Rugby: Final Wanganui squad confirmed for Buller match

Gabriel Hakaraia will start at prop for Wanganui against Buller.

Steelform Wanganui have settled on their final squad of 22 for tomorrow's Mitre 10 Heartland Championship game with Buller at Cooks Gardens.

After being left out of the team last weekend in Te Kuiti, Gabriel Hakaraia gets the starting prop position, with Viki Tofa moving back to the bench.

Fellow prop Kamipeli Latu came through the Thursday night fitness tests and will also start, with Wiremu Cottrell stepping down this week.

As coach Jason Caskey intimated on Thursday, Jamie Hughes will take back the coveted No 7 jumper from Angus Middleton, who will come off the bench.

The pair have constantly swapped the pivotal loose forward role during this campaign.

Hughes was the starting openside flanker against South Canterbury and West Coast, while Middleton was the No 8 against West Coast and then moved into No 7 the following week against Poverty Bay.

Hughes regained the jumper for the Mid Canterbury game, before handing it back to Middleton to face King Country last weekend.

In any case, both of them will have to be on their toes as they line up against Heartland Rugby's true legend in Buller's Luke Brownlee.

The 38-year-old, who debuted for his union back in 1999, has reached an astounding 198 first-class appearances, which includes a New Zealand record of 145 consecutive appearances between 1999-2014.

Tomorrow will be his 199th game and baring injury, Brownlee will break the magic 200 barrier in front of his home supporters in Westport against Mid Canterbury next weekend.

One player in the Wanganui lineup who needs no reminder of Brownlee's Mana or the abilities of any of his Buller team mates is second-five Penijamini Nabainivalu.

It is likely to be an emotional day for the 31-year-old, who played for Buller from 2009-2016 with 89 caps, winning the 2012 Lochore Cup while being on the wrong side of the scoreboard in two Meads Cup finals, 2014 and 2016.

Nabainivalu transferred north this season to join the Wanganui Marist club in June and will be having his first game against his old mates.

Kickoff is 2.30pm.

Wanganui team is
1. Gabriel Hakaraia; 2. Jack Yarrall; 3. Kamipeli Latu; 4. Sam Madams; 5. Henri Williams; 6. Campbell Hart (c); 7. Jamie Hughes; 8. Michael Tafili; 9. Lindsay Horrocks; 10. Craig Clare; 11. Cameron Crowley; 12. Penijamini Nabainivalu; 13. Kameli Kuruyabaki; 14. Simon Dibben; 15. Tyler Rogers-Holden.
Reserves – Forwards: 16. Roman Tutauha; 17. Gabriel Hakaraia; 18. Tremaine Gilbert; 19. Angus Middleton. Backs: 20. Dane Whale; 21. Shandon Scott; 22. Tom Symes.