‘What we’ve got is what we’ll give’

Realistically Mobil Carterton Wairarapa-Bush have no chance of prising rugby's most iconic provincial trophy, the Ranfurly Shield, from Vodafone Wellington's grasp at Memorial Park, Masterton, tomorrow.
Sure, the holders have given the home team a glimmer of hope by naming what has been labelled a virtual club team for their opening defence of the 2009 season but a Wairarapa-Bush victory would still go down as the biggest upset in Shield history, bar none.
Very few of the Wellington side may yet qualify as "name" players but you can bet your bottom dollar a good many of them will have earned that description within the next season or two.
What's more they won't exactly be introducing themselves to each other as they bus over the hill either.
They have been training together for some weeks now so while there is nothing like actual game time to hone combinations they should have few hassles in that respect.
Up front they will be bulkier, taller and more athletic than the locals while the backline is absolutely chockful of promising youngsters with those vital commodities of flair and speed.
Consider too the wallopings received by Wairarapa-Bush sides against Wellington combinations much weaker than that which will take the field tomorrow and the daunting task facing them is patently obvious, isn't it?
Enough of the negativism though.
The very fact they have the opportunity to challenge for the Ranfurly Shield in their own backyard is a huge plus for the Wairarapa-Bush camp and their supporters.
It is the first time the "log o' wood" has been up for grabs within this region for 59 years and that alone makes it a momentous occasion. One which should see Memorial Park filled to the gunnels.
The match will also tell a story about the character and resolve within the current Wairarapa-Bush squad, both individually and collectively.
Several of those who will take the field tomorrow have yet to cement their places in the Heartland championship line-up and this is a royal opportunity for them to do exactly that.
They are going to be under intense pressure from the word go and how they respond will be
carefully scrutinised.
For the Wairarapa-Bush forwards it will be all about contest, contest, contest.
The sheer size and skill of the visitors is going to make the set pieces of scrum and lineout a testing assignment to say the least and without unity of purpose the home team will very probably be smashed to smithereens in both departments.
It will be absolutely and positively vital to the Wairarapa-Bush cause too that they stop the Wellington pack regularly working up a full head of steam by making their first tackles count around the fringes of the mauls. Give them an inch there and they will take a mile.
Important too for the Wairarapa-Bush forwards is that they back themselves whenever the opportunity arises for them to launch their own attacks from broken play situations.
In the likes of Nick Beavon, Brandon Young, Joss Tua-Davidson, Duncan Law and Nathan Rolls they have players who are gifted ball runners in their own right and even a team of Wellington's calibre could find it difficult to keep them under wraps.
The impact made by the Wairarapa-Bush backs offensively will, of course, very much depend on the quality of possession attained for them by their forwards. The odds are they will be existing pretty much on scraps in that regard and therefore the onus will be on the inside backs Zeb Aporo, Byron Karaitiana and Sam Mitchell to make judgment calls which at least give the outsides the chance to run the ball at their opposition. Even if it means taking a risk or two to do so.
Defensively-speaking this will assuredly be as tough a day at the office for the Wairarapa-Bush backs as they will get all season and how they cope on the tackle against a Wellington rearguard which will be full of tricks will play a large part in the end margin between the two sides.
The Wairarapa-Bush motto is what has been a superb advertising campaign for tomorrow's match has been "What We've Got is What We'll Give".
If their actions speak as loudly as those words they won't disappoint, no matter what the final scoreline.