Masterton's Faavae Sefo will again captain the New Zealand wood chopping and sawing team in their annual trans-Tasman three-test series against Australia at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney in early April.
Sefo was at the helm last year when the Kiwis were somewhat controversially awarded the first test after the
Aussies had actually finished first by just three blows.
Video coverage of the event showed an Australian underhand chopper had been guilty of chopping with one foot on the ground rather than having both feet on the block as the rules dictate.
With Sefo as their spokesman New Zealand launched a protest and after a lengthy process it was upheld and the result changed to their benefit.
It was an important decision in the context of the series as Australia went on to win the second test and the third was abandoned because of bad weather, meaning the overall spoils were shared.
Sefo knows the happenings of 12 months ago will "fire up" the Aussies this time round but he is confident the Kiwis will be equally motivated, and that close finishes will again be the order of the day.
"It's usually pretty much neck and neck and I can't see these tests being any different," he said.
Sefo will join with Warren Riddle of Feilding to make up the double saw combination for New Zealand and they will also be desperate to make up for the bad luck they suffered last year in
the world double saw championship.
Then Sefo and Riddle were in a close battle for second place with three other pairings coming to the last few strikes when Sefo's back foot slipped and he found himself down on one knee.
He continued sawing from there but the loss in momentum meant he and Riddle were relegated back to fifth place.
Sefo will also contest the single saw and underhand chop individual world championship events and after some "pretty patchy" form of late he was buoyed by strong performances at shows held in Levin and Waikanae last weekend.
At Levin he won the single saw handicap and double saw handicap and championship events as well as the underhand chop championship while his placings at Waikanae included seconds in the A grade underhand handicap chop and the single saw handicap.
"Hopefully it's a sign the form is coming right at the right time," he said, adding he was optimistic more of the same at a carnival being held in Rotorua this weekend.
