Rob Law Max Recruitment: Proud to be supporting club rugby in Wellington in 2014

So?oialo to lead Vodafone Wellington Lions in ITM Cup

Club Rugby | 21 July 2010 | Steven White

The Vodafone Wellington Lions have named their squad for the ITM Cup which kicks off at Westpac Stadium against Tasman on Sunday 1 August at 4.35pm.

The 2010 Vodafone Wellington Lions ITM Cup Squad is:

Dane Coles (Poneke)

Hayden Cripps (Petone)

Jacob Ellison (Northern United)

Fa'atonu Fili ?(Marist St. Pat’s)

Scott Fuglistaller (Wests Roosters)

Hosea Gear (Hutt Old Boys Marist)

Michael Hobbs (Old Boys-University)

Cory Jane (Upper Hutt)

Alapati Leiua (Northern United)

Faifili Levave (Northern United)

Serge Lilo (Northern United)

Alby Mathewson? (Upper Hutt)

Motu Matu'u (Oriental-Rongotai)

Api Naikatini (Northern United)

Charlie Ngatai? (Poneke)

Ma’a Nonu (Oriental-Rongotai)

Buxton Popoalii (Northern United)

Daniel Ramsay (Poneke)

Mark Reddish (Oriental-Rongotai)

Ged Robinson (Marist St. Pat’s)

Julian Savea (Oriental-Rongotai)

John Schwalger (Northern United)

Conrad Smith (Old Boys-University)

Rodney So’oialo (Captain, Wests Roosters)

Lima Sopoaga (Old Boys-University)

Apoua Stewart (Marist St. Pat’s)

David Te Moana (Manawatu, Loan)

Jeremy Thrush (Hutt Old Boys Marist)

Neemia Tialata (Petone)

Ruki Tipuna (Poneke)

Shaun Treeby (Tawa)

Victor Vito (Marist St. Pat’s)

?Piri Weepu (Wainuiomata

The 2010 Wellington Lions squad includes Wellington’s five current Tri-Nations All Blacks, Cory Jane, Ma’a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Victor Vito and Piri Weepu, plus Alby Mathewson who has been called into the squad as cover for Weepu who is preparing for the arrival of his first child.

Former skipper Rodney So’oialo takes over from last year’s captain Jacob Ellison to captain the Vodafone Wellington Lions in the 2010 ITM Cup, the last season of the National Provincial Championship in its current format.

So’oilao, who became the second player to reach a century of Rebel Sport Super 14 appearances for the Hurricanes earlier this year, leads an exciting squad brimming with talent.

The squad includes four new players who have yet to play for the Wellington Lions, including recently named World IRB Junior Player of the Year Julian Savea.

Outside back Savea is joined in the Wellington Lions squad for the first time by young first five-eighths Lima Sopoaga and Hayden Cripps and former Manawatu prop David Te Moana. Petone pivot Cripps was in the Hurricanes Schools’ side in 2008 and Old Boys-University’s Sopoaga was a member of the New Zealand Schools’ team last season. Specialist tighthead prop Te Moana is on loan from Manawatu and has played 39 games for his home province.

Oriental-Rongotai hooker Motu Matu’u played in Wellington’s opening two Ranfurly Shield defences last season against Wairarapa Bush and Wanganui but has yet to make his NPC/ITM Cup debut.

Michael Hobbs, who earned 10 caps in his rookie season in 2008, returns to the Wellington Lions in 2010 from Otago via the Highlanders in this year’s Super 14. Following his debut NPC/ITM Cup season for the Lions in 2008, Hobbs was drafted to the Blues for the 2009 Super 14, before joining Otago. However a stress fracture in his back meant he missed the entire 2009 provincial season.

As well as five current All Blacks, plus Alby Mathewson, the 2010 squad features four players recently involved with the New Zealand Maori in their winning Sealord Centenary Series campaign against the New Zealand Barbarians, Ireland and England. These are: hooker Dane Coles, winger Hosea Gear, halfback Ruki Tipuna and lock Daniel Ramsay.

Midfielder Charlie Ngatai also recently represented New Zealand at the IRB Under 20 World Cup, alongside Player of the Tournament Savea. Ngatai made his NPC/ITM Cup debut nine days short of his 19^th birthday last year and returns for his second season.

The squad features 15 current Rebel Sport Super 14 players. These are: Jacob Ellison, Gear, Jane, Alapati Leuia, Nonu, Conrad Smith, John Schwalger, So’oialo, Jeremy Thrush, Neemia Tialata, Vito and Weepu (Hurricanes), Hobbs (Highlanders), and Serge Lilo and Alby Mathewson (Blues).

There are five players from last year’s Wellington Lions NPC/ITM Cup squad playing for other provinces this year. These are: Robert Fruean (now Canterbury), Daniel Kirkpatrick (Hawke’s Bay), Mathew Luamanu (North Harbour), Anthony Perenise (Hawke’s Bay) and David Smith (Taranaki).

The Lions play Canterbury in a pre-season match in Christchurch on Friday, in a re-match of the 2008 and 2009 finals.

The 13-week ITM Cup round-robin series runs from next weekend through to the third weekend of October, ahead of the semi-finals at the end of October and final on Saturday 6 November.

The Lions play four of their first five games at home at Westpac Stadium, against Tasman, Counties Manukau, Waikato and Northland, ahead of later home games against Hawke’s Bay, Bay of Plenty and Taranaki.

Away fixtures include big matches against traditional provincial rivals Otago in a last ever visit to Carisbrook on 14 August, Auckland at Eden Park on 11 September and Canterbury at AMI Stadium on 25 September.

There is a scheduled Ranfurly Shield against current holders Southland in Invercargill on 23 October.

Vodafone Wellington Lions 2010 ITM Cup Fixtures

Wellington v Tasman - Sun 1 August, 4.35pm, Westpac Stadium

Wellington v Counties Manukau - Sun 8 August, 2.35pm, Westpac Stadium

Otago v Wellington - Sat 14 August, 7.35pm, Carisbrook

Wellington v Waikato - Sat 21 August, 7.35pm, Westpac Stadium

Wellington v Northland - Sat 28 August, 5.30pm, Westpac Stadium

Manawatu v Wellington - Sat 4 September, 2.35pm, FMG Stadium

Auckland v Wellington - Sat 11 September, 6.35pm, Eden Park

Wellington v Hawke's Bay - Sat 18 September, 5.30pm, Westpac Stadium

Canterbury v Wellington - Sat 25 September, 2.35pm, AMI Stadium

Wellington v Bay of Plenty - Thur 30 September, 7.35pm, Westpac Stadium