Stumbling Counties give Bell a chance

Waiuku inside back Duncan Bell, considered unlucky not to see any NPC action in the opening five rounds of the second division, finally gets his chance in Blenheim this afternoon.

The 23-year-old will make his debut for Counties Manukau against Marlborough in a backline reshuffled following an injury to Amasio Valence.

Determined to bounce back after last week's home loss to East Coast, Counties Manukau go into today's game a little under full strength, with prop Dave Stewart sidelined and likely to miss the next four weeks with a broken finger.

The team had a light run at the Lansdowne Rd ground yesterday and expect to play in perfect conditions this afternoon.

In third place despite the loss to East Coast, the Bruce Robertson-coached Counties Manukau, four points adrift of second, will be keen to pick up maximum points to keep alive their hopes of a home semifinal.

Marlborough have won only once this season.

In the key game of the round, Hawkes Bay play Manawatu in Napier - first against second, on 24 and 20 points respectively. Victory for the Bay would ensure a home semifinal; a win for the visitors would leave them neck and neck for the top spot at the end of the round robin.

In the third division, King Country, lying second a point behind North Otago and angling to secure a home semifinal, play Buller in Taupo.

West Coast face Horowhenua Kapiti, North Otago meet Poverty Bay and defending champions South Canterbury play Wairarapa Bush.

Counties Manukau: Gus Leger, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Casey Laulala, Duncan Bell, Niva Ta'auso, Quintan Sanft, Kevin Senio, Dion Kingi, Wayne McEntee, Semisi Saukawa, Kristian Ormsby, Ramon Lindsay, John Heke, Grant Henson, Alan McLean. Res: Pompei Lambert, Latiume Maka, Robert Ofoa Petersen, Craig Glendinning, Kevin Farrell, Stephen Donald, Massey Tuhakaraina.