DYNAMIC: Andrew Makalio has Cody Whittaker in close support as a rolling maul develops in the Heartland match with Wanganui at Memorial Park last weekend. PHOTO/CHRIS KILFORD
DYNAMIC: Andrew Makalio has Cody Whittaker in close support as a rolling maul develops in the Heartland match with Wanganui at Memorial Park last weekend. PHOTO/CHRIS KILFORD
WAIRARAPA-Bush only have to think back seven days to know what it will take to be competitive in their Heartland championship Meads Cup semifinal rugby match with South Canterbury at Alpine Stadium, Timaru, tomorrow.
Play the full 80 minutes with the same intensity and drive they displayed in the second40 minutes in the last of their qualifying round games against Wanganui in Masterton last weekend and a grand finals spot is not beyond them.
Sure, their task was made easier by Wanganui taking the foot off the pedal after rushing out to a 47-0 advantage at halftime but, even so, the determination shown by Wai-Bush to lift themselves off the canvas and make a decent fight of it was impressive, and demonstrated what they can achieve when most things are going to plan. It could be argued the 35-57 loss went from being their worst effort of the season to their best all in one game.
South Canterbury play a similar style of rugby to Wanganui. Neither rely on their forwards to dominate possession, if they break even there they believe they can achieve ascendancy on the scoreboard through backs who have that important mix of strength, pace and flair.
It is a theory that has worked well for them but it is also a theory which can have pitfalls if the opposing pack is able to dominate the ball-winning avenues and, therefore, restrict the amount of quality possession coming their way.
The onus tomorrow will be on the Wai-Bush forwards to do exactly that. The efficiency of their scrum and lineout play has been a major attribute all season and, if they can be similarly efficient in their protection of ball in the rucks and mauls, South Canterbury could find themselves having to exist on scraps.
One suspects Wai-Bush will look to their forwards to lead the way in an attacking sense as well. Hooker and prolific try-scorer Andrew Makalio is clearly their most dangerous runner in broken play but the likes of James Goodger, James Wall and So'otala Fa'oso'o will also relish any opportunity with the ball in hand.
For the Wai-Bush backs, tomorrow's game will be all about doing the basics well.
Looking to match their South Canterbury counterparts for attacking brilliance would be fatal, rather they need to keep mistakes to a minimum, especially on defence, and ensure their option-taking is up to scratch.
Halfback Cody Whittaker and first-five Tim Priest will bear a large part of that responsibility and how they react to that challenge could have a big say in the end result.
There is one talking point in the Wairarapa-Bush starting line-up, Rima Marurai, who was not available for the Wanganui match, being replaced by promising youngster Chris Raymond on the openside flank.
Raymond has had an outstanding debut season at Heartland level and was probably the only Wai-Bush player last weekend who had reason to be happy with his display over the full 80 minutes.
He likes to roam wider than Marurai though and the tactics for tomorrow were probably seen to suit a player of Marurai's type more.
Meanwhile, Wai-Bush Rugby Supporters Club president Roddy McKenzie says at least a dozen members will head south to Timaru for tomorrow's game and are confident of their side putting up a strong showing. "We believe they can win. Give us 80 minutes like the second 40 minutes last weekend and they'll be in the grand final."
