Tough task for King Country

Poverty Bay faces a tough task to turnaround its 0-56 loss to Wanganui last weekend when the teams meet in their Meads Cup semi-final on Saturday.

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Coach Grainger Heikell has brought in Scottish-born hooker Ralph McInally for his first Heartland Championship game as one of three positional changes.

Regular hooker Josh Maynard moves to loosehead prop while Tavita Maka will play at No.8 allowing Sione Ngatu to return to blindside flanker.

However, the backline has had change forced on it with Kele Bola called into the Fijian side for its European tour.

First five-eighths Scott Leighton returns from suspension allowed Campbell Te Rito to return to second five-eighths.

Meanwhile, Mid Canterbury is hosting South Canterbury in the other semi-final, and is taking nothing for granted despite a season in which it has suffered only one loss, 19-24 to Poverty Bay.

Earlier in roundrobin play, it had a close call in Timaru when winning 16-13 courtesy of a dropped goal in injury time to Kieran Lindsay.

The game is the first time South Canterbury has reached this level in the Meads Cup after spending two seasons in the Lochore Cup.

The prize for Mid Canterbury would be a home final, but it will be played at Rugby Park in Christchurch because of the pre-allocation of its first choice grounds.

In the Lochore Cup semi-finals, West Coast will play Buller in Greymouth and North Otago will play King Country in Oamaru.