Wairarapa-Bush ready to dive in

Wairarapa-Bush won't die wondering in their top-of-the-table Heartland rugby championship match with Wanganui at Memorial Park, Masterton, tomorrow.

The home team is intent on taking the game to their opposition - who have come off second best on Memorial Park in their last five appearances there - and on building on the already impressive 30 tries they have scored in eight games this season, seven of which they have won.

"We play our best rugby when we are attacking and that's where the focus will be again," head coach Mark Rutene said yesterday. "We want to be positive, there's no point in sitting back and waiting for things to happen."

Rutene is anticipating plenty of movement in tomorrow's game with Wanganui likely to adopt a similar stance to Wairarapa-Bush.

"They've got size and speed in their forwards and backs and like to move the ball around as well ... it should be pretty exciting stuff. Defence is going to be very important, both teams will have to make their tackles count."

The starting line-up named by Rutene and assistant coach Paddy Gough is pretty much as expected.

Up front the main talking point would be the selection of Jonathan Fuimaono at prop ahead of Wilba Davies but with both players in excellent form, that was always going to be a close call. Davies is one of the team's most punishing ball runners and will certainly add sting in that area when he comes off the bench. And the same applies to Lachie McFadzean, who has lost out to Brandon Young for a locking berth, and to Jamie Hunt who gives way to Richard Puddy at hooker.

With James Goodger on the injured list, the loose forward trio will again consist of Johan van Vliet, Tom Fleming and Jim Temo and, while the latter will start at No8, he and Fleming could interchange there and blindside flank.

In the backs, Matt O'Connor has been preferred to Inia Katia at halfback and Glen Walters gets the nod over Byron Karaitiana at first-five. The latter decision means Nick Olson will go from wing to fullback and Nathan Hunt and Cameron Hayton will start on the wings.

The full Wairarapa-Bush squad is: Nick Olson, Nathan Hunt, Jessie McGilvary, Titapu Pairama-Lewington, Cameron Hayton, Glen Walters, Matt O'Connor, Jim Temo, Johan van Vliet, Andrew McLean, Brandon Young, Tom Fleming, Kurt Simmonds, Richard Puddy, Jonathan Fuimaono. Reserves: Inia Katia, Byron Karaitiana, Michael Te Whare, Jamie Hunt, Wilba Davies, Johnnie McFadzean, Lachie McFadzean.

The Bruce Steel Cup, held by Wanganui, will also be up for grabs in the match which kicks off at 2.30pm and will be preceded by an RDO Cup match between Wairarapa-Bush B and Wanganui B, at 12.45pm, and an under-18 fixture between Wairarapa-Bush and Manawatu at Memorial Park No2, starting at 2pm.