Te Kawau lead the mid-table logjam in fourth, but have Kia Toa, Feilding Old Boys-Ōroua and OB-Marist nipping at their heels. Winless Freyberg are at the bottom. OBM coach Reece Robinson said after the first round the side talked about goals and wanted to make sure they kept picking up points. “The goal is to get in the top four,” he said. “We ve got a bit of pressure on us now, but if we can play the way we did on Saturday in the weeks ahead, we’ll put ourselves in a good position.” Robinson said his side was keen to fight for fourth spot.
Matenga was expecting it to be a big clash, and he said College had to keep doing what they had been doing and keep their discipline. His job will be helped this weekend by the return of backs Cyrus Baker and Awatere Kiwara from injury this week, and Patrick Tafili-Reid who has been unavailable the past two weeks. Manawatū Turbos flanker Johnny Galloway should be back from injury this week too. Back Andrew McDougall returned from tonsillitis last week and lock Massimo Kirikiri returned from concussion last week. It offsets the loss of suspended forwards Cory Purton, Kodie Albert-Papuni and Hamuera Burn, as well as loosie Elyjah Crosswell, who is with the New Zealand Barbarians under-20s this week playing against the Super Rugby under-20 teams in Taupō.