due to blocked drains.

"I've never seen Carisbrook like this before. It's always been in primo condition in the past, but being born and bred in Dunedin I've played on plenty of grounds like that down there."

He said playing smart would be vital and that meant getting field position and retaining possession in the opposition half.

Coach John Mitchell said his team had been rusty and this was an important opportunity for Waikato to pick up their first win of the season away from home.

"We're going into a fortress - no one's beaten them down there this year and they're a pretty proud team at home - but if you want to be a championship contender you've got no choice but to win away from home," Mitchell said.

"I guess our season really starts big time on the weekend. We've got four steps to take and we've got to start by taking a step in Dunedin as a group."

Mitchell said that in past weeks the forwards had been guilty of only playing well for small periods of time.

Otago: Glen Horton, Ben Smith, Seilala Mapusua, Jason Kawau, Neil Brew, Mathew Berquist/Ashley Barron, Danny Lee, Grant Webb, Tom Harding, Josh Blackie/Adam Thomson, Simon Maling, James Ryan, Carl Hayman, Anton Oliver (captain), Carl Hoeft.

Reserves: Jason Macdonald, Jeremy Aldworth, Filipo Levi, Adam Thomson/Sam Harding, Toby Morland, Ashley Barron/Mathew Berquist, Ryan Nicholas.

Waikato: Isaac Boss, Sosene Anesi, Keith Lowen, David Hill, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Stephen Donald, Byron Kelleher, Steven Bates, Marty Holah, Jono Gibbes (captain), Sean Hohneck, Josh Sole, Deacon Manu, Scott Linklater, Michael Collins.

Reserves: Jamie McQueen, David Briggs, Ben Paurini, Liam Messam, Rhys Duggan, Richard Kahui, Derek Maisey.

- NZPA

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