BATTLEGROUND: THE RECTORY

Coming through: Poverty Bay lock Fletcher Scammell busting through the line during the Queens Birthday clash in Ruatoria against Ngāti Porou East Coast. Scammell is in the the starting line-up for Saturday's game where the Wekas will take on the Hawke's Bay Saracens at the Rectory. Kick off is at 2.30pm. Picture by Paul Rickard

Poverty Bay have their last Heartland Championship pre-season warm-up when they host Hawke's Bay Saracens in Gisborne.

Rugby Park would normally be where this encounter take places but the 2.30pm Saturday match has been moved to Gisborne Boys' High stronghold — the Rectory fields — to give Rugby Park more time to recover from the rain.

The Wekas lost heavily to Hawke's Bay in their Ranfurly Shield challenge a couple of weeks ago but took a lot of learning from it.

Poverty Bay head coach Miah Nikora has used the Shield match as a study guide to what they needed to work on and tomorrow is also a good opportunity to try different combinations before their opening Heartland Championship clash with King Country on August 20 in Te Kuiti.

“We looked at the Shield game and our focus is improving on that,” Nikora said. “We have been working on our phase attack and being more dominant in the tackle.

“We need to be more accurate in defence and put more pressure on our opposition.”

Nikora has made some adjustments in the squad to give more minutes to other squad members.

“There's a few changes to the starting 15 (from the Shield game) as it is not a first-class game. We're giving guys who haven't had much opportunity a chance to show what they can do.”

Putting on the Bay jersey for the first time will be starting fullback Braedyn Grant and loose forward Kupu Lloyd, who is on the bench but will get game time.

Hawke's Bay Saracens head coach Ellery Wilson said the the team were excited to be coming through.

“We are looking forward to it. This will be the last of our games against Heartland sides before playing other development teams.”

They are bringing through a squad of 24 captained by centre Jimi Harris.