Positive mindset is biggest challenge

Gary Caffell
The adoption of a positive mindset will be the biggest challenge facing Wairarapa-Bush in their Lochore Cup rugby match with Thames Valley at Memorial Park, Masterton tomorrow.
Relegation to the bottom section of the Heartland competition was a huge blow for the locals and how they put that disappointment behind them is sure to play a major role in the outcome of this particular game.
As both coach Kelvin Tantrum and skipper Jo Harwood have testified this week the most frustrating feature of Wairarapa-Bush's disappointing formline this season is they have actually played well to enough to beat practically all of their Heartland opposition & but only in patches.
Seldom, if ever, have they managed to string 80 minutes of good, sound rugby together with the consequence they have often come close to winning but not close enough.
And if they don't remedy that situation all the talk about them being likely Lochore Cup finalists a little further down the track will be just that talk.
One suspects the first 20 minutes of tomorrow's action will prove crucial to the end result.
Thames Valley too must be short on confidence after, like Wairarapa-Bush, winning only one of their five pool games so they will be equally as keen to boost morale by getting early points on the board.
If past matches between the unions are anything to go by the visitors will pretty much base their game around a rugged set of forwards and Wairarapa-Bush will be doing themselves a huge favour if they can gain any semblance of superiority there.
Their scrum and lineout apparently worked well against North Otago last weekend and will need to do so again and it will be interesting to see how they cope without the injured Jared Hawkins on the openside flank.
Hawkins is your typical No.7, quick to the breakdowns and abrasive on the tackle, while his replacement Joe Feast is probably better known for his support play and lineout skills.
As has become the norm in recent games Wairarapa-Bush will have five forwards on the bench with most, if not all, likely to see action in the second half. Among them is Joe Nuku, the Marist No.8 whose powerful running has made him a regular star on the club scene and also for the Wairarapa-Bush Bs.
Look for him to make a big impression as the Thames Valley defence (hopefully) starts to tire.
The Wairarapa-Bush backs have already run in some spectacular tries in Heartland matches this season and given a regular supply of quality possession they could have some fun tomorrow, providing, of course, they do not fall into their old habits of trying too much too soon.
Their option taking was, by all accounts, impressive in Oamaru last weekend and if that is the case again Thames Valley will have their hands full trying to contain the likes of Junior Togia, Charlie Walker-Blair and Nick Olson out wide.
They are all potential match winners given the space and time to work their magic.
The Wairarapa-Bush team for tomorrow is:
Peato Lafaele; Charlie Walker-Blair, Junior Togia, Mike Shaw, Nick Olson; Patrick Rimene; Nathan Couch; Mike Spence;
Joe Feast, Tomasi Kedrabuka, James Measor, Nathan Rolls; Kurt Simmonds, Joe Harwood, Dylan Higgison. Reserves: Mike Hollis, Jordon Watene, Richard Puddy Brett Rudman or Aaron Cook, Jared Bambry, Mike Wilson, Joe Nuku,
There has been a time change for the main curtain-raiser match between the under-18 teams from Poverty Bay and Wairarapa-Bush tomorrow.
It will now kick off at the earlier time of 12.30pm and will be followed by a "rippa" match between Tinui and St Pats primary schools.
Then on Sunday the Wairarapa-Bush under-15s will take on a touring South Australian under-15 side, kick off at Memorial Park being at 1pm.
Speaking of our friends (or is it foes) from across the Tasman what a coup it is for the Wairarapa-Bush union to be hosting the Australian secondary schoolboys side next week.
They will arrive in Masterton on Tuesday and play the Wairarapa-Bush under-18s at Memorial Park on the Friday, kick off at noon. Four days later they will meet the Hurricanes Schools in Palmerston North and then on Friday, October 10 they will play their "test" against New Zealand secondary schools.
Several of the Australian side are touted as future Super 14 players and some could even be part of the Wallabies line-up for the 2011 World Cup.
Obviously even being competitive next Friday will be a huge ask for the Wairarapa-Bush under-18s but what a thrill it will be for our top local talent, which includes eight members of this season's successful Wairarapa College first XV, to match themselves against opposition of that calibre.
Hopefully a huge crowd will be in attendance to cheer them on, and the noon starting time should certainly help in that respect. Grab an early lunch and head to the park!
The full Wairarapa-Bush squad is: Huib van Vliet, Rihi Brown, Anton Tunnell, Joe Beech, Wiremu Grace, Jesse McGilvary, Bradley Harriman, Corey McFadzean (Wairarapa College), Nick Loader, Cole Eru, Pua Tufu (Rathkeale College), Kirk Tufuga (Chanel College), Glen Walters (Kuranui College), Jordan Bennett-Davies (Tararua College), Trent Nancekivell, Hayden Donald (Carterton), Zac Wilkie, Josh Harriman (Eketahuna), Dean MacLennan (Greytown), Brendon Craw, Jake Gibbs (East Coast), Hoani Peacock, Iherangi Namana (Pioneer).
The Wairarapa-Bush under-20s are already through to the B division final of their Hurricanes competition no matter what the result of their match with their Wanganui counterparts in Wanganui tomorrow. In fact, it will be Wanganui they will play in the final at the Rugby Institute in Palmerston North on Saturday, October 4.
Wairarapa-Bush lost their opening pool game to Poverty Bay but the latter were actually an under-23 side so Wairarapa-Bush got the points and last weekend they scored a 41-32 win over Horowhenua-Kapiti, scoring six tries in the process.
Among players to stand out in the opening two matches were forwards Lee Ewe, Anthony Balks and Leuma Wilson and fullback Baden Stevenson.
Coach Jaco Pieterse said he would be resting some of his first string players tomorrow because of niggly injuries with an eye to having them at peak fitness the following weekend.