Winger-turned-centre Alekesio Vakarorogo will be looking for quality ball. Photo / Bevan Conley
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Steelform Whanganui are not expecting to make changes for their second away trip in consecutive weekends as they try to build momentum in the Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship.
There will be no plane tickets required this Saturday, as the side will take the bus to Taumarunui to defend the Sir Colin Meads Memorial Trophy against northern neighbours King Country.
It pleased Whanganui coach Jason Hamlin to hear the weather forecast for this week, right through to Saturday, is for clear skies - with his team very much hoping for a flat and dry track as victory with a four-try bonus point is looking pretty important, given the top three teams on the table are starting to get ahead.
One of them, two-time defending champions South Canterbury, were down 14-0 to King Country early in their match at Owen Delany Park in Taupō last weekend, but from then on out-scored the hosts 45-7 for a comfortable 45-21 win.
“A quick look at them, very similar to the last few years,” said Hamlin about their hosts.
“Got a little bit of strike, but most teams are going down to South Canterbury by those scores.
“We’ve just got to set ourselves up. We’re down the pecking order a bit.
“We can’t make it up in one hit - got to chip away.”
Captained by hooker Liam Rowlands, King Country are settled in the halves, led by first-five Quinn Collard and very experienced halfback Zayn Tipping.
Coming out of the 13-5 win over Buller in Arctic conditions at Westport, where his side held ascendancy but just couldn’t get two more tries, Hamlin will be hoping this is the match where the backline can be utilised to its full potential – namely the new-look combination of Timoci Seruwalu and winger-turned-centre Alekesio Vakarorogo.
“The struggle for us, whether Aleki is on the wing or the midfield, [is] about getting him quality ball.
“Saturday didn’t really allow that.
“Timoci, too – if we get that right, that’s two big ball-runners that attract a lot of attention, which can open up other opportunities.”
With Peter-Travis Hay-Horton still on another week’s stand-down for a head knock, Josefa Namosimalua continues to stretch his versatility as cover for locks Matt Ashworth and Josh Lane, the latter pulling up fine at training after coming off injured in Westport.
While the lineout was under pressure from Buller, Whanganui should be able to tighten up there over the week.
“We lost nothing in the scrums, and [Namosimalua] still carried around and made some good tackles,” said Hamlin.
The coach also gave a thumbs-up to rookie props Konradd Newland and Emmanuel Wineera, who, along with Keightley Watson and Raymond Salu, have strongly covered the injured Gabriel Hakaraia and Hadlee Hay-Horton.
Hay-Horton had a consult on his fractured eye socket last week and, given the level of invasive procedure required from surgery, it was decided to let the injury mend naturally, which means up to six weeks on the sideline.
Hakaraia is out for a similar length of time but, given Watson, Newland and Salu secured a number of tightheads and scrum penalties in Westport, Hamlin has confidence in the prop group.
“King Country have still got some big boppers – the things they’re good at, they’re good at, so we have to push them into the areas they’re not good at.”
Another week on the road together should hopefully allow the squad to build further cohesion from added time together.
“It’s coming together well. Even with the core of [veteran] players, there’s still some new players there.
“They seem to be enjoying each other’s company – there was a fair bit of laughter [on Tuesday] night.”
For the veterans of the side like Lane, Ashworth, Seruwalu, Vakarorogo, Jamie Hughes, Lindsay Horrocks, Josaia Bogileka and skipper Dane Whale, Taumarunui Domain may feel a little bit like a return to the scene of the crime.
Since the Sir Colin Meads Memorial Trophy was introduced in 2017, the “Pinetree Log” has stayed in Whanganui’s possession, with the only exception the shortened 2020 season when, inspired by their now-retired captain Carl Carmichael’s 100th first-class game, King Country pulled off a 16-11 upset in a mistake-riddled match at the domain.
Whanganui swiftly regained the Pinetree Log, winning 48-13 the following season in Taupō, and have held it ever since, including a 41-3 victory at Cooks Gardens last year.
The squad will be chosen from:
Forwards: Matt Ashworth, Doug Horrocks, Jamie Hughes, Samu Kubunavanua, Josh Lane, Josefa Namosimalua, Konradd Newland, Raymond Salu, Alesana Tofa, Roman Tutauha, Keightley Watson, Emmanuel Wineera.
Backs: Josaia Bogileka, Eben Classen, Lindsay Horrocks, Peceli Malanicagi, Sheldon Pakinga, Timoci Seruwalu, Apolosi Tanoa, Brook Tremayne, Alekesio Vakarorogo, Silio Waqalevu, Dane Whale, Luke Whale.
Apprentice players: Josh Brunger, Neo Tichbon.