The pressure is on players bidding for places in this year's Heartland championship squad, Wairarapa-Bush rugby head coach Mark Rutene says.
Competition is fierce in several areas and Rutene and assistant coach Paddy Gough are treating a "friendly" against Murray Mexted's International Rugby Academy at Palmerston North on Wednesday, July 18, as a trial for prospective candidates.
"Yes, it could be the make or break for some players," Rutene said yesterday. "We're getting very close to the time when we have to settle on the Heartland team so there's a lot resting on this one."
Four Wellington-based players have been included in the Wairarapa-Bush XV, one of whom, No 8 Taylor Mokate, was in the side that lost narrowly to New Zealand Universities earlier in the year. He has just returned from playing for the United States in an international tournament also involving Canada, Georgia and Uruguay.
Making their debut appearance in the Wairarapa-Bush colours will be a couple of Old Boys University players, 130kg prop Joe Fuimaono and midfielder Titapu Pairama-Lewington - and a former Kuranui College pupil and Wairarapa-Bush age group rep Glen Walters from the Hutt Old Boys Marist club. A noted goal kicker, he usually plays at fullback but is also an accomplished first-five.
Bush Sports lock Brandon Young is an interesting selection. Early-season talk was he had retired from the rep scene but some excellent form at club level has helped persuade him to have a change of heart.
His experience will be invaluable in the middle row.
Perhaps the most notable name missing in the forwards is in-form Eketahuna flanker Johan van Vliet but that's simply because he is attending the Rugby Academy and will be part of the opposition on July 18. His battle with another talented youngster in James Goodger for the loose ball should be a cracker.
In the backs, the main talking points are probably the absence of East Coast first-five Bryon Karaitiana and Gladstone winger Guy Wood.
Karaitiana, who had a solid game in the win over Horowhenua-Kapiti at the Cake Tin last month, is recovering from injury while the prolific-scoring Wood is heading back to England in a couple of weeks and won't be available for the Heartland campaign.
The full Wairarapa-Bush squad is:
Forwards: Kurt Simmonds (Greytown), Wilba Davies (Martinborough), Jon Fuimaono (Old Boys University), Jake Tipene (Bush Sports), Jamie Hunt (Bush Sports), Lochie McFadzean (Carterton), Andrew McLean, (Gladstone), Brandon Young (Bush Sports), Jim Temoci (Gladstone), Taylor Mokate (Old Boys University), James Goodger (Marist) and Rupeni Tamani (Eketahuna).
Backs: Cody Whittaker (Martinborough), Inia Katia (Gladstone), Matt O'Connor (East Coast), Tipene Haira (Pioneer), Titapu Pairama-Lewington (Old Boys University), Tapunga Isaac (Greytown), Jesse McGilvary (East Coast), Damien Kamo-Paku (Pioneer), Nathan Hunt (Martinborough), Cameron Hayton (Gladstone), Nick Olson (East Coast) and Glen Walters (Hutt Old Boys Marist).