Rolls, Bruce in for vital match

Pioneer utility forward Nathan Rolls and Gladstone halfback James Bruce have been drafted into the Wairarapa-Bush rugby side for their important Heartland championship Meads Cup playoff match with North Otago at Memorial Park, Masterton on Saturday.
Rolls, who was named Club Player of the Year here this season, and Bruce, who was a regular member of the Heartland-championship winning Wairarapa-Bush side last year, have both been starring for the Wairarapa-Bush B's in 2007.
That side has had a couple of 70-plus point wins in their last two games with Rolls and skipper Bruce two of their most outstanding performers.
Indications are that Bruce will start on the reserve bench on Saturday but Rolls has been bracketed on the blindside flank with Josh Mackey and a decision as to who of those two will be in the starting line-up won't be confirmed until after training tonight.
Coach Graham Cheetham said the elevation of Rolls and Bruce was no reflection whatsoever on any current squad members they were replacing.
Rather it was both a reward for their good form for the B's and part of the tactical approach which will be utilised against a North Otago team which is yet to taste defeat in this year's Heartland competition.
That approach will include a strong focus on getting in the faces of the opposition and closing them down before their dangerous backs had the chance to exploit their attacking skills.
"They (Rolls and Bruce) are suited to that sort of game, they don't mind throwing their bodies around," he said.
"They are always good nuisance value and that's something which could be very handy in this one."
Cheetham is optimistic too that Wairarapa-Bush will gain a big enough measure of superiority in the forward exchanges to stop the North Otago backs from getting a regular supply of quality possession.
The decision to start Brendan Walker ahead of Brett Rudman at prop is a move aimed at providing greater stability in the scrums, an area in which Wairarapa-Bush have struggled through most of this season, particularly in the first half of their games.
And if Tomasi Kedrabuka and Dan Griffin are anywhere near top form they should guarantee that the home team gains at least parity in the lineouts as well.
"We want to have a decent go at them in the forwards & we have to slow them down and getting the better of them up front would be a big help in that respect," Cheetham said.
Apart from Bruce's inclusion in the reserves the most interesting selection in the backs is that of Jordan Fox on the wing ahead of either Tavita Isaac and Lima Lauvi.
Cheetham said very little could be read into that form-wise with Fox getting the nod because of a wish to give him more match time.
Isaac has been named in the reserves but Lima, along with halfback Zeb Aporo, have dropped down into the Wairarapa-Bush B squad which will be playing the Wellington Maoris under-23 in Wellington.
Saturday's match is important to Wairarapa-Bush as victory over North Otago would cement a place for them in the Meads Cup semi-finals while a loss would very probably leave them needing to beat Wanganui at Wanganui the following weekend for that to happen.
Cheetham knows that with North Otago having decisively beaten all their Heartland opposition to date Wairarapa-Bush will go into their Memorial Park clash as the rank underdogs but he firmly believes they can make a 'very competitive' game of it.
"There is a lot at stake and everybody is excited about the challenge, we're all looking forward to it," he said.
The likely Wairarapa-Bush starting line-up is: Simanu Simanu; Lance Stevenson, Heemi Tupaea, Jon Guillard, Jordan Fox; John Dodd; Hamish McKenzie; Mike Spence; Jared Hawkins, Tomasi Kedrabuka, Dan Griffin, Nathan Rolls or Josh Mackey; Brendan Walker, Joe Harwood, Shane TeMana Reserves: James Bruce, Tavita Isaac, Sully Alsop, Josh Mackey or Nathan Rolls, Jared Bambry, Mosese Gutuvakaca.
Canterbury referee Kane McBride will referee the match with his support team including Alan Stringer, Chris Jefferies, Graeme Reisima and Mark Brown.
Brown will also referee the curtain-raiser fixture between Wairarapa College Hostel and Wairarapa College Old Boys which will kick off at 1pm.