We really have to be honest on this one because I’m not going to try and make this feel like this is supposed to be a “Tug Of War” for this “W” because we all know that being the No.1 team in the country didn’t come because they look cool but because Nelson College play like a No.1 Ranked team. Nelson College is just one of those teams that you look at and try to figure out where I find the weaknesses? Where is the best place to start to get them going backwards? What areas on our team are the strongest and we can start getting some momentum? Those kinds of questions are what Coaches kind of ask themselves in these games. So this is how I would look at it if it was my team.
Marlborough BC have a very very solid Loose trio and even though Nelson College have maybe the best Loose Trio in the country with two guys Saumaki Saumaki and Kobe Brownlee looking like NZSS calibre players and Teina Thompson looking at a NZ Barbarians or U18 Maori type season it’s kind of hard really know where to dominate. So this is the risk right, with Marlborough BC they have Ben Gibbons at No.8 and Rico Nicklin at 6 who for me are way above average ball carriers so that is a plus and so I would make all my runs from those two guys directed at Saumaki Saumaki, the reason why is because the more he has to defend and commit himself to either making the tackle or fighting to get over the ball the less energy he has to punish you in the 2nd half with his run game which is maybe the best in the country. Yes, Saumaki is a solid dude who is so strong but I’m not saying run at his shoulders, I’m saying move him off his blocks, get him to slide, get him to change pace when committing to making a tackle. I would try to get him more and more involved on the defensive side of the ball so that he doesn’t dominate the offensive side of the ball. This will also mean that Teina Thompson and Kobe Brownlee may get more touches in the run game but that’s more of a positive.
Speaking of Kobe Brownlee at Open Side, he is one of their main options at line out time and so for me I would make Tom Robinson or Ben Sziranyi shadow him and always try stay in front of him so that you can make Hooker Jack Trott adjust his throws and put him off because even if it doesn’t go to Kobe Brownlee and it goes to Year 12 Lock Tom Perkins you are still affecting the first person in control and that is Jack Trott. Have Marlborough BC Hooker Jake Gane watch for those mishaps and then be ready to “clean up” and if not put pressure on Oliver Gibbons the Nelson College Halfback. Oliver Gibbons is the other player that I would focus on in this match up and again I turn to Rico Nicklin, Finn McKenzie at Open Side and Ben Gibbons at No.8 along with Hooker Jake Gane. For me I think Oliver Gibbons is the best Halfback in the South Island and so I don’t want him comfortable and passing off the base feet ready and in a rhythm because then that game moves so fast for Nelson College. I want to crowd his space, make him look twice before and after that ball is gone and to make sure he knows that he is not going to have an easy game. Oliver is a very good player so the chances that he has a bad game is pretty slim, but we are not looking for him to have a bad game but bad possessions that we create and cause bad phases that we can turnover the ball at some point.
Personally when you look at Harry Inch at 1st 5/8 for Nelson College he’s a different breed because 1st 5/8’s don’t usually like the hard physical contact but Harry almost asks for it. Harry Inch not only hits the line but also flies up on defence to make the big hit and that is where the trouble is going to be because even though Ben Blackmore is a solid player it’s going to take a few guys to really help and slow this down. Now, I have spoken about the Oliver Gibbons plan and so the next one is Maifea Filipo marking up on Harry at 1st 5/8 Ben Blackmore at 2nd 5/8 rushing into that gap to take away the pass to Jimmy West at 2nd 5/8 and the have Finn McKenzie or one of the other Loosies run “Sweeper” just behind them just incase Harry breaks the line or gets that pass away to Jimmy West or Fanua Fa’avae at Centre. Here is the problem too, if Jimmy West and Fanua Fa’avae get that ball with time and space they can really hurt your team. Nelson College opening up that backline and getting Zyon Ford and Fullback Kaelan Grafton on the run Marlborough BC will have a big score against them like the last game. As good as Leo Marfell is for Marlborough BC at Fullback you cant have him making cover tackle after cover tackle all the time because at some point it’s going to get too much.
Leo Marfell will be the main focus for an attack if I was Marlborough BC because he not only can run the ball with speed but also has the ability to play make on the run and get the other boys in the game. I would run him as first or second receiver up in the line and make sure that Ben Gibbons gets his touches of the ball, Harley Hebberd gets his body hitting the line and hoping that he can draw the defence abit and also put Anaru Erasmus and Harry King to work pushing in from the wings and getting into the play. Leo Marfell I think can really be that game changer and if he can get the other boys to jump in and make meters when called on and put a really strong first half in they will be alright. Mason Nicklin at Prop should go all out in that first half and give everything he has and then 10 minutes after the half have fresh legs in and bring in Tafa Asiata-Tusani off the bench to put in that work. We know that Samuela Takapu and Oliver Kirk are big runners and heavy workers and so fresh energy in the 2nd half would be good and it’s the same thing with Finn Neal bringing him on and just emptying the tank and giving everything you have.
I would also like to see more running off Ata Obetaia close to the rucks and just changing angles and running dummies because I think if you had Ata play that edge of the ruck with guys like Jordyn Gardiner or Jake Gane, Ata gets to keep an eye on where everyone is and preparing for the next phase. This is going to be a hard match for Marlborough BC but they will have chances to make their move and capitalize on them that can affect the game and also the outcome. Remember No.1 teams lose all the time and so Marlborough BC just have to believe they can be the ones to topple them over and put themselves in that Final.
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