Rugby: Ulukuta to wing it forward

Both Border's Sikeli Ulukuta and Marist's Simon Dibben have been named in the Town XV for the trial with Country on Wednesday, but Ulukuta will be reverting from a winger back to being a loose forward. Photo/File

Both current club form and positional changes form the backdrop of Wanganui rugby's trial game between Town and Country XV's at Cooks Gardens on Wednesday evening.

Chosen by the selection panel of new Steelform Wanganui coach Jason Caskey, Jason Hamlin, Guy Lennox and Marty McGrath, the training squads of 26 (Town) and 27 (Country) contain 16 former Wanganui Heartland Championship representatives, including a few veterans not seen for the Butcher's Boys in 2013.

Along with any import or origin players selectors may be considering for the Heartland campaign, particularly in the backline, these teams are expected to form both the bulk of the main Wanganui team and the Development squad.

Through either injury or being rested, a handful of key players who were named earlier in the wider 56-man training squad earlier will not play the midweek game, most notably NZ Heartland and Wanganui skipper Peter Rowe.

Others have been selected in preferred positions they are not currently covering for their Tasman Tanning Premier club teams, mainly for stop-gap reasons.

The season's top points scorer Sikeli Ulukuta is included as a Town flanker, after playing wing for Waverley Harvesting Border, while clubmate Sailosi Naqiso heads back out wide despite playing most of 2014 at centre.

Ruapehu's young fullback Zyon Hekenui has also been named as one of the four first-fives, where he played in two games for Wanganui late in last year's campaign after joining the team as a winger.

Notably, the Country side contains three players from the senior club competition's defending champions Power Farming (PN) Hunterville Josh Harding and Jamie Brett (props) and Nick Tipling (halfback).

For competitive parity, there has also been some blurring of the regional lines, such as Pirates' lock Simon Hillis shifting to the Country lineup while Ruapehu's midfield back Tautahi Rawiri joins the Town squad.

Both teams will train at 10am on Sunday Town at Kaierau and Country in Taihape.

The trial match is 6.30pm at Cooks Gardens on Wednesday, July 2.

The teams are:

Town

Props: Kamipeli Latu (Border), Brett Turner (Pirates), Semi Kedrawaca (Kaierau), Karl Hutching (Marist); Hookers: Cole Baldwin (Border), Viki Tofa (Marist); Locks: Sam Madams and John Laurie (Border), Aiden Fitzgerald (Marist); Flankers: Ephraim Reynolds (Kaierau), Faalafi Vave (Pirates), Sikeli Ulukuta (Border); No 8: Ryan Gill (Marist); Halfbacks: Tyler Rogers-Holden (Marton), Lindsay Horrocks (Border); First Fives: Areta Lama (Kaierau), Te Tua Kemp (Ratana); Mid Field: Kameli Kuruyabaki and Rusiate Vukula (Pirates), Tautahi Rawiri (Ruapehu), Josiah Bogileka (Marist); Wingers: Clive Stowers (Pirates), Simon Dibben (Marist), Sailosi Naqiso (Border); Fullbacks: Grayson Tihema (Marist), Taylor Kirkwood (Kaierau).

If unavailable contact Chris Back 027 447 0965.

Country

Props: Karl Parker (Ruapehu), Kapene Paki (Ratana), Josh Harding and Jamie Brett (Hunterville); Hookers: Isaac Greer (Marton), Richard Iorns (Taihape); Locks: Meni Faasau (Marton), Simon Hillis (Pirates), Nick Cranston (Ruapehu), Johnson Hiroa (Taihape); Flankers: Malakai Volou (Utiku OB), Jamie Hughes (Ratana), Michael Thomsen (Marton),Teira Cowan (Ruapehu); No 8: Tremaine Gilbert (Taihape); Halfbacks: William Short (Ruapehu), Nick Tipling (Hunterville); First Fives: Tom Wells (Taihape), Zyon Hekenui (Ruapehu); Mid Field: Saul Chase (Marton), Logan Vaughan (Ruapehu), Vance Pereka (Ratana); Wingers: Jaye Flaws (Taihape), Eric Sagapolutele (Marton), Michael Nabuliwaqa (Utiku OB); Fullbacks: Dane Whale (Taihape), Mundsan Ah Chong (Marton).

If unavailable contact Justin Lock 021 025 06310.