Priest's boot an edge on new surface

TACTICAL: First-five Tim Priest could give Wairarapa-Bush the rub of the green against North Otago.

HOME advantage could be a decisive factor for Wairarapa-Bush in their historic Heartland championship rugby match with North Otago at Memorial Park, Masterton, tomorrow night.

It will be the first Heartland game played on artificial turf and it will be under lights, at 7.30pm.

Whereas all members of the Wairarapa-Bush squad have had the opportunity to train and play on the turf, it will be a new experience for most, if not all, of the North Otago side. How they cope might have a big say in the end result.

There is no question rugby on turf has differences to rugby on grass. Obviously the underfoot conditions are firmer and more stable, but it is the bounce of the ball that can create a few extra headaches for those not accustomed to it. And with Wairarapa-Bush having one of the more astute tactical kickers in the Heartland competition in first-five Tim Priest, that is clearly something that could work in their favour.

Priest might, in fact, be a key figure in this game on more counts than one. His goalkicking skills produced 16 points in his team's 36-9 victory over Thames Valley at Paeroa last weekend and if the outcome depends on success in that area - as so many Heartland games do - you wouldn't bet against him giving his side the edge.

The influence of Priest, and indeed the Wairarapa-Bush backline as a whole, will, of course, depend to a large degree on the home team's forwards stopping what is said to be a formidable North Otago pack dominating the battle for possession.

Certainly there will be greater pressure on Wairarapa-Bush in the set piece play of scrum and lineout than in Paeroa, and the word is that North Otago's loosies are a pretty rugged lot as well.

The two Auckland "imports" in the Wairarapa-Bush pack, hooker Andrew Makalio, and No8 Solo'tala Fa'oso'o, will be making their first appearance on Memorial Park, and so impressive have they been in the away wins over Poverty Bay (non-championship) and Thames Valley that their presence alone is sure to guarantee a decent number of bums on seats.

From all accounts both Makalio and Fa'oso'o are powerful runners with ball in hand, and as such Wairarapa-Bush seem sure to use them as the first cabs off the rank in the short passing rushes and rolling mauls that will very probably be the main launching pad for their attacks.

The Wairarapa-Bush starting line-up is exactly the same as that that initially took the field against Poverty Bay, but two players who missed that game, Johnie McFadzean and Rima Marurai, have been brought into the forward reserves.

Wairarapa-Bush: Nick Olson; Cameron Hayton, Viliami Hala, Andy Humberstone, Tipene Haira; Tim Priest; Cody Whittaker; Solo'tala Fa'oso'o; Chris Raymond, Lachie McFadzean, James Goodger, Brendon Campbell; Kurt Simmonds, Andrew Makalio, Matt Kawana. Reserves: Inia Katia, Matt Dalley, Paul Tikomainavalu, Kody Thompson, Jacko Hull, Johnie McFadzean, Rima Marurai.