“OBM are a real threat,” Smith said.
“They’ve got a good squad all round.
“They’re well coached — they’ll be up for it, that’s for sure.”
Smith has been impressed with Adrian Wyrill at No.7 for OBM, and YMP will need to be sharp to avoid turning over the ball at the breakdown.
YMP wing Nathan Rangihuna and centre Te Peehi Fairlie are among the players to stand out this season, but the competition leaders have more than just a flashy backline.
They have a big forward pack and love to win each battle when their players go into contact.
But they won’t have rugged No.8 Jesse Kapene, because of a serious injury.
“He’s our motivation for this game,” Smith said.
Formerly with Wairoa Athletic, Kapene joined YMP this year and had become an integral player in the side, Smith said.
Smith has urged his players to keep their focus, stay composed and maintain their standards.
He said they were more than capable of getting the job done tomorrow.
Crosby said his players were excited about the game, “as they should be”.
“We’ve worked hard to get into this position.”
YMP were a strong team against whom OBM could measure themselves, and the game would be a great challenge.
YMP had to come from behind to win the game between the two sides in Round 1, 29-19.
OBM had a fast start in that game and Ngatapa also had a good start against YMP last week, so YMP will want to get it right from the kick-off tomorrow.
Crosby said OBM would do their best to cut down on the room available to YMP, to limit the damage they could do with ball in hand.
With just the one win so far, Lee Bros Shield champions GT Shearing Waikohu need to find their mojo soon but they can expect stiff opposition from Earthwork Solutions High School Old Boys tomorrow.
HSOB coach Scott Leighton said he expected conditions at Te Karaka to suit the home team — a dry track and a fine day.
That should benefit the Waikohu backs, though Leighton said his own side had been playing more expansively this season.
Leighton said on Thursday he didn’t know who would start for HSOB at halfback.
Scott Tallott has been out with injury in recent weeks, George Halley is injured and Willie Haenga is overseas.
That brings teenager Sam Middleton into the frame, though Tallott might still be considered.
HSOB have had the wood on Waikohu in recent encounters.
They beat them in Round 1 this year and in the only match where the two teams clashed on the park last year. Waikohu won their other scheduled game in 2018 by default.
HSOB won the final between the two teams in 2017.
If HSOB can extend their run, that will put some distance between the top three teams on the ladder and those likely gunning for the last spot in the semifinals.
Waikohu coach Jason Tuapawa said he would line up with the same starting 15 who played last week against OBM.
There’s an enforced change on the reserves bench, though, with one player serving a two-week standdown after receiving a red card last week.
The champs have been struggling to find the form that won them the title and Tuapawa said they would be “trying to enjoy rugby again”.
They had reassessed, and making the top four was their new goal.
Tuapawa believed that playing the game with more patience would reap rewards.
“I have every faith our team will bounce back,” he said.
Larsawn Ngatapa, in fifth, are breathing down the necks of Waikohu and they put up a good showing in their loss against YMP last week.
Ngatapa play against Pirates-GMC at Patutahi tomorrow.
Ngatapa coach Steve Hickey said Pirates-GMC had been playing good patches of rugby and they have an experienced forward pack.
They’ve been leaking more than 50 points a game, however.
Hickey said he couldn’t fault the effort of his team — they had a good attitude and team spirit.
“The guys are training hard.”
The premier games in Civil Project Solutions senior rugby start at 2.45pm.
