History says King Country will target scrum and lineouts

Promising Pioneer winger Jordan Fox will miss Wairarapa-Bush's Heartland championship rugby match with King Country at Memorial Park, Masterton on Saturday.
Fox was knocked out during the impressive 41-5 win over Thames Valley at Paeroa last weekend and according to coach Graham Cheetham will probably have to miss at least a couple of games as a result.
The absence of Fox means another talented youngster in Lima Lauvi will make his debut in the Wairarapa-Bush starting line-up at Heartland level. The Masterton Red Star player has speed to burn and Cheetham is confident he will give a strong account of himself.
"It's a good chance for him to step up and show us what he can do, it's a challenge he should enjoy," Cheetham said.
With Lauvi coming out the reserves his place there has been taken by Marist utility back Phil Aporo who is very different type of player than Fox and Lauvi. He doesn't have their pace but he is invariably a handful for opposition defences because of his bulk and liking for a physical confrontation.
The other interesting backline selection is that of Heemi Tupaea at centre but it doesn't mean he will spend all of his time there. Cheetham said he and fullback Simanu Simanu would very probably swap places on occasions as they both had a good understanding of the two positions.
In-form Hamish McKenzie will again be at halfback but just who will be his understudy was unclear mid-week. Mike Hollis would normally get the job but has a slight injury problem and has been bracketed with Zeb Aporo as a consequence.
There are no changes to the Wairarapa-Bush pack from that which started against both West Coast and Thames Valley but while Cheetham was "reasonably happy" with their showing in both those games he is aware history indicates that King Country will target them in the set pieces of scrum and lineout.
With Dan Griffin proving a very able partner for Tomasi Kedarabuka at lock the lineouts shouldn't be any source of concern for the local side but concerns remain over the scrummaging despite the obvious improvement made there against Thames Valley.
"We're expecting them (King Country) to have the best scrum we have met yet so far," Cheetham said. "But's it's nothing we can't handle & it's just a case of doing the basics right and we'll be OK."
The big wins secured in their first two Heartland games have practically guaranteed Wairarapa-Bush a place in the Meads Cup playoffs but King Country are in the same boat and Cheetham is keen for his side to continue their winning form on Saturday, if only because of the psychological boost it would give them should they meet King Country a second time later in the season.
The Wairarapa-Bush team is: Simanu Simanu; Lima Lauvi, Hemi Tupaea, Tupaga Isaac, Lance Stevenson; John Dodd; Hamish McKenzie; Hamish McKenzie; Steve Olds; Josh Mackey, Dan Griffin, Tomasi Kedarabuka, Mike Spence; Brett Rudman, Joe Harwood, Shane Temana. Reserves: Mike Hollis or Zeb Aporo, Jon Guillard, Phil Aporo, Mosese Gutuvakaca, Brendon Walker, Jarod Bambry, Solly Alsop.