Do-or-die for Meads Cup hopefuls

FIRED UP: Wairarapa-Bush wing Corey McFadzean is full steam ahead during the 33-19 beating of Horowhenua-Kapiti at Memorial Park last weekend.PHOTO/CHRIS KILFORD

IT'S BECOME a familiar story line ... Wairarapa-Bush probably need to win their next game in the 2015 Heartland rugby championship to stay in contention for a place in the semifinals of the premier section, the Meads Cup.

Never before this season, though, have those sentiments been truer as they prepare to take on East Coast at Ruatoria tomorrow.

Victory there would sustain Wairarapa-Bush's chances of being part of the all important top four when preliminary round play ends the following weekend and, conversely, a loss would likely damage those hopes beyond repair.

If you assess the prospects of a Wairarapa-Bush win on the form background of the two protagonists then they would start the hottest of favourites.

They are fifth equal on the points table, with 17pts, and they have never lost by more than nine points. East Coast, on the other hand, are at the bottom of the competition ladder with 2pts and have taken some real thumpings. History is not always a good judge, though, particularly in this year's Heartland championship where the form of virtually all sides has fluctuated week to week.

East Coast might still have to break their "duck" but there have been signs in their past few matches that things are improving, and with this being their last home game of the season there will be plenty of incentive for them to rise to the occasion and knock off a side which still has Meads Cup aspirations. It won't make it a successful season for them, but it will leave them with at least something to savour.

Providing the weather is kind it's hard to imagine East Coast doing anything other than place huge emphasis on attack. This is usually their game plan and the "everything to gain, nothing to lose" philosophy they seem sure to take into this game will encourage it even more.

Wairarapa-Bush, for their part, can afford to be more conservative. Although it would be nice to come away with a extra (bonus) point for scoring four or more tries the four points for a win has to be the major priority.

Wairarapa-Bush need to replicate their performance against Horowhenua-Kapiti in Masterton last Saturday, excepting that is for the first five or so minutes when they were pressured into mistakes and Horowhenua-Kapiti ran in an early try.

Once through that hiccup, Wairarapa-Bush dominated their opposition up front, especially in the set pieces of scrum and lineout, and were also sharper in the backs. It was their best all-round effort of the season and it's doubtful East Coast could live with them were they to be in the same form in Ruatoria.

The Wairarapa-Bush starting line-up for tomorrow's game has one change from that which initially took the field last weekend. Centre Matthew Dalley has been dropped, with Viliami Hala moving from fullback to centre, Corey McFadzean from wing to fullback and Nick Olson coming from the reserve bench to wing. These are interesting changes as Dalley had shaped up well enough on attack and defence to suggest he could be worth another look in the midfield and Hala and McFadzean were seemingly comfortable in their previous roles as well.

Wairarapa-Bush: Corey McFadzean; Nick Olson, Viliami Hala, Andy Humberstone, Paul Tikomainavalu; Tim Priest; Cody Whittaker; So'otala Fa'oso'o; James Goodger, Lachie McFadzean, James Wall, Brendan Campbell; Kurt Simmonds, Andrew Makalio, Matt Kawana. Reserves: Inia Katia, Tipene Haira, Cameron Hayton, Kody Thompson, Jacko Hull, Johnie McFadzean, Rima Marurai.