Trial to avoid punishment

Young players like Gabriel Hakaraia will have a chance to put themselves in the frame for a new-look Wanganui team at the Town vs Country trial tomorrow.

Players with the temperament and discipline to avoid costly infringements will find themselves moving to the front of the queue tomorrow at the annual Town vs Country representative trial at Spriggens Park.

Steelform Wanganui coach Jason Caskey has sent the word to the coaches of both camps - Lesley McKenzie and Daisy Alabaster - that he wants players who will rise above the bad habits of club season and avoid infringements at the breakdown.

An achilles heel of Wanganui in recent Mitre 10 Heartland campaigns is the amount of penalties they give away, especially in the early rounds, and with the return of three-point kicks this year after the experimental rules last season, Caskey does not want to give away so many metres or momentum.

Too often, players still stop on the ball instead of going over it, and bring their hands into play.

Given they were to be instructed on that at their training runs last night, any player giving away 4-5 infringements on Saturday would be a player who doesn't show proper thought, Caskey said.

"Whether we don't get targeted enough in the club season or what, I don't know.

"Unless it's 80-20 in favour of the guy having a go, you're going to get penalised. All the 50-50's.

"You always want to try to keep your penalty count below 12, preferably 10.

"We've giving away 18."

The return to the traditional five-point tries is likely to see the pace of the game come back down as well, with the ball in play for less time, given last year teams were more eager to kick for the corners and force a six-point try through set-piece scrums and lineouts.

Therefore, the little moments in which to generate opportunities will be more isolated.
"It's all about them showing intent, and guys that can be physically dominant at the breakdown," said Caskey.

"Guys that stand out are dominating those collisions."

With the retirement of key players like centenarian captain Peter Rowe and utility back Ace Malo, vacancies in the Heartland squad are more open than in many seasons.

"There's some loose forward spots that could well be up for grabs," said Caskey.

"Lock is up for grabs, we've got one guy that's a certainty.

"Midfield is still opportunity, especially around the combinations."

The team is pretty sorted for props, with young guys like Gabriel Hakaraia putting their hands up to join the likes of Viki Tofa, Tietie Tuimauga and Hamish Mellow.

Hooker is similar with stalwarts Cole Baldwin and Roman Tutauha not required to trial, however with Baldwin approaching 100 games himself in what could possibly be his swansong season, Caskey would like a solid third rake option.

"We've been really lucky the last 6-7 years, we've never had an injury with those two."

Fullback again could be wide open after prolific club points scorer Nick Harding hurt his hamstring last weekend and will be on the shelf for a couple of weeks - as leg injuries leading into the representative season continue to plague the talented goal kicker.

"He needs to get on top of it and get it sorted because it's hard to get in top form," said Caskey.

The coach sees the necessity of moving the trial to August because of the mid-winter challenge for the Ranfurly Shield as being a virtue.

He hopes it has kept fringe players motivated throughout the club campaign because their prospects were still open.

"It's their form right now, going into a comp starting in 3-4 weeks."

Kickoff tomorrow is 1pm.

City - Forwards: Hamish Mellow (Border); Tietie Tuimauga (Border); Raymond Epati (Pirates); Viki Tofa (Marist); Jack Yarrall (Kaierau); Joe Edwards (Kaierau); Sekonaia Kalou (Border); Taione Ratu (Marist); Josh Lane (Kaierau); Cade Robinson (Kaierau); Angus Middleton (Border); Bryn Hudson (Ngamatapouri); Ranato Tikoisolomone (Border); Lake Ah Chong (Marist); Tafulu Iosua (Pirates); George Forster (Metro).
Backs: Fa'alele Iosua (Pirates); Emose Vucaco (Ngamatapouri); Grayson Tihema (Border); Te Tua Kemp (Ngamatapouri); Kaveni Dabenaise (Border); Josiah Bogileka (Marist); Vaovasa Afasua (Pirates); John Kilisi (Marton); Tom Symes (Border); Isaiah Hooper (Border); Simon Dibben (Marist); Cameron Crowley (Marist); Charlie Gird (Kaierau).

Country - Forwards: Wiremu Cotterell (Taihape); Gabriel Hakaraia (Ruapehu); Kereti Tamou (Ratana); Josh Hirini (Utiku); Dylan Gallien (Taihape); Keanu Puki-Kaa (Ratana); Christian Hawira (Ruapehu); Jackson Campbell (Ruapehu); Alex Mulipola (Marton); Sam Madams (Marist); Tremaine Gilbert (Taihape); Jamie Hughes (Ruapehu); Matt Brown (Taihape); Sam Stratton (Utiku); Steven Karehana (Marton); George Gardner (Hunterville).
Backs: Kahl Elers-Green (Ruapehu); Ra Brougton (Utiku); Dane Whale (Taihape); Josh Fifita (Ruapehu); Troy Brown (Ruapehu); Timoci Seruwalu (Ngamatapouri); Brett Illston (Utiku); Cyrus Parangati (Taihape); Jaye Flaws (Taihape); Cruze Pene (Ruapehu); Samu Kubunavanua (Ngamatapouri); Emori Lodoviko (Utiku); Aaron Paranihi (Ratana); Te Rangitapu McLeod (Taihape).