Bush coach has to rethink picks

FULL TILT: Wairarapa-Bush flanker Chris Raymond on the burst against Poverty Bay last Saturday. PHOTO/GISBORNE HERALD

WAIRARAPA-Bush head coach Josh Syms sat down late last month and wrote down a likely starting line-up for his team's opening match against Thames Valley in the 2015 Heartland rugby championship at Paeroa this Saturday.

Syms isn't saying exactly who was in that side but six of them - injured or unavailable - won't be taking the field.

"We've certainly had to change our thinking a bit but, hey, that's the nature of the game I guess. There's no point dwelling on what you haven't got, no point at all."

Nobody can debate, however, that Syms and his assistant coach, Wayne Roache, have had a hard row to hoe.

The loss through unavailability of two of the union's most battle-hardened forwards, Andrew McLean and Richard Puddy, for the whole of the Heartland campaign was a huge blow, and talented halfback Joseph Sio has now ruled himself out because of work commitments.

On the injury list is another of the older hands in midfielder Byron Karaitiana, along with outside back Corey McFadzean, flanker Brock Price and utility forward Gareth van Dalen, while loosies Johnie McFadzean and Rima Marurai will miss Saturday's match for personal reasons.

But it hasn't been all doom and gloom.

From all accounts, the three "imports" from the Auckland-based Grammar TEC club, centre Viliami Hala, No8 So'otala Fa'aso'o and hooker Andrew Makalio, all performed impressively in the 53-17 beating of a depleted Poverty Bay last weekend, and the latest addition to the squad is highly-regarded Hutt Valley Old Boys Marist lock James Wall.

He was set to play for Wairarapa-Bush in last year's Heartland programme but was a late withdrawal when Wellington called him into their ITM Cup team.

Syms is confident the 22 players named to travel to Paeroa will do a decent job.

He liked a lot of what he saw in the Poverty Bay match although he was also quick to emphasise that with no championship points at stake not too much should be read into the end result.

"We certainly didn't see the best of Poverty Bay and I'd like to think we didn't see the best of us either. It was a good hit-out for the two teams but the Heartland is a whole different ball game."

Syms says Wairarapa-Bush's tactical approach on Saturday will be nothing fancy, rather the focus will be on the forwards providing the initial impetus and the backs spreading the ball wide whenever the opportunity arises. And while he admits to knowing little about the Thames Valley team, he anticipates them doing something similar.

"It will probably be your typical first championship game, tight and intense. I wouldn't think there would be a lot in it."

Interestingly, Thames Valley finished eighth in last year's Heartland championship with Wairarapa-Bush 11th but their preliminary round match provided Wairarapa-Bush with what was to be their only win in the competition. It was a close go though, Wairarapa-Bush sneaking home 20-18.

The full Wairarapa-Bush squad for Saturday's match is: Forwards: BJ Campbell, So'otala Fa'aso'o, James Goodger, Wiremu Grace, Jacko Hull, Matt Kawana, Andrew Makalio, Lachie McFadzean, Chris Raymond, Kurt Simmonds, Kody Thompson, James Wall.

Backs: Matt Dalley, Cameron Hayton, Andy Humberstone, Viliama Hala, Tipene Haira, Inia Katia, Nick Olson, Tim Priest, Paul Tikomainavalu, Cody Whittaker.