Rugby
Promising East Coast lock Wiremu Grace will be wanting to make every post a winner for Wairarapa-Bush in their representative rugby match with Horowhenua-Kapiti at Otaki tomorrow.
As expected, coaches Mark Rutene and Paddy Gough have made changes to the starting line-up that initially took the field in the 24-19 win over Poverty Bay in Gisborne last weekend.
The coaches are intent on finding their best combination for the Heartland championship opener against North Otago at Oamaru on August 24.
And none of the changes they've made will attract more interest than Grace's naming ahead of his East Coast clubmate, Clark Butcher, as Lachie McFadzean's partner in the middle row.
As Rutene is quick to point out, the decision is no reflection on Butcher's form in Gisborne, where he was good value in the lineouts and a hard grafter in general play.
Rather, it is an opportunity for Grace to show he has the skills and temperament to make a name at a higher level.
On what has been seen of Grace on the club scene, he should relish the challenge. He clearly has the athleticism to shine at lineout time and can be a punishing runner. In the odd game, his workrate off the ball could be questioned and he will also need to win a pass mark in that area tomorrow if he is to remain ahead of Butcher in the pecking order.
Other forwards promoted to the starting XV for Otaki are hooker Jamie Hunt and flanker Johnie McFadzean and they, too, will be keen to make their mark in what should be a closely contested fixture. Hunt's speed is such that Wairarapa-Bush virtually will be fielding four loosies, while McFadzean is a willing workhorse on attack and defence and a more-than-handy lineout option.
A late addition to the squad for the Gisborne trip, Joseph Sio, played so impressively at halfback there he will again start in the No9 jersey in Otaki, while Byron Karaitiana has moved in a place to first-five, a spot he has held often in the past.
Vice-captain Tapaga Isaac, who was unavailable last weekend, will be outside Karaitiana and his midfield partnership with Titapu Pairama-Lewington should produce some fireworks. Both are hard, straight runners, capable of testing the mettle of any defensive screen.
Bracketed on one wing are Nathan Hunt and Paul Tiko, with Hunt likely to be given a start if the coaches deem him to have recovered sufficiently from the injury hassles which have seen sidelined him for some weeks.
The Wairarapa-Bush reserve bench isn't short on experience, with forwards Richard Puddy and James Goodger and backs Zeb Aporo, Glen Walters and Cameron Hayton all expected to be part of the starting line-up for the first of the Heartland games.
Coach Rutene is hopeful of Wairarapa-Bush being able to adopt a more attacking game plan at Otaki than they did in Gisborne, where the conditions dictated that a kicking game was the more sensible approach.
"We really need to get our attacking moves going and that's where the emphasis will be," Rutene said.
Wairarapa-Bush:
Nick Olson; Inia Katia, Titapu Pairama-Lewington, Tapaga Isaac, Nathan Hunt/Paul Tiko; Byron Karaitiana, Joseph Sio; Nathan Iro, Johnie McFadzean, Johan Van Vliet; Wiremu Grace, Lachie McFadzean; Campbell Lawrence, Jamie Hunt, Finnbarr Kerr-Newell. Reserves: Zeb Aporo, Glen Walters, Cameron Hayton, Richard Puddy, Lance Graves, Clark Butcher, James Goodger