Rugby: Wanganui upbeat heading to Timaru

Both wingers CJ Stowers (with ball) and Jaye Flaws will be on Heartland Championship debut in Timaru tomorrow. PHOTO/FILE

They may lack for some continuity, but not for motivation.

Tomorrow will provide the first clue if Steelform Wanganui are on the path back to respectability when they meet 2013 Lochore Cupholders South Canterbury in their opening Pink Batts Heartland Championship match in Timaru.

After their first training hit-out as a specific 22-man h squad last night, coach Jason Caskey will today take his revamped backline and experienced forward pack on a 8.30am flight from Palmerston North to Christchurch, then bus two hours down State Highway 1.

Four new caps will get their start - prop Kamipeli Latu and the wingers Jaye Flaws and Clive "CJ" Stowers, while the spotlight goes on Taranaki loan first five Josh Hamilton to run the cutter, although he is back in familiar territory having played Heartland rugby for Horowhenua-Kapiti in 2010.

Playing outside the loan players and previous Wanganui imports, Rhema Sagote and Tevita Taufu'i, Caskey believes his 24 and 25-year-old wingers will be ready for the occasion.

"I'd expect them to be [fizzing], debut games for them and they've got a lot of potential," he said. "Jaye has well and truly done his time in the Development team, and he's truly deserved his opportunity. CJ's form has been there all club season. We may not be overly fluent, as you would expect for the first game. By game three I'll be hoping they're humming."

Taufu'i is also expected to be over the niggles that kept him out of Wanganui's two pre-season matches, which Flaws did not play in either.

Latu has plenty of support around him given hooker Cole Baldwin and prop Shaun McDonough combined have more than 120 games and 220kg.

A key component will be former midfielder and regular loose forward Lasa Ulukuta being selected as the specialist reserve prop for the first time at Heartland level.

At 112kg against a team that traditionally has big Pacific Island players up front, Ulukuta will have a tough ask to adapt to the effective scrummaging techniques on the fly.

"You wouldn't get too many stronger guys than Lasa. He's got a bit to learn, propping wise, but we'll work with him and I'm sure he'll be fine," said Caskey.

A bit of historical advantage, other than South Canterbury never beating Wanganui in six Heartland meetings since 2006, is that in 2013 the Butcher's Boys won both matches when a player was earning his 50th cap. That includes the Cooks Gardens game with South Canterbury - fullback Ace Malo's 50th match - where flanker Andrew Evans scored a try in the comeback from 23-6 down to win 24-23.

It is "Ginger" Evans, 31, having also played nine times for King Country, who will celebrate his 50th Wanganui game tomorrow - a motivator for his Ruapehu clubmates in the pack, including captain Peter Rowe in his 90th match. "Another guy that deserves everything he's getting," said Caskey of Evans. "From the time I've been involved he's had to work hard and you wouldn't get too many better team men than old Ginge."

There will be familiar faces of the past four to five seasons in the South Canterbury line-up tomorrow, as experienced coach Chester Scott has struggled to attract loan players to the province this season.

The one standout name is lock Simon Marcel, 24, from Pukekohe, who was in the Counties Manukau development team and played for the Cook Islands in this year's test against Fiji, as well as the Cook Islands sevens team at the Commonwealth Games.

Top points scorer Liam Edwards moved to Hawke's Bay, although halfback Theo Davidson is rated highly, while the likes of prop Toko Fakatava and winger Erenimo Tau had good games the 52-30 win over Marlborough in their last pre-season game.

Before that, however, South Canterbury were humbled 61-29 by 2013 Meads Cup champions Mid Canterbury, so Caskey will have to wait and see who is performing for the hosts when they get out there.

Kickoff is at 2.30pm.