The question remains whether Whanganui could face a Thames Valley backlash. Photo / Merrilyn George
Brought to you by Whanganui Rugby
You leave no stone unturned as you go through preparations for a Meads Cup semifinal, but there is one question that will nag Steelform Whanganui ahead of rivals Thames Valley's arrival on Saturday.
After losing their last two matches in upsets to teams Whanganui had already beaten, are wounded animals dangerous or have the Swamp Foxes gone off the boil?
Preparing for his first playoff as Whanganui's head coach, Jason Hamlin is fully expecting the visitors to rise to the occasion.
"I'm watching those games now. They don't seem to be [settled], they seem to be off the ball.
"But I know they had injuries and tried to work those guys back in.
"Horowhenua-Kapiti just snatched it from them. The week before with Poverty Bay, they had an injury that unsettled them.
"Their coaches know where they are [mentally]. We've been where they are, and they've been where we are [underdogs for the semifinal].
"You've just got to be good enough on Saturday."
This will be the two North Island rivals third consecutive semifinal against each other, as Covid-19 prevented a Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship season in 2020 and then took semifinals off the table in 2021, due to the delayed start.
And it sits there glaring in the history books – Thames Valley are the one in a record of 11-1 – the only side to ever defeat Whanganui in a Meads Cup semifinal, which they did with a 17-7 upset on Cooks Gardens in 2018.
Whanganui got that back with a 20-15 victory in Paeroa in 2019, reversing the 1st v 4th upset result, and both teams now have around half a dozen squad members remaining from those absolute wars of attrition.
"The talk for us is not so much '18, but for this group, bringing everything in from training, and the discipline," said Hamlin.
"The 'Card Club' doesn't need an extra member. It really doesn't."
For Hamlin, if the units within the team combine properly – getting the big men "around the corner" of the ruck, and then having depth on attack – that space which is created by players moving onto a crisp pass, and being less susceptible to being cleaned up by a big tackle.
"We get those things right, and we're doing our best," said Hamlin.
"I'm sure the space that was there [in previous games] will be harder to get to.
"I just don't foresee this game being the big open game, although both teams can score some points."
Youngster Keightley Watson gets another big opportunity to start in the front row, as after the pressure on the scrum from Mid Canterbury last weekend, Hamlin is looking to make sure the whole group of Watson, Gabriel Hakaraia, Bradley Fountain and Ranato Tikoisolomone are maximised in their tighthead-loosehead specialities.
"We probably didn't do ourselves any favours last week – we put two tightheads out there.
"When Keightley came on, maybe a bit of sting was taken out of it [from Mid Canterbury], but he was good at what we asked him to do.
"This gives us the best cover we can get out of it.
"The rest of the forward pack picks itself."
The only concern, with the suspended Peter-Travis Hay-Horton on one more week's stand-down, is reserve lock Matt Ashworth has a commitment that will keep him away until late Saturday morning, therefore Tai Pulemagafa is on standby to join the bench.
"It seems to have been one of those years," said Hamlin.
Hamlin is also going to leave his decision late as to who we want running on to the long passes of the veteran halves combination Lindsay Horrocks and Dane Whale.
Kameli Kuruyabaki was having a strong season at centre, until a family commitment took him to Fiji, and his clubmate Josaia Bogileka did not put a foot wrong, scoring three tries in his starts.
Also bracketed on the bench are the young wingers Tiari Mumby and Ezra Malo.
Hamlin will have to consider who of Kuruyabaki and Bogileka would be a strong starter, and who would be a better impact finisher.
"I'm juggling that one up in my mind, and with Tiari, it's also about the goal-kicking option."
With Whale freed up from his goal-kicking commitments in order to focus on captaincy, there might be security in Malo on standby if the worst case scenario happens and the radar-like Ethan Robinson is hurt.
However, Mumby has that X-factor on his day to create tries out of seemingly nothing.
Kickoff is at the earlier time of 1.35pm, while the game will also be live on Sky Sport 1.
The Whanganui team is:
1. Keightley Watson; 2. Roman Tutauha; 3. Gabriel Hakaraia; 4. Josh Lane; 5. Ben Whale; 6. Samu Kubunavanua; 7. Jamie Hughes; 8. Semi Vodosese; 9. Lindsay Horrocks; 10. Dane Whale (c); 11. Tyler Rogers-Holden; 12. Timoci Seruwalu; 13. Josaia Bogileka/Kameli Kuruyabaki; 14. Alekesio Vakarorogo; 15. Ethan Robinson.
Reserves: 16. Bradley Fountain; 17. Ranato Tikoisolomone; 18. Jack Yarrall; 19. Regan Collier; 20. Matt Ashworth/Faa'tai Pulemagafa; 21. Caleb Gray; 22. Josaia Bogileka/Kameli Kuruyabaki; 23. Tiari Mumby/Ezra Malo