The Vodafone Wellington Lions return home to Westpac Stadium on Saturday night, kick-off 7.35pm to face the Manawatu Turbos in round nine of the ITM Cup.

 

The Vodafone Wellington Lions team to play Manawatu is as follows:

1.       Reggie Goodes

2.       Dane Coles

3.       Neemia Tialata

4.       Jeremy Thrush (c)

5.       Mark Reddish

6.       Brad Shields

7.       Scott Fuglistaller

8.       Faifili Levave

9.       TJ Perenara

10.   Lima Sopoaga

11.   Julian Savea

12.   Charlie Ngatai

13.   Michael Lealava'a

14.   Alapati Leiua

15.   Jason Woodward

 

Reserves

16.   Motu Matu'u

17.   Jacob Ellison

18.   Joe Latta

19.   Dean Brunsdon

20.   Frae Wilson

21.   Michael Hobbs

22.   Steve Honey

23.   Whetu Henry

 

There are several changes to the Vodafone Wellington Lions' starting XV from that which beat Northland 43-19 on Wednesday night. Left wing Julian Savea and fullback Jason Woodward return for All Blacks Hosea Gear and Cory Jane while second five-eighth Charlie Ngatai and centre Michael Lealava'a combine in a new midfield pairing, replacing Michael Hobbs and Shaun Treeby respectively. Also in the backs, Frae Wilson and TJ Perenara trade places off the bench.

Changes to the forwards see Dane Coles come off the pine for Motu Matu'u at hooker and Scott Fuglistaller return to the side at openside flanker for Dean Brunsdon who plays off the bench.

The Lions enter this full round of ninth round matches in sixth place behind leaders Bay of Plenty in an increasingly congested ITM Cup Premiership points table. But with just seven points separating the Steamers and the Lions, and with three matches to play after this round for each team and a maximum of 20 points still up for grabs, the Lions are still very much in the hunt to make the final on 3 September.

A bonus point win for the Lions this weekend against ITM Cup Championship opposition the Turbos could propel them to as high as second equal with Auckland and ahead of Waikato, Taranaki and Canterbury if these three teams all lose their crossover ninth round matches. Waikato host Otago, Taranaki host Tasman and Canterbury entertain Northland. Auckland kick-started an expected tight round of matches with a nail-biting 25-22 win over Counties Manukau on Thursday night.

The Turbos are leading the Championship points table, with a one-point lead over second placed Hawke's Bay and a five-point buffer to third placed Otago, so a win for them over the Lions would put them in a strong position heading into the pointy end of the season. Both teams have much to play for.

The Turbos will be searching for their second Premier team scalp in succession after beating neighbours Taranaki 15-10 in their last match last Saturday. This followed on from their 32-25 win earlier in the campaign against Hawke's Bay, so Manawatu also will be playing to beat all three of their Hurricanes franchise partners in a single season.

With a seven-day turnaround since their last match, Manawatu will also be fresh and focused to upset the Lions in their own den. With hard working forwards and some real game breakers in the backs such as halfback Aaron Smith, first five-eighth Aaron Cruden and Sevens specialist Tomasi Cama Junior, the Turbos know their way to the try line.

As well as vital competition points, the Lions and Manawatu will also be playing for the Coronation Cup- won by Manawatu 36-24 in this corresponding clash last year.

Replacement Manawatu wing Asalei Tikoirotuma intercepted a pass and scampered away to seal Manawatu's first NPC/ITM Cup victory over Wellington in 28 years and 11 outings.

The Lions met a passionate Turbos side who led 14-12 at halftime and kept their noses in front throughout the second half. In a tense finish, the Lions scored a late try to close the deficit to within five points and pressed hard at the death for another. But the Turbos secured their victory with the last act of the game with Tikoirotuma's runaway try.

The Coronation Cup was presented by the Arnott family to the Manawatu Rugby Union in the Queen's coronation year of 1953, to be contested between Manawatu and Wellington. For many seasons the two unions played an annual Queen's Birthday fixture for the Coronation Cup.

Saturday's clash will be the 19^th meeting between the Lions and Manawatu in the ITM Cup/NPC since their first in 1976. Of the previous 18, Wellington has won 14 and Manawatu four. Before last year, Manawatu's last ITM Cup win over Wellington was in 1982 (28-9).

Memorable wins for the Lions against Manawatu include 15-9 in 1980, the year Manawatu won the NPC, and 28-10 in 1981 at a packed Athletic Park, the game which sealed Wellington's second NPC title. Tana Umaga played his 100^th and last game for the Lions in a 37-7 win at Westpac Stadium in 2007. On Manawatu's last visit to Westpac Stadium in 2009 the Lions scored seven tries in winning 43-15 after leading just 14-8 at halftime.

In the era prior to the NPC /ITM Cup, Wellington and Manawatu met 67 times from their first encounter in 1887 (won 11-0 by Wellington) up until 1975, of which Wellington won 45, Manawatu 15 and there were seven draws. Wellington also played combined Manawatu-Horowhenua (Manawhenua) teams in first class rugby variously between 1910-1956.

Wellington's biggest score (69) and biggest winning margin (66 points) against Manawatu came in their 69-3 victory in 1990. Four different players scored two tries each in an 11-try win.

Wellington also scored 11 tries in a 46-5 win over them in 1908 (today's score value 68-7), and scored 10 tries in a 46-0 win in 1962 (today's score 66-0).

Mike Clamp holds the NPC/ITM Cup record of four tries in one match against Manawatu in 1984 (24-9), a record against all sides that was equaled earlier this season by Hosea Gear who crossed for four tries against Counties Manukau.

Allan Hewson holds the Wellington record for most points in all NPC/ITM Cup matches against Manawatu with 61.

John Gallagher holds the Wellington record for most points against Manawatu in an NPC/ITM Cup match with 24 points in Wellington in 1987.

As well as Clamp, G.G Walsh scored four tries against Manawatu, in a 30-6 victory in 1955, while D. Rush (1908), E. Nees (1933), E. Jamieson (1944) and Steve Pokere (1987) are the other Wellington players to have scored hat tricks against Manawatu.

Steve Pokere scored a try, and kicked eight conversions and three penalties for a Wellington individual record 29 points against Manawatu in a non NPC/ITM Cup match 1990, while Simon Mannix amassed 88 points in five of Wellington's six non NPC/ITM Cup matches against them between 1991-1996.