Tua-Davidson back to add forward grunt

The Joss Tua-Davidson saga has taken another dramatic turn with the naming of the Bush Sports flanker on the blindside flank for Wairarapa-Bush in their Heartland championship match with Wanganui at Memorial Park on Saturday.
A star performer for Wairarapa-Bush in their six non-championship games, including the Ranfurly Shield challenge with Wellington, Tua-Davidson missed their Heartland opener against West Coast in Greymouth last weekend .
He was ousted after the NZRFU ruled he did not fit their "local player" criteria,
a decision based on the fact Tua-Davidson had played his club rugby for Bush Sports in the Manawatu competition.
And with Wairarapa-Bush having already signed three Wellington backs - Nick Risdon, Siaosi Anamani and Junior Togia - as their "loan players" the prospects of Tua-Davidson having any involvement in Heartland games seemed slight, to say the least.
Under Heartland rules only three "loan players" can be named for any one championship match and the importance of halfback Risdon, centre Anamani and wing Togia to the Wairarapa-Bush backline, combined with a surfeit of quality loose forwards, obviously counted against Tua-Davidson big time.
Even the Manawatu union giving their Wairarapa-Bush counterparts permission to sign him up under the "loan player" provision as well appeared unlikely to help his cause.
A few days, however, can be a long time in rugby and Tua-Davidson's chances of a recall to the Wairarapa-Bush side were boosted by an unfortunate turn of events in Greymouth when first flanker Jared Hawkins and then No 8 Duncan Law were forced from the field through injury.
Hawkins with damage to a knee which could see him miss the rest of the Heartland programme and Law with a hamstring strain expected to sideline him for a couple of games.
Initial thoughts were their absence would mean Chris Senior and Corey Reid playing on the flanks against Wanganui and Nathan Rolls returning from his own injury hassles at No 8 but after "humming and haaing at great length" coach Kelvin Tantrum has decided to go with Tua-Davidson in the No 6 jersey rather than Reid.
A scenario which meant, of course, that one of Risdon, Anamani and Togia had to miss out in the backs with Togia drawing the short straw. He has been replaced on the wing by Pioneer utility back Tommy Harmon.
Tantrum, admitted it was "hugely frustrating" to drop Togia who was one of the few success stories for Wairarapa-Bush in last season's abortive Heartland campaign and one of their best attackers against West Coast.
"He (Togia) has done nothing wrong, nothing at all," he said. "It's just that circumstances dictate Josh should play and he (Togia) is the unlucky one"
Tantrum reckons Tua-Davidson's no-nonsense, confrontational approach, both on attack and defence, could. be hugely beneficial against a Wanganui side boasting a mobile set of forwards who will be aiming to steamroll the Wairarapa-Bush pack.
"Joss is a guy who doesn't know how to take a backward step and, quite frankly, I think that will be a big asset against Wanganui," Tantrum said. "His physicality is what we need."
Whether Wairarapa-Bush will have the services of their ace lineout forward, middle rower Tomasi Kedrabuka, in Saturday's match won't be decided until later in the week. He came out of the West Coast match with a sore shoulder and it was continuing to trouble him at training on Tuesday evening. If he cannot play Reid will take his place with Gladstone's Tim Fleming coming into the reserves.
A likely Wairarapa-Bush starting line-up against Wanganui is: Nick Olson; Tommy Harmon, Siaosi Anamani, Sam Mitchell, Heemi Tupaea; Byron Karaitiana; Nick Risdon; Nathan Rolls; Chris Senior, Tomasi Kedrabuka, Andrew McLean, Joss Tua-Davidson; Jared Brock, Ben Pereira, Kurt Simmonds. Reserves: Api Matengta, Sele Tugaga, Jordan Watene, Corey Reid, Nick Beavon, Richard Puddy, Joe Feast.
Meanwhile, there has been a change in time and venue for the curtain-raiser match on Saturday featuring the New Zealand Marist Colts and Wairarapa-Bush under-20. It will now be played at Memorial Park No 2, starting at 1pm.