Rugby: Wanganui needs the mud in Marton preseason game

Campbell Hart could possibly stake a claim for the Wanganui captaincy as the side has their final preseason hitout in Marton tomorrow. Photos by Merrilyn George.

After the track meet pace of the Memorial Park turf last weekend, Steelform Wanganui will welcome a mud wrestle at Marton Park for their final preseason hitout against the Hawke's Bay Saracens tomorrow afternoon.

With some prospect of showers in the Manawatu and Rangitikei regions, plus the fact Marton is an honest country club turf, conditions are likely to be slower and require more focus on getting advantages from the set-piece work.

It was an achilles heel of Wanganui's last season that while they dominated on dry tracks, racking up several record scorelines, their quest for a Meads Cup three-peat in the Mitre 10 Heartland Championship was nearly undone when they played in wet conditions.

They barely survived their first away game to Thames Valley, who later missed out on making any playoffs, were unconvincing in victory against Poverty Bay at a likewise soggy Cooks Gardens, while the narrow loss in Levin to eventual finalists Horowhenua-Kapiti was played in heavy rain and all-but cost Wanganui their place in the Top 4 come the end of the round robin.

Wanganui then blitzed Horowhenua-Kapiti on the same ground three weeks later in perfect sunny conditions for the Meads Cup final.

"You got to play to the conditions and what suits," said coach Jason Caskey.

"We found a few wet tracks last year and I want to make sure we're prepared.

"Got to be able to play if it's wet, slow and boggy."

Regarding his starting XV from a squad of 24 for tomorrow's game against Hawke's Bay's development squad, Caskey will resist signalling what his shadow Heartland side is likely to be for South Canterbury, who are looming at Cooks Gardens in a rematch of last year's pulsating semifinal.

"It will be getting closer [to the final squad] and there's a few positions [open] and one or two players that haven't got an opportunity off the bench."

Caskey is looking at his wider locking group, while rounding down the four available props to a final three is now a decision that has to be made.

The battle for the No 7 jersey between Jamie Hughes and Angus Middleton is likewise undecided.

Angus Middleton will be pushing hard to get the permanent No 7 jersey.

With Cameron Crowley and Peni Nabainivalu still not right after their injuries in the Ranfurly Shield game, there are spots in the midfield and the wings still to be finalised, with Tom Symes staying with the Wanganui senior squad for another week while second-five Ethan Robinson will make a comeback after missing the 61-14 demolition of Wairarapa Bush.

Being taken off as a precautionary measure with 15 minutes left last weekend, Craig Clare will be ready to start, with Caskey deciding where best to use him in the backline, possibly ahead of Dane Whale at first-five.

Should Whale again come off the bench, that keeps loose forward Campbell Hart in the conversation about keeping the captaincy, which he did well in Masterton.

Having been nervous as they move out of the shadow of Roman Tutauha, young rakes Jack Yarrall and Dylan Gallien are beginning to feel more confident in their work as they are getting more vocal on the pitch – the tell tale sign of a happy hooker is a yappy hooker.

Wanganui have beaten Saracens in the last three years of preseason encounters, although this season the visitors have hammered Wairarapa Bush 57-14 while holding off the Manawatu Evergreens 29-24.

Kickoff at Marton Park is at 2pm, with the new Wanganui Samoa team playing on the other park ground just before.

It pleases Caskey to see more representative level squads coming in underneath his Heartland team, especially given the prospect of both the Samoans and Whanganui Maori playing games after the Wanganui Toyota Development XV has finished their season.

If Wanganui gets hit by an injury crisis, which has happened to one degree or another in recent years, then they should still be able to find quality replacements with recent game time.

"Usually they taper off halfway through [our] campaign, you're pretty right up until then," said Caskey.