Shield places up for grabs

READY: Tim Priest is likely to have at least half a game against Wanganui.

IT MAY not have first-class status but Wairarapa-Bush's representative rugby match with Wanganui at the International Rugby Academy in Palmerston North tomorrow night will still be of vital importance for the players.

That's the word from head coach Josh Syms, who says the game, which will kick off at 6.30pm, will essentially take the form of a trial for places in the Wairarapa-Bush squad to challenge Hawke's Bay for the Ranfurly Shield in Napier on Thursday, July 6.

"Frankly, there is a lot at stake for the players. They have to show they deserve a slot in the shield side," Syms said.

"There's still a few question marks over a few of the guys and this is the chance for them to come up with the right answers."

The majority of the players travelling were part of the Wairarapa-Bush team beaten 55-3 by a Wellington XV in the Jimmy Cotter Memorial match earlier this month. Syms was pleased with the heart shown by his team in that game but concedes that, in some positions, like prop and midfield, the depth may not be as great as he would like.

However, he is still keen to go into the Ranfurly Shield encounter without introducing any new "imports" into his team, and is optimistic that form shown in tomorrow night's game, which will probably be played in four quarters, will enable him and assistant coach Wayne Roache to continue with those plans.

"We'll probably give 26 to 28 players a decent run and it's over to them to show they can do a decent job for us. That's why it's a trial more than anything else."

Just who will be part of the starting line-up for the Wanganui match had not been finalised at the time these notes were penned but Syms suggested several players could be seen in positions different from what they have been playing at club level, especially in the backs.

They could include Corey McFadzean, usually at first-five for Carterton but probably more likely to be at fullback or wing for Wairarapa-Bush and Nick Olson, who has been in midfield for Greytown but is more likely to also be at either wing or fullback for the rep team.

Martinborough first-five Tim Priest, who was such a success story for West Coast in the Heartland championship last year, missed the Wellington XV match through injury but is expected to have at least 40 minutes' action tomorrow night.

Who will captain the team is still to be decided. Carterton loosie Johnie McFadzean had that responsibility against Wellington and delighted Syms with the way he responded and another couple of players will probably have the chance to push their leadership credentials tomorrow night, one of whom is likely to be Greytown prop Kurt Simmonds who filled the role in 2013. He missed last season's campaign through injury but has been in fine form on the club scene this year.