Season opener seen as 'must win'

Wairarapa-Bush rugby coach Kelvin Tantrum agrees the Heartland championship opener with Buller in Westport on Saturday will be vital to his team's Meads Cup aspirations.
Up against a Buller side six places behind them on the national ranking list and lacking valuable match practice after recently having to default a Seddon Shield game against Nelson Bays because of a surfeit of injured players, Wairarapa-Bush will start firm favourites.
That's despite the fact that they themselves hardly set the Thames on fire in their crushing 34-12 loss to Wellington Samoans last weekend and that they have invariably made hard work of previous visits to the Buller region.
Certainly, Tantrum himself is more circumspect than most when assessing Wairarapa-Bush's prospects, emphasising home advantage would probably help counter any preparation worries Buller might have.
"We see it as a must-win for us, but you can bet they will be thinking along the same lines as far as their own season is concerned," Tantrum said. "They'll be fired up, nothing is more certain than that. It's not exactly make or break for both teams, but it's close."
Tantrum made no secret of his frustration at several aspects of his team's performance against the Samoans, with their inability to stick to the game plan foremost among them, but the attitude of his players at training on Tuesday has him "very hopeful" that a similar scenario won't happen again.
"We had a good, positive meeting and they trained really well, "he said. "They've had their wake-up call."
The starting line-up named by Tantrum and his assistant coach Neil Foote has several talking points. Up front they are still to decide whether last year's captain Kurt Simmonds will get the nod. His versatility has him bracketed with both Jared Brock and Dylan Higgison for the propping roles, while skipper Joe Harwood has been preferred ahead of Richard Puddy at hooker.
That was generally expected, but Puddy can still consider himself unlucky, as he has been arguably the most consistent of all the Wairarapa-Bush forwards in lead-up games.
Competition for the two locking berths was intense, with Tantrum and Foote leaving the experienced Tomasi Kedrabuka at home. They will start with Andrew McLean and Brandon Young, with Daniel Griffin on the reserves bench.
The make-up of the loose forward trio was made easier by the unavailability through injury of Wellington loan player Mana Fairamo.
Duncan Law was always likely to be at No8 and Rupeni Temani on the openside flank, but it had to be a close call between Joss Tua-Davidson and John McFadzean for the No6 jersey, Tua-Davidson winning through there.
The two other Wellington loan players, Jeremy Tu Huia and Junior Togia, are starters in the backline, Te Huia edging out Byron Karaitiana at first-five and Togia likewise Tommy Harmon on the wing.
Old hand James Bruce has held off a spirited challenge from youngster Api Matenga for the halfback role, Sam Mitchell and Heemi Tupaea were always near certainties for the midfield, while Jesse McGilvary has done enough in the warm-up games to earn the other wing spot. Nick Olson was always going to be fullback.
For a good many of the backs, form on Saturday could be vital to their chances of staking a regular start, as it now seems likely former New Zealand secondary schools player and national under-21 trialist, Cyrus Baker, will be brought into the Wairarapa-Bush Heartland squad from next week as their origin player.
Baker received his early rugby education in Greytown and is a highly promising utility back capable of playing at second-five, centre or wing.