Wairarapa-Bush face vital clash

The good news is that Wairarapa-Bush will seal a Meads Cup semifinal berth if they beat North Otago in their Heartland championship rugby match at Memorial Park, Masterton, tomorrow.

The bad news is that if it is North Otago who come up trumps, Wairarapa-Bush could find themselves out of the top four on the points table. Then they would need a victory over Horowhenua-Kapiti at Levin in the last of the preliminary round games the following weekend to keep their Meads Cup hopes alive.

Parochialism aside, it would be a huge shame should Wairarapa-Bush fall at the last two hurdles and find themselves playing off for the second tier trophy, the Lochore Cup.

For any side to rack up five wins in their first six Heartland games after winning only one in 2011 is, by any standards, a massive improvement. But history will judge Wairarapa-Bush on their finishing place, not on how they performed on a game by game basis.

Head coach Mark Rutene is confident the importance of tomorrow's result will not have an adverse effect on his squad. In fact, he believes the players will be excited at the prospect of making the Meads Cup semis, and even perhaps earning the right to play both that game and the final at Memorial Park.

"We know there is still plenty of work to do before we get that far, but we've given ourselves the chance and we're determined to make the most of it," Rutene said. "Yes, there is extra pressure now but it's a challenge we are looking forward to, very much so."

The one doubt over the Wairarapa-Bush starting line-up for tomorrow's match is on the wing, where Cameron Hayton and Inia Katia are bracketed. Hayton left the field injured during the team's 25-15 win over King Country last Saturday, a situation which led to Katia being switched from halfback to wing, from where he scored his team's first try.

A totally fit Hayton would be a certain starter but any question marks and the tricky Katia would be an adequate replacement. In that case the experienced Zeb Aporo, who missed most of the club season through travelling overseas, will join the reserve bench as extra cover for Matt O'Connor at halfback.

As expected, the prolific-scoring Glen Walters, who has now notched up 102 points, will be in his preferred position of first-five. Nick Olson will move from wing to fullback.

Up front it will be a special occasion for Wairarapa-Bush skipper Kurt Simmonds, who will be making his 50th appearance for the province. He and Wilba Davies will start at prop with Richard Puddy at hooker, while the in-form Tom Fleming has edged out strong-running Jim Temo for the No8 berth.

North Otago are also still in the reckoning for the Meads Cup semis, something they have managed in all but one year since 2006, and with the maximum five points an absolute necessity for them they seem certain to throw caution to the wind.

Wairarapa-Bush squad: Nick Olson; Nathan Hunt, Jesse McGilvary, Titapu Pairama-Lewington, Cameron Hayton or Inia Katia; Glen Walters; Matt O'Connor; Tom Fleming; Johan Van Vliet, Brandon Young, Andrew McLean, James Goodger; Kurt Simmonds, Richard Puddy, Wilba Davies. Reserves: Zeb Aporo, Byron Karaitiana, Michael Te Whare, Jamie Hunt, Jonathan Fuimaono, Jim Temo, Johnnie McFadzean.