Good, sensible rugby should see Wairarapa-Bush home

No excuse will be good enough if Wairarapa-Bush don't pick up the maximum five points in their Lochore Cup Heartland championship rugby match with East Coast at Memorial Park tomorrow.
East Coast are coming to Masterton with a form background which can only be described as dreadful and while Wairarapa-Bush have not exactly been impressive themselves they should have little trouble securing the four points for the win and the extra bonus point for scoring four or more tries.
Do that and a home semi-final the following weekend would depend on the result of the Horowhenua-Kapiti v Poverty Bay match at Levin with Wairarapa-Bush needing Poverty Bay to lose, and secure no bonus points in the process.
Statistics pretty much tell the dismal East Coast story this season.
They have lost all seven of their Heartland games by big margins, conceding a massive 335pts while scoring a paltry 27, including just the two tries.
Compare that to Wairarapa-Bush who have won two from seven and who have scored 135pts while conceding 181 and there is a stark difference in the performance of the two sides, isn't there?
Video coverage of their 46-5 defeat by South Canterbury (a team Wairarapa-Bush beat in Timaru earlier in the season) last weekend clearly hinted that while East Coast have no shortage of bulk up front and flair in the backs they are chronically lacking in fitness.
South Canterbury were only average but whenever they managed to move the ball wide without making mistakes they quickly stretched the East Coast defences beyond breaking point.
But at the same time they wasted any number of scoring chances by not maintaining their structure and it will be important to the Wairarapa-Bush cause they do not fall into the same trap.
Against Thames Valley a fortnight back Wairarapa-Bush had enough quality possession to win by the proverbial country mile but they only snuck in 11-10 with a last minute try because they constantly looked to run the ball from first phase situations, and Thames Valley's forwards were able to "fringe" with telling effect. A repeat effort against East Coast will probably have the same result.
The onus tomorrow then will be on the Wairarapa-Bush pack to take the sting out of their East Coast counterparts by engaging them in regular physical confrontation, especially in the first 40 minutes.
Experienced front rowers Joe Harwood, Brett Rudman and Dylan Higgison need to lead the way in the darker recesses of the forward game like scrums and mauls while the newcomer in the locking department, Andrew McLean, will have the responsibility of providing a viable second option to Tomasi Kedrabuka at lineout time.
Manage that and McLean will probably have done enough to retain his berth for the semi-finals.
In the loose Wairarapa-Bush have three very useful ball runners in Nathan Rolls, Joe Feast and Mike Spence but the emphasis for them in the early stages at least must be on helping their "tighties" ensure that ball is well protected, and delivered to the backs at the optimum time.
That the Wairarapa-Bush rearguard have the attacking potential to cut loose on a regular basis tomorrow is unquestionable with the three-quarter line of Jordon Watene at centre and Junior Togia and Charlie Walker-Blair on the wings, plus Cash Lafaele at fullback, sure to have a big say in the end result & providing they are given both the time and space to strut their stuff.
For that to happen not only will their forwards need to do their job but the inside combination of Nathan Couch and Patrick Rimene will need to choose their options wisely. This then is a match which by playing good, sensible rugby Wairarapa-Bush should not only win but win comfortably.
Famous last words & we hope not!!!!!!.