Break sets Holah up for Sharks clash

Marty Holah

Openside flanker Marty Holah said he was rejuvenated by his first full session of off-season training in four years as he was today named in the Chiefs side to play the Sharks at the weekend.

Also confirmed this morning for Sunday's clash in Durban were All Blacks Mils Muliaina and Sam Tuitupou, who will have their first full competition games for the Chiefs after moving south from the Blues.

A feature of the Sharks team is Springbok fullback Percy Montgomery filling in at pivot with former All Black Tony Brown yet to hook up with the Sharks.

Holah, a controversial omission from the All Blacks' Grand Slam tour of Britain and Ireland at the end of last year, said he took the chance to hit the gym.

"I haven't really had the opportunity to do a decent amount of training time like that on my base work for a good four years or so, so that was rejuvenating to get involved in that."

He also worked on his defence, skills and speed, and was looking forward to a good season for the Chiefs and not thinking about All Black selection.

"If things are going alright for me during the Super 14 then that's going to sort of really look after itself.

"The coaches are pretty clear in what they want selection-wise so I can't really change their minds as to what they're going to make their criteria of selection -- I can only play the best I can in the Super 14."

He felt the Chiefs could do even better in the inaugural Super 14 than last season's Super 12, when they made the semifinals.

"I'm certainly a lot more confident this year than I have been other years and I think a lot of the other guys are too."

On Sunday morning NZ time, Holah will find himself, numerically at least, up against Springbok giant AJ Venter in the No 7 jersey. However, he expected Venter to play more of a blindside role.

"Most of their forward pack have a fair bit of experience under their belts but it's good to get a pretty sizeable opponent straight away.

"He's a big man but he plays a bit more six than seven."

That would leave Holah marking Warren Britz.

Holah said it was a bonus for the Chiefs to be missing only a few players through injury or illness for the start of the season -- although skipper Jono Gibbes was the obvious late starter.

Chiefs coach Ian Foster said Gibbes could return next week in Johannesburg against the Cats.

He expected it to be hot and humid for the game and the Chiefs would face a tough forward pack.

Foster said of Tony Brown: "He's played their two pre-season games at 10.

"You've got to show him a lot of respect for the way he's handled himself at international level for the last couple of years and the way he's become a deadly goalkicker.

"He's certainly not a guy we'll be taking lightly."

Chiefs:
Mils Muliaina, Sosene Anesi, Niva Ta'auso, Sam Tuitupou, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Stephen Donald, Byron Kelleher, Sione Lauaki, Marty Holah, Steven Bates, Sean Hohneck, Bernie Upton, Ben Castle, Tom Willis, Simms Davison.

Reserves: Aleki Lutui, Deacon Manu, Kristian Ormsby, Liam Messam, Jamie Nutbrown, Loki Crichton, Mark Ranby.

Sharks:
JP Pietersen, Dusty Noble, Gcobani Bobo, Andries Strauss, Henno Mentz, Percy Montgomery, Ruan Pienaar, Jacques Botes, AJ Venter (captain), Warren Britz, Johann Muller, Johan Ackermann, Brendon Botha, Skipper Badenhorst, Heinke van der Merwe.

Reserves: Jody Jenneker, Brent Moyle, Albert van den Berg, Daniel Farani, Sandile Nxumalo, Bradley Barrett, Brent Russell.

- NZPA