Rugby: Whanganui Maori challenge Taranaki Maori for Tuera Shield

Whanganui Maori and Taranaki Maori will meet again for the Tuera Shield at Cooks Gardens on Saturday.

Play with your flair but use your heads; that's the message from the Whanganui Maori coaching staff ahead of Taranaki Maori bringing the 122-year-old Tuera Shield with them to Cooks Gardens on Saturday.

The fifth senior WRFU representative squad for this season musters for the first time at training tonight, so it will be a quick turnaround to the curtain raiser match for the Mitre 10 Heartland Championship game.

However, the team coached by Dennis Tucker with respected veteran player and now club coach Steelie Koro joining as his assistant, does have a solid core of experience.

Of the original 24 players named, 13 of them were in the Te Tini A Maui Tournament in Levin back February, where Whanganui Maori defeated Wairarapa Bush and Horowhenua Kapiti Maori but lost to the Wellington team in the final.

Around 7-8 other players from that team are currently in the Steelform Wanganui squad to play Buller, with Tucker saying the Maori take the role as the union's current second tier squad seriously, with the Wanganui Development XV having completed their season two weeks ago.

"We built the nucleus around that [Development squad]. There's still a couple more coming down from Heartland.

"Whatever players come down, we'll be starting them."

Utility back Josh Fifita, lock Peter-Travis Hay-Horton and loose forward Cade Robinson are examples, while Tucker was waiting to see tonight if he would receive any props, along with the prospect of getting the respected first-five Dane Whale for a 40 minute stint.

Whanganui Maori began its resurgence as a viable representative team in 2016 when a squad with depth and commitment shocked Taranaki Maori 43-12 at Cooks Gardens to lift the Tuera Shield for what was believed to be the first time since 1989.

Last year, after a good 33-5 tune up win over the Marton Samoans, Whanganui narrowly lost the shield back to Taranaki 21-17 at the Spotswood ground in New Plymouth.

The following week, they were pipped at the post by Manawatu Maori 19-17 at Cooks Gardens, after giving up two tries in the last 15 minutes.

Tucker said the team tried to play too much out of their own 22m in New Plymouth, while against Manawatu they did not utilise the windy conditions.

So that will be his and Koro's message to the squad – work for a bit of position before you have your fun and play that free-running style.

"We're taking a lot out of that [Taranaki game]. We played dry weather rugby in wet weather," said Tucker.

"Play with what the field gives us. Use it, don't play against it."

In keeping with the informal nature of these contests, Tucker knows little about the 2018 Taranaki Maori squad.

"It's like normal, mate, they'll rock up with either a strong side or whatever they can get together at the last minute."

The team has invited former coach and Whanganui Maori legend Vaan Rauhina to training to help arrange their Haka, while Tucker was hoping Rauhina and perhaps some elders will be able to explain to the team the Mana and historical importance of the Tuera Shield.

"It started up the river and that's where it's created, so we want it down here."

Kickoff is 12.45pm.

The Whanganui Maori squad is
Josh Hirini (Taihape); Te Uhi Hakaraia (Ruapehu); Shade Tuaine-Whanau (Ratana); Kayden Shedlock (Marist); Kohlt Coveny (Kaierau); Josh Lane (Kaierau); Jack Hodges (Border); Cade Robinson (Kaierau); Kahl Elers-Green (Ruapehu); Josh Fifita (Ruapehu); Cameron Davies (Kaierau); Grayson Tihema (Border); Troy Brown (Ruapehu); Jaye Flaws (Taihape); Bronson Tumai (Marist); Shaquille Waara (Ruapehu); Corey Carmichael (Ruapehu); Dale Akuhata (Ratana); Aaron Paranihi (Ratana); Mikaere Penetito (Ratana); Alan Penetito (Ratana); Te Rangitapu-McLeod (Taihape); Mac-James Edmonds (Ruapehu); Sheldon Pakinga-Manhire (Ngamatapouri); Keanu Puki-Kaa (Ratana); Ngatu Bates (Marton); Klay Pukutohe (Ratana); Peter-Travis Hay-Horton (Taihape).