Town vs Country rugby trial for Wanganui team berths

With Tietie Tuimauga's departure to Wellington, the opportunity is there for skillful prop Raymond Salu to impress tonight in the Town vs Country trial at Cooks Gardens.

Friday night's Town vs Country trial at Cooks Gardens is not just about the present Steelform Wanganui team for coach Jason Caskey, but also about preserving its future.

With a notable exception, most of the 50-odd players named last week for the four-quarters match under lights have attended the respective training sessions on Wednesday for coaches Jerome McCrea and Andrew Evans, including some who are currently injured and may have to sit out.

The message Caskey wanted conveyed to those teams was anyone selected who would not attend trainings before the match was making the selectors job easier.

"It's the intent you show – and if you don't show up for training, well, you only had one training," he said.

"There's a real opportunity for some people in there.

"It's just more of a chance to have a look at the younger guys and those we didn't know very much."

As is custom, several incumbents from last year's Heartland Championship-winning team have not been required to trial, with only 15 of the 2017 extended Wanganui squad on show.

Craig Clare, Roman Tutauha, Dane Whale, Bryn Hudson, Campbell Hart and Sam Madams are rested, although Madams has also been working through a wrist injury, while incumbent captain Cole Baldwin is now retired.

"Those guys aren't all guaranteed either, it's just we know enough about them and don't want to risk people with more games than we need to," said Caskey.

The multiple championship-winning coach only needs to recall last year's late run to the Meads Cup to point out just how important the second tier of Wanganui player can be.

Several youngsters came through the Wanganui Under 20, Development XV and Whanganui Maori squads to fill spots in the injury-hit Heartland side, and as was seen from the likes of Cody Hemi, Josh Lane, Gabriel Hakaraia and brothers Cade and Ethan Robinson, they did not let anybody down.

"It's not all solely about the Heartland team, or even the Development XV," Caskey said.

"It's giving them a taste and hopefully we can hold onto them, keep them from going to the academies or Manawatu. It's a starter."

Caskey has always been a staunch proponent of the theory that if a young local player wants to become a good professional – like a Waisake Naholo or Stephen Perofeta – then the proper pathway remains at least 1-2 season's experience in Heartland rugby before moving to the big smoke.

One notable absence from the team lists shown on this page is the departure of enforcer prop Tietie Tuimauga.

A key member of the 2016 "Heartland Invincibles", Tuimauga was working his way back into shape after missing the 2017 rep season with injury, but Caskey confirmed he has now relocated for an opportunity in Wellington.

It opens the door a little further for a prop like Raymond Salu, who played the Wanganui preseason matches last year, with Caskey wanting to see more of his specialist set piece work, because his attacking flair is undeniable.

"He's been doing a lot of damage with ball in hand, very dynamic, tackles all over the place."

Another to watch will be joint Tasman Tanning Premier MVP points leader Shandon Scott, who could well fit the utility back plans.

"He'll probably start at fullback in the trial, we know he can play first-five as well," said Caskey.

Scott played in the No10 in last year's trial at a warm Spriggens Park in August, where Country came from behind to win 48-40 in a very competitive match, with both teams keeping their full squads.

However, as seen in season's past, Caskey reserves the right to get players to swap teams if the scoreline becomes lopsided.

"And we probably will do that, as there's probably 2-3 more guys on the Metro team than the Country team," he said.

"We don't want to name three more players, just for the sake of it.

"Some of them will probably chop and change...you want to see some of them head to head."

This could raise the prospect of brother vs brother on one wing with both Harry and Tom Symes named in the Town lineup.

On a flat Cooks Garden track, Caskey is very interested in seeing how the former national schoolboys running champion Harry Symes will go, given a player with the ability to find the gap and hold off the chasers for 80m to the tryline is a true asset in Heartland.

"These guys are bloody exciting, actually. I've always said, nothing beats outright speed."

One player who has excelled in the trial in the past two years is incumbent flanker Jamie Hughes, who scored a hat trick last year and a double in 2016, while the Country side has won this game in the past four years.

Kickoff is 6pm.