Southland seize chance to ring changes

Southland coach Leicester Rutledge has made five changes to his team for today's game against Canterbury.

The third-round game is seen as a chance to rotate some squad members ahead of the following match against Otago, also at home, which he thinks is winnable.

That possibly explains the changes, which will see a new halfback and first five-eighth combination in Jason Harrison and Ashley Barron, Pailate Fili back on the right wing, Aaron Dempsey return to tighthead prop for Clarke Dermody, and Brumbies import Des Tuiavii start on the openside flank.

Rutledge pushed the rotation line when he explained the changes made to the opening line-up that was used in last weekend's 24-all draw with Counties-Manukau.

"The changes are not necessarily through [bad] form.

"We just want to look at some other options. We've got a lot of depth in the side and a lot of competition for places.

"It's good to give players an opportunity to start."

Barron will be especially keen to make the most of his chance. He had a blinder in the upset pre-season win over Otago, made an impact as a second-half substitution in the 7-29 NPC loss to Auckland, but has had to watch the more defensively reliable Earl Va'a start and play well in the two NPC games.

The other key change involves the No 7 jersey where Tuiavii gets his chance ahead of Simon Etheredge.

Rutledge said Tuiavii was probably more accustomed to playing on the blindside flank, but he was confident he had the speed to get around the field and get quickly to the breakdowns, a problem area last week.

Canterbury may be without eight All Blacks and injured wing Marika Vunibaka and No 8 Scott Robertson, but will still field a powerful team. They have named four former All Blacks, including lock Todd Blackadder, who co-captains the team with second five-eighth Daryl Gibson.

Canterbury's hopes of playing dropped All Black flanker Reuben Thorne have not materialised. He was not wanted for New Zealand's test against South Africa tonight, but will be part of the All Black squad leaving for Sydney early on Monday morning for the final Tri-Nations test against Australia next weekend.

Coach Steve Hansen has no doubt Joe Naufahu will acquit himself well in his first game on the wing for the province. Naufahu, whose five previous appearances for Canterbury have been at second five-eighth, has replaced Vunibaka on the right wing.

Naufahu was loaned to Southland last season and played 10 times, all of them in the midfield.

Aged 23, he gained the No 14 jersey ahead of Joe Maddock, who showed promise on the wing and at fullback in Canterbury's three Ranfurly Shield defences this season.

"I'm confident Joe [Naufahu] can do the job, but both will get game time," Hansen said. "Joe has played some of his football on the wing before."

Canterbury have made two other changes to the starting XV used for last Saturday's game against Northland at Whangarei with Matt Mustchin coming onto the flank and Ben Hurst starting at halfback.

- NZPA