“All the boys are fully aware of home-ground advantage and the type of [wet] ground it could be,” said Kaierau assistant coach Danny Tamehana.
“It’s winter, and the snow falling down, the whole mindset changes.
“I think everyone’s pretty aware of the [semifinal] situation, it’s all guns blazing this weekend.
“Ruapehu, I’ll say they’ll be pretty fired up up there.
“Ruapehu’s still a competitive team, just lacking the last sort of 20 minutes where they find it hard to keep up.
“Give them a sniff and it makes the job harder.”
Due to King’s Birthday weekend and their second bye, Kaierau have had a fortnight off rugby, a chance to manage any injuries but also an issue with potentially being a little flat at training.
Of the current squad expected to make this last run of games into the playoffs, only lock Matt Ashworth remains doubtful from his knee injury in the draw with Taihape.
Fellow Steelform Whanganui incumbent lock Josh Lane is pretty well back to full strength, although Tamehana said they still exercise a little caution.
“We’re more than happy to start him every week, but it’s just managing him, with his past injuries.”
Flanker Doug Horrocks always relishes a good tussle, and it comes no tougher locally than Ruapehu’s returning star Jamie Hughes.
Initially sitting out the club season, the 60-game Whanganui representative Hughes came back and scored a try last weekend against Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist, making him the last of the four standouts who played for Taihape last year to don the green jersey again after Roman Tutauha and the Hakaraia’s – Gabriel and Te Uhi.
“You know what he’s like, he’s a good leader, the rest will just follow him,” said Tamehana of Hughes.
“[Horrocks], he’s always up for a competition against another old hand, he’s up for any game.”
Ruapehu coach Andrew Evans certainly welcomed Hughes back to strengthen his pack.
“He was still the same, just a bit of fitness, he’ll be better for it this weekend.”
The last time these sides met in early May, Kaierau were able to turn on the afterburners on a dry afternoon at the Country Club through outside backs Peniani Waqatabu and Peceli Malanicagi – the team scoring nine tries in the 59-29 blowout.
But under the mountain, Evans is hoping the mid-June conditions will be more of a leveller.
“Think it’s due to rain Friday, grounds won’t hold up that much, we got a lot of junior rugby on Saturday.
“Same thing, we just got to turn up on the day.”
Nearing the end of their return campaign in the top grade, which is short with only eight matches, Evans said the buy-in remained strong, as 26 players were available to be picked to play Marist.
“There’s still learnings, still adjusting to play the Premier grade.
“Probably not quite there with attitude - we float in and out with that at times.”
In some backline modifications, the team’s goal kicker Logan Blackburn has been moved out of first-five for Keaton Norling and returns to his preferred fullback position, where he has more time and can open up his running game.
In the other Premier fixture, Marist will make the trip to Memorial Park, hoping to repeat their stunning 22-12 win over Taihape from the first round, which would keep them in touch with Kaierau for a possible home semifinal themselves.
Premier Draw (2.35pm kickoffs):
Byford’s Readimix Taihape vs Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist, Memorial Park.
McCarthy’s Transport Ruapehu vs Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau, Rochfort Park.
Bye: Waverley Harvesting Border
