Been there and done that!

The pressures of finals rugby shouldn't worry Wairarapa-Bush when they meet Wanganui in the Heartland championship Meads Cup decider at Cooks Gardens, Wanganui on Saturday.
It is the third year in succession that a Wairarapa-Bush team under the coaching of Peter Russell have made a national competition final and no fewer than 12 of the current squad have been part of the action on each occasion.
In 2004 Wairarapa-Bush were humbled 37-14 by Poverty Bay in the NPC third division final played at Gisborne but it was a different story last season when they beat Horowhenua-Kapiti in Masterton for that title, 28-23.
Russell recalls the Gisborne defeat as the perfect example of what happens when a side gets behind on the scoreboard and then tries too hard to make up lost ground.
"It was all about the top two inches??..we didn't play smart, he said. "We became impatient and started rushing things and when you do that you are always prone to making mistakes. It wasn't so much that we lost which was disappointing but how we lost, we should have done a lot better."
The lessons learned from that loss were put to good use in the last-ever third division final last year with Wairarapa-Bush getting themselves out to a handy lead and then staving off a determined Horowhenua-Kapiti fightback.
However, Russell is adamant that it will take a more controlled effort than that for Wairarapa-Bush to take the Meads Cup spoils this weekend.
"We did take the foot off the throat in the second half and you can't afford to do that against a team like Wanganui," he said. "What we want on Saturday is total focus for the full 80 minutes, anything less than that and we'll be in trouble."
Russell was delighted with the enthusiasm and excitement shown by his players at Tuesday's night training session where the emphasis was on rectifying problems which surfaced in either the semi-final against North Otago last weekend or in the top six pay-off game against Wanganui a little less than a fortnight ago.
For instance, a number of scrums were put down because of a feeling that communication and unity could be improved and the formation of the forwards after lineout ball had been secured was carefully scrutinised.
"We were a little bit slow getting into position to protect our lineout ball and to provide a platform from which we could drive ahead," Russell said. " We were too loose, they (North Otago) were able to get players into positions from where they could disrupt".
Also stressed was the need for the Wairarapa-Bush inside backs to work harder at supporting their three-quarters in defensive situations, something which was lacking in the previous game against Wanganui.
"They (Wanganui) do have plenty of pace and flair out wide and we need to ensure that if they happen to break the first line of defence then enough cover is there to pick them up," Russell said.
The fact Russell and his assistant coach Chris Luman had all squad members except reserve utility back Mike Shaw to select from for Saturday's game was a major plus for the management team.
Shaw's absence because of a prior commitment provided the chance for the reserve bench to be re jigged and Russell and Luman have decided to go with five forwards and just the two backs there.
That may seem an unnecessary risk but Russell points to the fact that while halfback reserve James Bruce is a specialist in that role the other back reserve Duncan Rutherford can play practically anywhere in the line.
And the same went for all the backs in the starting XV, each of whom could be classified as utilities in the truest sense of the word.
It also means that all positions in the forwards are well covered, with Brendan Walker and Brent Rudman proven performers in the front row, Fijian international Langi Peters able to come on lock and Steve Wilkinson and Brodie Duffin there to add sting to the loose play if necessary.
"It's just so important to keep momentum going in the forwards and bringing on fresh legs can obviously help in that regard," Russell said. "We are expecting Saturday's game to be physically demanding up front so it makes sense to ensure we have adequate cover there."
Doubts about the fitness of winger Francis Seumanutata were happily erased at Tuesday's training with the crocked ankle he suffered in the North Otago game responding well to treatment.
In fact, the only player not to take part in contact training was No.8 Mike Spence, who has a sore neck and will therefore be kept away from any contact work until match day as a precaution.
Spence is one of a number of Wairarapa-Bush players well in the reckoning for a place in the national divisional side to undertake a short tour of Argentina at the end of this month.
That side will actually be named during the after-match function at Wanganui on Saturday night so it follows that victory in the final would obviously boost the chances of the Wairarapa-Bush contenders, foremost amongst whom would have to be loosies Spence, Sylvanus Iro and Sam Henderson, front rowers Joe Harwood and Dylan Higgison and backs Hamish McKenzie, Patrick Rimene and Nathan Couch.
Three others who would also have been in serious contention, Fijian locks Tomasi Kedarabuka and Langi Peters and Samoan midfield back Simanu Simanu are understood to be ineligible due to not fulfulling residential requirements.
Refereeing Saturday's final is Matt Stanish of Auckland, who was in charge when Wairarapa-Bush beat North Otago in the semi-finals. Touch judges are Josh Noonan and Ben Skeen and the television referee is Garratt Williamson.
Meanwhile, the TAB are backing Wanganui as the Meads Cup winners.As at yesterday morning they had them at odds of $1.85 to take the game as compared to Wairarapa-Bush's $2.10.
On the points option Wairarapa-Bush were paying $3.,20 to win by 12 points and under and a tempting $5.25 to win by 13 points and over.