Opposing skippers predict victory in a tight, tense battle for title

The captains agree discipline could be the key to victory when Carterton and Masterton Red Star clash in the grand final of the PGG Wrightsons Wairarapa-Bush premier-division rugby competition at Memorial Park, Masterton on Saturday.
Carterton hooker Joe Harwood and Masterton Red Star flanker Chris Senior will lead their sides in what is expected to be a close, tense encounter and neither will be surprised if the penalty count becomes vitally important to the end result.
''Finals are like that, it's often the goal-kicking which decides them, ''Harwood said. ''Obviously we'll be talking about the need to maintain discipline, to keep the penalties to a bare minimum.''
Senior said a similar message would be delivered to his troops as well. ''In games like this teams tend to take the points on offer and providing you win it doesn't matter if most of them come in threes.''.
Carterton's hope is for a firm track at Memorial Park so they can utilise the pace and flair of a backline in which the back three, wingers Charlie Brown and Lance Stevenson and fullback Jono Hurley, have already run in 33 tries between them this season.
But Harwood knows only too well that his rearguard won't be able to impose themselves on the decider unless the forwards provide them with a steady supply of quality possession, and that won't come easy. ''It's going to be tough up front, they (Masterton Red Star) are very quick to the breakdowns and we're going to have to match them there.'' ''I'm picking it will be pretty rugged up front, no one will be wanting to give an inch''.
Senior too would like the ground conditions at Memorial Park to suit a free-flowing style of rugby as he considers their speed around the paddock to be one of Masterton Red Star's main assets.
''We are happy enough with the set piece but we prefer to move the ball around and get everybody involved,'' he said.
Senior sees Carterton as having similar strengths to Masterton Red Star, forwards who don't mind mixing it with the backs in open field play and backs who are capable of turning hard defence into equally hard attack.
''There should be plenty of movement, it should be right on from the word go,'' he predicted.
Who then to win? Here, not surprisingly, the two skippers disagree with Harwood believing Carterton can come up trumps and Senior believing Masterton Red Star will successfully defend the title they won 12 months ago. Both though are adamant that any victory will be hard earned with the scoreline being close enough to maintain interest right to the final whistle.