Draw to suit team

Steelform Wanganui's travel schedule for the 2015 Pink Batts Heartland draw does not have the same ominous ring about it as last year with only one trip to the South Island and most of last year's strongest teams coming to Cooks Gardens.

After winning the Lochore Cup to finish fifth in Heartland, compared to seventh in 2013, Wanganui have received a stronger seeding for the draw that was finalised last weekend.

After missing two North Island teams last year in Thames Valley and Poverty Bay, along with 2014 Meads Cup finalists Buller, those games are factored into a programme where Wanganui meet strong opposition first up but have manageable circumstances to meet them.

The season opener will be an hour down the road in Levin as Wanganui try to regain the Bruce Steel Cup from Meads semifinalists Horowhenua-Kapiti, who beat them 34-23 at Cooks Gardens last year.

First home game the following week is the big one against 2013-14 Meads Cup champions Mid Canterbury, before Wanganui make their sole South Island trip to face another perennial contender in North Otago at Oamaru - the site of last year's 14-12 Lochore Cup final victory.

That will be followed by back-to-back home games against Buller and King Country respectively, before the other long haul up to Paeroa to face Thames Valley.

Wanganui will be back at Cooks Gardens on October 3 to face the other 2014 Meads semifinalist Poverty Bay, before the drive down to Masterton for the final round robin match with Wairarapa Bush.

The team will not play East Coast, West Coast, or South Canterbury during the round robin stage.

Meanwhile, Tasman Tanning Premier club rugby continues this afternoon with two games in Wanganui and a big match-up at Ohakune.

Coming off the bye, Waverley Harvesting Border will travel to Rochfort Park to defend the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield they won up there last year against McCarthy's Ruapehu.

Ruapehu have had a stuttering start to their campaign after the shock loss to Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau at home, while Border had a comfortable win over Harvey Round Motors Ratana.

It will be Old Timers Day at Spriggens Park to watch the local derby clash between Integrity Motors Pirates and Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist.

Across Devon Rd, Kaierau will host Utiku Old Boys, who had a good start to their campaign with a win over Marist in Taihape.