Eketahuna can win, says coach

Just four of the nine Eketahuna players named to participate in a Manawatu women's rugby trial match over the weekend actually did so, and all of them have made that province's NPC squad.
Loose forwards Perri Tatana and Emma Aldworth and midfield backs Rebecca Hulk and Diamond Pauli make up the chosen quartet and they will be aiming to reach another high at the Rugby Institute in Palmerston North tomorrow night.
Then they will be part of an Eketahuna team which takes on Linton Army in the grand final of the Manawatu women's competition in a match will have a 7.30pm kickoff.
Eketahuna coach Cory Miller said there was nothing sinister about so many of his players not trailing for the NPC side.
"Those that didn't had other commitments, it was just one of those things," he said. "And unfortunately for them they picked the team from those that turned up, the others weren't considered".
Eketahuna lost narrowly to Linton Army the last time the two teams met and while Miller has huge respect for the speed and athleticism of the Army side he is convinced Eketahuna can beat them.
"They have plenty of speed in the outside backs and height in the forwards but player for player we are every bit as strong as they are," Miller said. "It'll all come down who best handles the pressure of the big occasion and because they are the favourites that could be harder for them."
Miller said Eketahuna's game plan would differ little from that which has served them so well all season.
"We'll try and soften them up in the forwards early on and then have a crack at them in the backs," he said. "And we'll need composure on defence, we know what will happen if we give them too much space to work in."
Miller also anticipates a strong start as being vital for Eketahuna as Linton Army is a fit unit who often use their advantage in that respect to outfinish their opposition over the last 20 minutes or so.
"It always help to have a few points in the bag against them going into the closing stages and hopefully we can do that," he said. "The bigger the lead we can build the more difficult it will be for them to catch up."
A supporters bus is leaving Eketahuna at 6pm with supporters from more southern points able to join it by travelling north on the team bus which will depart Masterton at 5pm.