Eketahuna coach Sid Tatana is worried his team could be a "bit rusty" in their Wellington premier division women's rugby match with Stokes Valley at Eketahuna tomorrow.
It will be Eketahuna's first match in three weeks after a default win over defending champions Norths was followed by the bye and Tatana
said it showed at Tuesday night's training session.
"There were a few more mistakes than normal and I think you can put that down to the time off," he said. "It can't help but take the edge off the players. There's nothing like regular match play to keep things up to scratch".
The form book says Eketahuna should have little difficulty disposing of Stokes Valley. They lead the Victoria Tavern Trophy points table with 25 after winning all five of their games to date.
Wainuiomata lie second with 19 and then come Norths 18, Stokes Valley 15, Petone 6, and Old Boys University 3.
Tatana sees tomorrow's game rather differently though, especially after watching Stokes Valley compete strongly against Norths last weekend.
He was impressed at the mobility of the Stokes Valley forwards and the willingness of the backs to chance their arm.
"They seem to have improved a lot over recent weeks, they'll be a handful," he said.
The Eketahuna tactics will be similar to those they have employed through most of a 2011 season which has already see them claim the Fleurs Trophy as first-round winners.
They will look to take control of the forward exchanges before unleashing what is undoubtedly the most dangerous set of backs in the Wellington competition.
"Everybody hypes up our backs but, in reality, they can't do anything without the ball and that's where the forwards have a big part to play," Tatana said.
For Stokes Valley the main challenge will be how to keep wraps on powerful Eketahuna centre Shakira Baker, whose try scoring feats have become headline material in 2011. She has scored five in her last two games, relishing the space given her by the reliable inside back combination of Laura Gavin, Rebecca Mahoney and Maia Tua-Davidson.
All four seem certain to feature prominently in the Wellington Pride provincial side this season.
