Check out the Hawke's Bay Magpies Wider Training Group squad listed below for today's match against their Waikato counterparts in Taupo.

Just one name wouldn't be familiar to the majority of Hawke's Bay's club rugby fans. That's substitute loosie Morgan Innes.

Magpies head coach Mark Ozich (pictured above) doesn't know too much about him either but pointed out he has returned from Scotland and will be playing his club footy for Central Rugby and Sports. Innes is former teammate of Magpies and Central prop Joel Hintz.

Today's match is the first of five pre-season games for the Magpies. The next outing will be against Wairarapa Bush in Masterton on Queen's Birthday - June 7.

Their first Ranfurly Shield defence of the season will be against North Otago in Napier on June 30. July 23 will see the Magpies take on Waikato and July 30 Counties-Manukau.

Super Rugby and All Black Sevens commitments and injuries have taken at least 15 first-string players out of the equation for today's outing. However Ozich was quick to point out six players, captain and hooker Kianu Kereru-Symes, props Jason Long, Namatahi Waa and Hintz, halfback Connor McLeod and first five-eighth Lincoln McClutchie (pictured below) boast plenty of first-class experience.

Starting fullback Harry Godrey was yesterday named in the New Zealand under-20s squad to play Wellington and two matches against their Australia counterparts. These games will be the national side's only fixtures this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ozich is also keen to monitor the progress of the likes of promising midfielders Jordan Thompson-Dunn and Kienan Higgins and lock Ben Freschini.
"Basically we're looking at the depth in our next tier under our top XV," Ozich explained.

He said he will know in five weeks whether or not Highlanders loosie Marino Mikaele-Tu'u will be available for the NPC in the wake of his lower leg injury collected last month. Highlanders utility back Caleb Makene is expected to be available by round two or three after knee surgery and while Highlanders halfback Folau Fakatava is back in the gym after his knee surgery he will miss the entire season.