Sole survivor raring to go again

Gladstone halfback James Bruce is the only survivor in the Wairarapa-Bush team for their Ranfurly Shield challenge match against Canterbury next Tuesday from that which last challenged for New Zealand's most famous rugby trophy in 1999.
That particular game was against a rampant Waikato in Hamilton with Wairarapa-Bush being on the end of a hefty 74-6 defeat.
For Bruce it was only his second game in the Wairarapa-Bush jersey and he has little difficulty recalling the excitement of the occasion.
"Just walking into the changing rooms was a buzz??.they were a bit bigger than we country boys were used to," he said. " And the atmosphere was something else, you soon got the idea it was no ordinary game."
Bruce's most vivid memory of the match itself was the pace at which it was played with Waikato seemingly running in tries practically every time they got their hands on the ball.
"The pace was a real eye opener for me?..you'd get caught in a ruck and by the time you got up to your feet another couple of rucks had gone by," he said." Just keeping up was a battle, the intensity was just so much higher than we had struck before."
Bruce believes that match also highlighted the importance of retaining possession with any turnover ball on Wairarapa-Bush's part invariably being turned into points on the board by Waikato.
" It wasn't like club rugby where you could lose the ball and expect to get it back again??that just didn't happen," he said.
Bruce expects Tuesday's match with Canterbury to be no different in that respect but is confident Wairarapa-Bush won't be so careless with the possession they get on this occasion.
"We have more experience in the side now and we know what will happen if our ball protection isn't right up to scratch," he said. " It's tough enough getting it against teams like Canterbury without giving it away."
Bruce is also confident that Wairarapa-Bush will be much more assertive in their overall approach than was South Canterbury, whose challenge for the Shield two days ago ended in a 80-15 defeat.
"They (South Canterbury) gave them too much room and their backs were classy enough to take full advantage of it," he said. "We have to get in their faces and make them know we are there and I am sure we will do that."
Bruce reckons too that if Wairarapa-Bush can win a reasonable share of good ball they have players capable of stretching the Canterbury defence.
"We have some pretty skilled attackers and hopefully we can give them the chance to use those skills," he said.
On a lighter note the Wairarapa-Bush halfback was busy shifting stock away from flood waters on his Bideford farm at the time of this interview and in typical humorous fashion reflected on what his Canterbury counterpart would likely be doing down south.
"I can just see him working away in an air conditioned gym while we are out here getting soaking wet in the shit and mud trying to save our stock. Maybe I should ring to see if he'll swap places," he quipped.