Domination tipped as key

Underdogs they may be but Wairarapa-Bush can beat King Country in their Heartland championship rugby match at Memorial Park, Masterton, tomorrow and guarantee their place in the semifinals of the Lochore Cup competition as a consequence.
For the home team, it's simply a question of playing to their potential for the full 80 minutes, something which they have frustratingly failed to do for most of their 2010 campaign.
Too often, they have performed well for 60, or even 70 minutes, only to go off the boil for a brief period and turn possible success into certain defeat.
If ever though there was a match where the incentive for victory was so great that a totally committed 80-minute effort was practically guaranteed, tomorrow's would have to be it.
The thought that anything less than a win could well see them eliminated from the Lochore Cup series and have only East Coast behind them when the seeding list for all provincial teams is confirmed at the end of the current season, should ensure Wairarapa-Bush operates under a full head of steam from go to whoa.
Not that an aggressive "take no prisoners" approach will, on its own, produce the desired result against a King Country side who have turned around some disappointing form in pool play, with big wins over East Coast and Buller in their last two games to head the Lochore Cup points table.
For that to happen, Wairarapa-Bush will also need to play smart rugby; the type that allows them to maximise their strengths while minimising their mistakes.
In that respect, they will need to acknowledge that the 2010 King Country squad is somewhat different in kind than what can usually be anticipated from teams representing that union.
Whereas in the past King Country have tended to rely on a rugged set of forwards to basically batter their opposition into submission, the strength of their current line-up seems to lie in the pace and flair of their outside backs, none more so than exciting midfielder Tanner Vili, perhaps the most penetrative runner in the whole of the Heartland competition.
The test for Wairarapa-Bush then will be to play a style of rugby which ensures the Vilis of the world are given few - very few - chances to stretch their legs in an attacking sense. And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realise that the best way of doing that is to dominate the forward exchanges, and utilise possession wisely.
That Wairarapa-Bush have the physicality up front to call the tune there, is a matter of fact, but they must present a united force, in set piece and broken play situations.
How many times this season have they allowed the ball carrier to become isolated, simply because they have arrived at the breakdowns in ones and twos rather than hunting as a pack?
Mobility is one of the main attributes of the King Country eight and they will relish the chance to turn over ball if their Wairarapa-Bush counterparts don't make unity the number one priority.
Vital too will be the close quarter defence of the Wairarapa-Bush forwards around the fringes of the scrums and mauls, an area where, apart from the notable exception of Joss Tua-Davidson, they have not exactly been covering themselves in glory in recent matches.
King Country seem likely to use the "pick and go" and short passing rushes as key elements of their game plan and if they are allowed to get themselves over the advantage line on a regular basis then all hell could break loose.
The option taking of the Wairarapa-Bush backs has, quite frankly, been less than impressive through most of this season and here, too, King Country will thrive if there is not a major improvement in this aspect of play.
For instance, tactical kicks must go to space rather than hand and while the odd 50-50 pass is a risk worth taking, Wairarapa-Bush have tended to overdo them on occasion.
Defensively, too, the Wairarapa-Bush backs need to up their act, particularly their positional play when the opposition is looking to make ground through tactical kicks.
The selection of young East Coast utility back Jesse McGilvary at centre is perhaps the most interesting selection in the Wairarapa-Bush starting line-up.
With Byron Karaitiana having slight injury concerns, the side's best counter attacker Nick Olson will start at fullback and also provide cover for James Bruce at halfback, Heemi Tupaea moves from centre to wing and Cyrus Baker replaces the unavailable Sam Mitchell at second-five.
In the forwards, Timasi Kedrabuka has been rewarded for some excellent recent form with a start at lock, Jared Brock is at prop and Brett Rudman has been brought in as reserve hooker. There is free entry to tomorrow's game courtesy of Tui Breweries and on display will be the Women's World Rugby Cup won for the fourth successive time by the Black Ferns in England last month.
The full Wairarapa-Bush squad is: Nick Olson, Heemi Tupaea, Jesse McGilvary, Cyrus Baker, Junior Togia, Jeremy Te Huia, James Bruce, Mana Faraimo, Rupeni Temani, Andrew McLean, Tomasi Kedrabuka, Joss Tua-Davidson, Jared Brock, Joe Harwood, Kurt Simmonds. Reserves: Brett Rudman, Dylan Higgison, Brandon Young, John McFadzean, Tommy Sargent, Tommy Harmon, Byron Karaitiana.