Tasman Makos: News

Makos lose brothers to same injury
07-Apr-2010

MARLBOROUGH EXPRESS - John Alexander
Season-ending injuries to Marlborough brothers Quentin and Jesse MacDonald have left the Tasman Makos rugby team's hooking stocks threadbare for the coming season.

Amazingly, the MacDonalds suffered almost identical injuries but on opposite knees, rupturing cruciate ligaments. Both require surgery which is expected to rule them out of most, if not all, of this year's ITM Cup.

Makos coach Kieran Keane, although gutted for the two players and for the gap they leave in his potential playing roster, refused to call the situation a crisis when spoken to in Nelson yesterday.

In fact, the MacDonalds' bad luck has provided a window of opportunity for another of Marlborough's up-and-coming young guns, Moutere forward Vernon Fredricks.

In just his second year of premier club rugby out of school, Keane has already spoken to him about the prospects of stepping up to the Makos at hooker and that's the position Keane hopes the young man's club coach, Moutere's Dave McCormick, will play him to help boost his selection chances. He's played most of his schoolboy and club rugby to date as a loose-forward and was a standout performer in last week's club season opener playing openside flanker against Central.

Keane said, "It's terrible luck for both the MacDonald boys. It's not a crisis, but when you get two local players, one an incumbent and another a candidate, it's sad to lose them.

"We started the scouting process some time ago. We are looking at some of the young local players stepping up. We will need three hookers.

"We'll take two in the squad and have one as back-up in the wider training group who will either play for Marlborough or Nelson Bays.

"Vernon Fredricks is definitely a candidate. He's an outstanding young player and the best opportunity for him to play for the Makos is at hooker."

Troy Liddell and Aifala Taelega from Nelson Bays are other strong candidates and other options are being explored outside the Tasman union.

Keane said a number of Marlborough players were under consideration for places in this year's Makos team which will be announced on July 4.

"Those from either province who miss initial selection still have an opportunity to press for selection via a wider training squad which will also be named.

The Cecil Shield clash between Marlborough and Nelson Bays at Lansdowne Park in Blenheim on June 7 doubles as a final unofficial Makos trial.

Meanwhile, it was announced yesterday that 28 year-old former Southland prop Fai Mika is the Tasman Makos latest signing. Mika was in the Southland squad last season and he helps fill the gap left by the departure of last year's squad members Tristan Moran and Sakaria Taulafo.

Mika hopes a move to Tasman will catapult him into the Samoan reckoning for next year's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

Mika, who made 29 appearances for Southland since debuting in 2007, heads north after transferring to Tasman on a one-year deal.

The versatile 29-year-old, who can play both sides of the scrum, has struggled for regular starting opportunities with the Stags behind Highlanders props Jamie Mackintosh and Chris King. He was optimistic the shift to the Makos would see him gain more playing time as he strives to break into the Manu Samoa squad for the first time.

Mika will play his club rugby for the Waimea club in Nelson and was looking to play his first match in the next few weeks.

He said it was extremely difficult to be leaving Southland at a time when the union was on a massive high after winning the Ranfurly Shield for the first time in 50 years late last year.

"It is sad, but it's also exciting ... It's hard to beat that Ranfurly Shield. It's unreal. I still get shivers up my spine just thinking about it."

Rugby Southland boss Roger Clark said Mika had been a fantastic servant for the province.

"He's done a really good job. There's a lot of history there, too, with his brother (Mike Mika having also played for Southland).

"We've got plenty of props. It's a win-win situation."