Shield challenge takes top priority

Wairarapa-Bush are leaving no stone unturned as they prepare to challenge Canterbury for rugby's holy grail, the Ranfurly Shield, at Jade Stadium in Christchurch on July 11.
Sixteen contenders for positions in their pack, participated in an extensive scrummaging session in Masterton on Monday night, supervised by the Wellington-based guru in that aspect of the game, Alan Muir.
Wairarapa-Bush selector-coach Peter Russell said the emphasis had been on enhancing techniques, both individually and collectively, to ensure that the scrum provided a stable platform.
Muir, who has been closely involved with national age group sides as well as the Wellington Lions NPC team, impressed upon the players the importance of holding the engagement and of speed in the scrummaging process.
"The message was that you can't let the opposition dictate, that you have to be totally focussed on working as a unit," Russell said. "To a lot of people it would be boring stuff , but when you consider how vital set piece ball is, it's something you have to get right."
Indications are a number of new faces could be part of the Wairarapa-Bush pack in 2006.
Challenging hard for places in the front row are Bertus Buckle, a South African who is playing for Carterton, Ross Batty, a former English academy player who has joined up with Gladstone, and Brent Rudman, who has played for Nelson-Bays B and is now playing with Greytown ?Tuhirangi.
Chances are Wairarapa-Bush could have an all-Fijian middle row this season. One of the big success stories for them during their successful NPC third division campaign in 2005 was Tomasi Kedarabuka and he could have his now Carterton team-mate Lalangi Peters as his locking partner this time round. Peters has an even higher profile than Kedarabuka in his home country, having played at test level for Fiji.
The loss of Daimon Neal and Mike Robinson, from amongst last season's Wairarapa-Bush loose forwards, has been softened with the arrival of a former Manawatu representative Mike Spence to the Gladstone club while Chris Senior, who has teamed-up with Masterton Red Star, has played senior club rugby in the Waikato and has made an immediate impression here.
Coach Russell only too well understands the enormity of the task facing his forwards against a team like Canterbury, which can call on the bulk of the Crusaders who are leading the current Super 14 competition.
Russell said the primary objective there would be for the forwards to win their own ball at scrum and lineout time and that's why the hard yards had to be done in training in those areas for that objective to be achieved.
"They (Canterbury) are a very professional side who know all the tricks of the trade, and we have to be ready for everything they throw at us," Russell said.
"If we are not competitive in the set pieces we'll be in big trouble."