Just some tinkering to go

Oldfields Wairarapa-Bush rugby coach Peter Russell expects to do some "minor tinkering" before he settles on his squad for their 2006 NPC first division campaign, which will kick off with a match against Buller in Masterton on August 19.
Russell anticipates the bulk of the side which took a 96-10 pasting from Canterbury in their Ranfurly Shield challenge last week being retained but with proven performers like midfield back Simanu Simanu, wing Marika Kau and No.8 Steve Olds missing that trip through injury or unavailability some changes seem certain to be made.
The absence of Simanu was a huge blow leading into the Shield game as it deprived Wairarapa-Bush of their most lethal attacking weapon and their most robust defender.
His knee injury has not, however, stopped him from being a force for Eketahuna in club play and hopes are high he will be part of the Wairarapa-Bush team which meets Poverty Bay in the last of their non-championship games in Masterton early next month and then throughout their NPC first division programme.
Along with Simanu, Kau and Olds were both regular members of the Wairarapa-Bush squad which won the NPC third division title in 2005.
There were some doubts over Kau's availability this season but apparently that is no longer the case and with Wairarapa-Bush having a shortage of quality three-quarters it's hard to imagine him being overlooked.
A three-quarter line comprising Simanu at centre with Tau on one wing and new acquisition Junior Tongia ?one of the few success stories against Canterbury-on the other is mouth watering stuff, isn't it?
Olds was mainly used as an impact player by Wairarapa-Bush last season but has a chance of making the starting line-up on a more regular basis this year. Mind you, there is plenty of competition amongst the loose forwards with Sylvanus Iro, Sam Henderson, Mike Spence and Brodie Duffin sure to be in the reckoning as well.
Duffin has been a member of the Wairarapa-Bush training squad since the start of the season but injury has seriously reduced his appearances for Carterton on the club scene.
However, he is back to full fitness and will be keen to make every post a winning one from now on.,tarting with Carterton's semi-final match with Pioneer this coming weekend. There Duffin will very probably lock horns with Pioneer's ace loosie Nathan Rolls-yet another with realistic representative aspirations- and will be wanting a big game to enhance his prospects.
Coach Russell says the first objective for Wairarapa-Bush in the revamped NPC division one series-or Heartland championship as it now called- will be to qualify for the main championship, the Meads Cup.
To do that they will need to finish in the first three in their pool otherwise they will join the three bottom teams in the other pool to play off for the Lochore Cup.
Wairarapa-Bush are seeded third in their pool, behind the two teams who played at NPC second division level last season, North Otago and East Coast. Fourth seed is Buller and then come Mid-Canterbury and West Coast.
With three of their pool matches being played at home and just two away the draw appears to aid Wairarapa-Bush's chances of a top three spot, especially when it considered that their first two opponents are supposedly weaker sides in Buller and West Coast and both of them will be played at Memorial Park.
Russell doesn't need reminding though of the fact that Wairarapa-Bush has tasted defeat at their hands over the past two seasons, West Coast in 2004 and Buller last season.And that both losses came at the start of their respective NPC campaigns.
"No-one needs to tell us that teams like West Coast and Buller are capable of springing surprises??..we've been there, don't that," he said. "It's nice to get them at home but they will be no push-overs, not by a long chalk."