TWO cracking games are in prospect in the semifinals of the Wairarapa-Bush Rugby Union's Tui Cup premier division competition tomorrow.
The overall form guide for the 2015 season might suggest top seeds Greytown should have the edge on fourth seeds Marist in their battle at Greytown and likewise second seeds Pioneer over third seeds Gladstone at Masterton's Jeans St ground, but it would take a brave punter to wager heavily on it.
Marist will be bold in their approach against Greytown. Predictable was never a description you could have given their coach, Nathan Couch, during his long and distinguished playing career for Wairarapa-Bush and it's not a label you could put on the current Marist squad either. Sometimes their willingness to take risks in tight defensive situations gets them in deep strife, other times it can make them look like world beaters.
In broken play situations there is probably no more dangerous side than Marist in the whole of the premier division series. James Goodger, Kieran O'Brien, Shannon Rimene, Henry Wilson and Liam Devine are forwards who will back themselves to win any one-on-one confrontation with ball in hand. And their rearguard isn't exactly shy in similar circumstances either with Malatai Malatai, Mike Te Whare and Shannon Lewis all capable of creating something out of nothing.
Greytown will understand of course that if they are to alleviate the danger of Marist in broken play they will need to be structured and disciplined in their own approach and there are enough old heads in their squad to ensure that happens. Kurt Simmonds, Brent Rudman, Norm Henricksen and Johnny Avatea are forwards who know all the tricks of the trade and Kingi Kaiwai, Byron Karaitiana, Tavita Isaac and Nick Olson have like qualities in the backs.