Play it safe, Tantrum urges troops

The number of walking wounded has forced Wairarapa-Bush rugby coach Kelvin Tantrum to delay the naming of his starting line-up for the crucial Heartland championship match with Horowhenua-Kapiti at Levin on Saturday
Tantrum admits to being caught by surprise at just how many of his squad were not able to take a full part in Tuesday's training session because of "niggles" suffered during the 33-12 win over East Coast at Ruatoria last weekend.
"I know there were a few who were a bit battered and bruised but not half the team.......it was obviously more physical than I thought," he said.
Tantrum is optimistic, however, that apart from possibly reserve prop Nick Beavon, who has a badly swollen ankle, all squad members will be available to travel to Levin for a match which could count for plenty in their bid to make the Meads Cup playoffs which kick off on October 3
The top three pool A teams will make those playoffs and currently there is a hugely congested look to the points table, Wanganui leading with 11pts, followed by Wairarapa-Bush and Horowhenua-Kapiti on 9, West Coast on 8, Buller on 7 and East Coast on 0.
This Saturday's draw sees Buller at home to Wanganui, West Coast at home to East Coast and Horowhenua-Kapiti at home to Wairarapa-Bush and then in the last of pool matches a week later Wairarapa-Bush will host Buller, Wanganui will be at home to West Coast and Horowhenua-Kapiti will travel to Ruatoria to play East Coast
The only near certainty about any of the remaining six matches is that West Coast and Horowhenua-Kapiti will pick up either four or five competition points in their clashes with winless East Coast but such is the evenness of the pool all other matches could conceivably go either way.
The ideal for Wairarapa-Bush, of course, is they not only beat Horowhenua-Kapiti on Saturday but deny them a bonus point, a situation which would probably mean a bonus point or two against Buller would be enough for them to avoid last year's ignominy of ending up in the Lochore Cup section ,where they were eventually ousted in the semi-finals.
Trips to Levin have tended to go pear-shaped for Wairarapa-Bush in recent times though and coach Tantrum is under no illusions as to the extent of the challenge facing his side
"They are going to be every bit as hyped up as we are.......it's the biggest game of the season for both of us," Tantrum said. "We are desperate for the win and so are they".
No Horowhenua-Kapiti player will attract more attention-from Wairarapa-Bush and the paying public- than an 18-year-old "loan player" from Canterbury in first-five James Proctor, who has made a massive contribution to their Heartland campaign, both with his general play and goal kicking.He has scored 43pts in their three games, including 23 in his side's 37-28 loss to Wanganui last weekend.
Wairarapa-Bush though will be hoping for their own youngster at first-five, Bryon Karaitiana, to stamp an even greater authority on proceedings and he will have taken confidence from the 18pts he provided in the latest win over East Coast, all of them coming from kicks.His Heartland points tally stands at 34pts.