Title hopes to get tested

Two of the teams seen as most likely to challenge Eketahuna for major spoils in the Wairarapa-Bush senior first division rugby competition in 2005 will meet at Memorial Park in Masterton tomorrow.
Marist and Greytown-Tuhirangi have been something of a mixed bag in terms of results so far this season, but their latest form suggests they will be right in the fight at the end of the club season.
If there is any psychological advantage going into tomorrow's game it would have to lie with the combined side who,somewhat against the odds, defeated Marist 29-20 in their first round clash.
The country bumpkins will certainly fancy their chances of bettering the townies in the forward exchanges.
In Dylan Higginson, Bruce McKenzie and John Tanner they have a formidable front row which should give them a solid platform at scrum time, Norm Henricksen is as good a lineout exponent as there is in the region and Sylvanus Iro has been in a class of his own in the loose.
Throw all their talents together and you have a pack which is well served in all departments, don't you?
The Marist forwards, for their part, are not shy on experience. Players like Matthew Rowlands, Lee Paku and Kerry Hargood have been around long enough to know all the short cuts but whether they have the collective ability to match the Greytown eight is questionable, to say the least. It is interesting though that lock Hargood is actually their leading try scorer this season, a statistic which illustrates he has developed into much more than just a regular winner of lineout ball.
The make-up of the Greytown-Tuhirangi backline will be interesting.
Lately they have had the astute Mark Childs at first-five but word is that Dutch international Bert Viggurs will make his debut for them tomorrow and first-five is apparently his preferred position as well.
He has already been included in the Wairarapa-Bush squad and so instantly becomes a challenger to Patrick Rimene for the pivotal role on the representative scene, something which adds extra spice to this particular game as Rimene is a mainstay of the Marist rearguard.
Viggurs won't be the only Greytown-Tuhirangi back looking to impress Wairarapa-Bush selector-coach Peter Russell though.
So will young winger Tavita Isaac who is widely regarded as a serious contender for a place in the province's NPC third division side this season. The more Greytown-Tuhirangi can get him into the game with space to move the better for them.
Rimene is, of course, not the only Wairarapa-Bush rep in the star-studded Marist backline. They also have the Couch brothers, Nathan and Ben, and utility player Jaco Pieterse while bulky fullback Phil Aporo must be on the fringes of selection as well.
One suspects Marist will revolve a lot of their back play around Rimene and Nathan Couch. especially the latter who has that magic quality, deception., down to a fine art.
How Greytown-Tuhirangi cope with his bag of tricks is likely to have a big say in the outcome of what should be an enthralling game.
Other first division match-ups tomorrow are:-
EKETAHUNA V GLADSTONE, Eketahuna at 2.30pm: Gladstone will be all out to pull off an upset here.
They will still be smarting from their big loss to Marist last weekend, and what better way to boost confidence by bouncing back against the defending champions and current competition leaders Problem is though they are striking Eketahuna at home and, what's worse, in the sort of form where it's hard to imagine any of the other first division sides keeping them in sight.
They did miss the suspended Simanu Simanu in their backline last weekend but he'll be back tomorrow to add considerable sting to their attacking play. You'd have to fancy Eketahuna to win by at least 15 points, wouldn't you?
CARTERTON V PIONEER, Carterton at 2.30pm: Carterton are now back to something like full strength after a horror run with injuries and their form seems sure to improve as a result
They should have a clear edge on a Pioneer side which despite making a habit of picking up bonus points isn't winning enough games to stay in semi-final contention.
EAST COAST V MARTINBOROUGH, Whareama at 2.30pm: Interesting clash this one. Martinborough has the form on the board to make them favourites but the Coasters, especially at home, will be a handful for them.
Both teams like to play a hustling, bustling style of rugby and if the advantage rule is properly applied an entertaining spectacle is on the cards.
PUKETOI V MASTERTON RED STAR, Pongaroa at 2.30pm: Puketoi hasn't managed a win this season and they will be viewing this game as their best chance of breaking the "duck".
They will give Stars heaps up front but with backs like Dan Hape, Fiti Foulouse and Oka Logaloga to call on the visitors would probably only need to win 30 per cent of possession to take the honours.