Bring on the ?A game? says Russell

Wairarapa-Bush rugby coach Peter Russell is asking his side to bring their "A game" to Memorial Park, Masterton on Saturday.
Russell has no illusions about the magnitude of the task facing his team in their Heartland championship semi-final match with North Otago and says anything but a top notch performance won't be good enough to have them playing in the grand final a week later.
"Obviously there's no second chance for either side and in pressure games like this it often depends which team plays the smartest rugby " Russell said. "For us it's all about getting the top two inches right???that's where this one will be won or lost."
North Otago are not expected to deviate from the tactics which should have produced them a victory over Wairarapa-Bush in pool play, tactics which saw them prepared to launch attacks from all parts of the paddock.
Wairarapa-Bush had a point to spare on the scoreboard at the game's end but North Otago's backs "bombed" several prime scoring opportunities.
Russell is aware of the defensive deficiencies North Otago exposed through slick passing and equally swift changes of direction that match and is confident Wairarapa-Bush won't fall into the same trap on this occasion.
"We did make it too easy for them to get momentum going last time and it was a good wake up call for us," he said.
"The defence has been a lot tighter since then and I'm sure the strategies are in place to cope with anything they throw at us now."
That same pool game did indicate, however, that Wairarapa-Bush just might have the "wood" on North Otago up front and Russell is keen for his forwards to get very much involved in Saturday's action.
"They (North Otago) are certainly not weak in the forwards but we've had the edge on most packs in a physical sense and hopefully that will be the case again," he said.
Russell said video coverage of his side's 28-22 defeat by Wanganui at Wanganui last weekend ? their first loss in eight Heartland games- left him even more convinced Wairarapa ? Bush could well have secured a victory there.
"We went through a period where we seemed content to let things amble along rather than get stuck right in and that probably cost us," he said.
"And we weren't as precise as we needed to be in the scrums and lineouts?.we did OK there but we could have done better."
Russell said Wairarapa-Bush's tactics on Saturday would be based around sensible use of any possession coming their way.
"We certainly don't want to stop players from having a crack if it's on but at the same time we don't want to attack just for the sake of it," he said.
"The focus has to be on making the right decisions at the right time??.of not giving the opposition any soft points at all."
Key players in this respect will be the experienced inside back combination of Hamish McKenzie and Patrick Rimene whose tactical nous promises to have a big say in the outcome of the game.
They are sure to be under constant pressure from the lively North Otago loosies and their ability to "think on their feet" will be tested as a consequence.
Russell expects the starting XV for Saturday's semi-final to be the same as for the Wanganui match although a number of players are still getting over knocks experienced in that game.
For instance, five of the squad ?Sylvanus Iro, Sam Henderson, Mike Robinson, Tomasi Kedarabuka and Junior Togia ? took no part in any of the contact work in Tuesday's night training session as an insurance against them making their sore spots even worse.
Of that quintet Iro is probably the most doubtful starter because of a back injury which forced him off the field just before half time at Wanganui,___ but such is his importance to the side every endeavour is sure to be made to have him on deck.
He has been outstanding form right through the Heartland series with the move from No.8 to openside flanker allowing him to express his speed and power on both attack and defence.