Bush told to harden up

The talking is done, now it's time to make actions speak louder than words.

That's the test for Wairarapa-Bush leading into their Heartland championship match with Poverty Bay on Rugby Haka and Festival Day at Carterton tomorrow.

In an honest appraisal of his team's inability to break their Heartland "duck" in their first five matches of their 2011 campaign, head coach Mark Rutene expressed disappointment at the attitude being shown by some - and it is only some - of his players and how they respond to that criticism will be interesting.

Rutene wasn't questioning the pride in the jersey, rather he was reflecting on the apparent inability of his team to sustain a full-on effort for the entire 80 minutes.

The sort of effort, in fact, which produced a win for them when they played tomorrow's rivals Poverty Bay in a warm-up match in Gisborne just before kicking off their Heartland programme.

In practically all their games since then, Wairarapa-Bush have been competitive for long periods but have fallen into the trap of slackening off for, maybe, 10 to 15 minutes and have been punished. Against high-flyers North Otago two weeks ago, for instance, they actually led 19-13 at halftime before being beaten 41-26.

No longer does the excuse that the difference in standard between club and Heartland games is so vast that it takes players time to find their feet at the higher level hold any water. It might have for the first few matches but not five.

And while there is no doubt most Heartland teams have utilised the player recruitment rules more diligently than Wairarapa-Bush, that does not explain why the team can't at least sustain a maximum effort from go to whoa.

There is no question that if Wairarapa-Bush fire produce their best tomorrow, they can end their run of outs.

Poverty Bay have not had the best of Heartland seasons either, as evidenced by a narrow 8-6 win over Mid-Canterbury, an impressive 30-30 draw with North Otago and losses to Buller (14-18), South Canterbury (31-42) and, just last weekend, to Wanganui (13-58).

With nine points to Wairarapa-Bush's two, they are still a realistic prospect to make the Lochore Cup semis, at least, but apart from that draw with North Otago there has been nothing to show they are anything like a past-the-post proposition tomorrow.

It will be up front where Wairarapa-Bush will aim to lay the foundations for a welcome success, not only because that is where their own strength lies but because Poverty Bay have a handful of backs who will prove a real hassle if they are given a regular supply of quality possession.

The composition of the Wairarapa-Bush pack still had one question mark over it at the time these notes were penned with Wilba Davies and Kurt Simmonds being bracketed at prop.

Simmonds has been a regular in the starting line-up all season and would, in fact, be a candidate for any player of the year award so consistently well has he played while Davies has been making a decent impact off the bench, enough to deserve a place in the run-on team. A toss of a coin could decide that one with the team performance unlikely to be affected whatever decision is made.

Eketahuna's Brendan Walker will be the other prop and his clubmate, Dan Griffin, returns after an injury break to partner Andrew McLean in the middle row. Jake Tipene will be at hooker and the loose forward trio will comprise Joss Tua-Davidson at No8 and James Goodger and Johan van Vliet on the flanks.

The inside back combination for Wairarapa-Bush will be an all-East Coast affair with Matt O'Connor at halfback, Zeb Aporo at first-five and Sam Mitchell at second-five and that could even stretch to centre if Jesse McGilvary gets the nod over Heemi Tupaea.

That is a 50-50 call but if McGilvary misses out he will probably be moved to the wing, otherwise Nick Olson and Michael Vuicikau will take the wing spots with Trent Vatselias at fullback.

Vatselias has already notched 54 points in Heartland games.

Most of those points have come from the boot but his three tries make him the side's leading scorer in that department as well, not that he has much to beat as only eight tries have been scored overall.

Tomorrow's curtain-raiser will feature the Wairarapa-Bush and Poverty Bay senior B teams in an RDO Cup match kicking off at 1pm. From four matches this season, the Wairarapa-Bush squad have won three and several players must be on the fringes of Heartland selection. The bigger the impact they make here, the better their chances of getting a call-up.

It's not, of course, only the interprovincial rugby which will be an attraction at the Carterton grounds with Ngati Kahungunu iwi staging their Rugby Haka and Hangi Festival.

Also being played will be a rippa rugby mini-tourney in which players will represent Georgia, New Zealand, Wales and South Africa and an over-35s match between teams labelled as Masterton All Stars and Carterton Vets.

Entertainment includes a 100-plus strong haka performed by Wairarapa secondary school students, a 50-voice karaoke choir led by Susan Rose, a display by the Burlington Guards national matching champions and an exhibition by national aerobatics champion Andrew Stiver.

Food stalls will provide a variety of country fare including a traditional hangi and there will be prizes for festival-goers who show "team spirit" by wearing a jersey, socks, headgear or face paint.

Activities run from 10am to 4pm.