KEY POINTS:
Wellington recognise the hangover from celebrating the return of the Ranfurly Shield to the capital could affect their first defence on Saturday.
The holders and runaway Air NZ Cup leaders face a Tasman side making their first shield challenge, a week after prising the Log of Wood off
Auckland.
While the odds are stacked against eighth-placed Tasman, captain Piri Weepu was concerned earlier this week that a slack attitude could hand the merged South Island union an opening.
"On Tuesday, when we came to work, there were a few dropped balls and it looked like some of the players didn't want to be here," Weepu said today.
However, the attitude within the Air NZ Cup leaders came right after the careless ones were given a "rarking up" by the seniors.
" We haven't had to do that before - obviously, the celebrations had started kicking in on Tuesday," Weepu said.
"I don't want to be a one-week wonder with the old shield and if we put it on the line, we want to make sure we defend it.
"We can't take Tasman lightly - they got some good talent.
"If we go into the game complacent, the chances of them beating us are pretty big.
"Hopefully the boys front up and we aren't going into the game half-cooked."
The team would want to put on a show for their loyal fans but also, to play to honour coach Jamie Joseph whose father, Jim, died hours after seeing his son's team win the shield.
"Being the only defence we have to make, after this Saturday, we can focus on the next piece of silverware," Weepu said.
Despite the fact Tasman have never beaten Wellington in two Cup meetings in Wellington, assistant coach Andre Bell said there was no thought of tinkering too much with a winning, if a little hungover, side.
Only one change had been made to the starting 15 from the Auckland match with Thomas Waldrom slotting into No 8 in place of Victor Vito who moves to the bench.
The rest of the squad including reserves have been retained.
" Victor made a couple of errors on Saturday, and he's aware of it," said Bell, who has been in charge while Joseph has been away.
"We are trying to keep consistent with our policy of playing the best possible team and when Thomas came on (against Auckland), he made a big impact so we are giving him an opportunity this week."
Training had picked up today after the high of the celebrations and shield parade through Wellington. He sensed the players' enthusiasm had returned.
Wellington's mood was not really desperate heading into the game.
"We just want to go out and attack, nothing changes," Bell said.
"We are not out there to defend it, we are out to attack it, and go for it."
Tasman, who will be making their first shield challenge, would be dangerous because they would take the attitude they had nothing to lose.
And in coach Todd Blackadder, Tasman would be able to draw inspiration.
Bell expected a fiery opening stanza from Tasman but was confident of repelling that if Wellington stuck to what they had been doing all along.
"If we make errors, they will grow in confidence. They like playing wide, so they'll be trying to beat our fitness and hopefully the hangover that we obviously had in last couple of days."
Wellington will stretch their unbeaten home record in the old NPC and Air NZ Cup to 18 if they beat Tasman on Sunday and will equal their 1986 NPC record of going unbeaten in nine matches.
- NZPA
