Injury has hit the Taranaki A rep side just days before their Christie Cup defence against Manawatu. Michael Fleming and Chris Popata have both been forced to withdraw. Fleming suffered an ankle injury this week and Popata is still troubled by the back injury which plagued him in his Soffe Cup interclub match last Saturday.

 

The top Huatoki pairing of Lucy Barlow and Jonno Ussher are also unavailable which means the team is going to find it tough against the likes of Kurt McNamara, who played in the NZ Lawn Champs in Hawera, and Tim Preston.  McNamara lost in the quarterfinals to the eventual winner, Andrew Batie.

The Manawatu women are likely to be led by Manu Durie, the No 3 ranked woman in the Central Region which incorporates Wellington, Hutt Valley and Kapi Mana), followed by Kelly Toa, who plays for Rotokare in the Soffe Cup and Rheanna Wiggin who was a NZ Lawn Tennis Championships semi-finalist.

 

Jordan Stayt (Huatoki), John Hardie Boys and Sue Oldfield (both Oakura) will make their debuts for the A team.

Becky Bruckner and Donna Thorne drop to the B team to make way for Oldfield and Saori Han (Huatoki).

 

In the B team, David Innes (Waiwaka/Stratford/MIdhirst), Shane Devlin(Rotokare), Amrit Rai (Huatoki), Krystal Oakes (Waiwaka/Stratford/Midhirst), Alison Chamberlain (Waiwaka/Stratford/Midhirst), Kate Laurenson (Rotokare) and Miaana Walden (Oakura ) all make their debuts. 

 

Selector/manager Bruce Cleland (Stratford) has named the following teams for the matches, to be played at the Rotokare courts and the B team plays Manawatu B at the Huatoki courts. Both matches start at 9am.

 

Taranaki A:

John Hardie-Boys

Andrew Powell

Ben Pollard

Jordan Stayt

Josh Walden

David White

Steve Novak - doubles specialist

 

Leah Fletcher

Alesha Ford

Saori Han

Nicole Koch

Sue Oldfield

Linda Reid

 

Taranaki B - Shane Devlin, Jordan Fleming (Manaia), Jacob Gopperth (Manaia), Amrit Rai, (Huatoki) David Innes (Wai/Str/Mid), one to be confirmed.

Becky Bruckner (Oakura), Chamberlain, Laurenson, Oakes (Waiwaka /Stratford/Midhirst), Donna Thorne (Pukekura), Walden ( Oakura).