Star?s injury puts scare into camp

Outstanding middle rower Tomasi Kedarabuka has thrown a scare into the Wairarapa-Bush camp, leading into their opening NPC first division rugby match with Buller at Memorial Park, Masterton on Saturday.
Kedarabuka injured an elbow during a training session on Tuesday night, and while coach Peter Russell is optimistic he will be fit to play against Buller, much will depend on the recovery process over the next 48 hours.
The loss of Kedarabuka would be a huge blow to a Wairarapa-Bush team who lost to Buller in the preliminary rounds of the NPB third division series last season before revenging that defeat in the semis.
Not only is he their number one lineout forward, but his athleticism and ball running make him a huge force in broken play situations as well.
Couple that with his high tackle rate and you have a player who is of immense value to his side.
While Russell won't name his starting XV until after another training session tonight, it is logical to assume that if Kedarabuka fails a fitness test the locking positions would be filled by veteran Mike Robinson and Fijian international Langi Peters.
But if Kedarabuka plays the wily Robinson would be expected to partner him in the starting XV with the more mobile Peters joining the action from the reserve bench later in the game.
He turned in a strong all-round performance in the last of the warm-up matches against Poverty Bay last weekend and looks right back to the form which has seen him represent Fiji at senior level.
The make up of the Wairarapa-Bush front row will be interesting with Brendan Walker, Bert Buckle, Brett Rudman and Dylan Higgison all in the reckoning.
Walker and Buckle were given the nod against Poverty Bay and while they both had solid games it would be no surprise to see one of the unsung heroes of last season's successful NPC third division campaign in Higgison and proven scrummager Rudman in the starting XV on this occasion.
There is keen competition too for places amongst the loose forwards. Sam Henderson though does seem likely to be first choice for blindside flanker and Sylvanus Iro did enough when he come off the reserve bench against Poverty Bay to suggest he will be on the openside.That would leave Brodie Duffin and Mike Spence competing for the No.8 berth and it is anybody's guess who will win that battle.
The only change in the backline from the Poverty Bay game will probably be at fullback where Duncan Rutherford is set to give way to Peato Lafaele, who was unavailable for that match because of the clash with the Jubilee Cup club final in Wellington, where he played a big part in Northern United's victory over Poneke.
Another member of that Northern United team in wing Francis Seumanata will also be part of the Wairarapa-Bush squad on Saturday, but the odds are he will make his debut for the union off the reserve bench, more because of the fact he is still becoming accustomed to team calls rather than anything else. In that case Junior Togia and Tommy Harmon would again start on the wings although Harmon does have a knee problem which is causing slight concern.
Two others who have been experiencing knee injury hassles in first-five Patrick Rimene and centre Simanu Simanu did, however, get through the Poverty Bay match without any fitness worries and are expected to play a full part in this Saturday's game, which will be controlled by Wellington referee Garrett Williamson.