He did say the pair were backs, filling a significant gap following the departure of standout midfielder Jason Coffee.
"We didn't have much of a backline."
As well as out wide, Utiku have strengthened up front as prop Matt Gilbert has returned from his honeymoon, while joining the team is another front-rower in Josh Hirn, who has played a bit of club rugby up in the Waikato and has family in Taihape.
It will be all or nothing for the two bottom placed table teams, although Kaierau are coming off a run of playing the teams in the current Premier top five and their four-straight losses belies much of their current ability.
For Utiku, there were some positive signs after they recovered from the mauling from champions McCarthy's Ruapehu on April 5 to nearly upend Marton, last Saturday, before going down 14-10.
"We did some dumb things in Marton, but it was pleasing to turn around from 80-0 against Ruapehu," said Thompson.
"Ratana didn't do us any favours [beating Ruapehu], put it that way."
The big game of the round was on Good Friday with Taihape defending their newly won Grand Hotel Challenge Shield being already the third owners this season away against Waverley Harvesting Border at Dallison Park.
Wanganui Chronicle will have the result on Monday.
In the other matches, Harvey Round Motors Ratana back up after losing the Shield by travelling to Spriggens Park to face Integrity Motors Pirates, who are coming off the bye week and are the only team still undefeated in 2014.
Ruapehu will meet Marton in Ohakune.
One game where neither side will be concerned about a potential bias from the man with the whistle is the Tasman Tanning Senior rugby clash between Ratana and Tech at the Wanganui Racecourse today.
The Wanganui Rugby Football Union is hosting Poverty Bay referee Hugh Fitzgerald for the 1pm game.
In a press release, the union said Fitzgerald was in town over the Easter holiday break as he and his wife are visiting her family.
He rang the WRFU up earlier in the week to request an appointment for a local fixture.
Fitzgerald has been an active referee for three seasons after having played the game for 20 years in the Wairarapa Bush and Poverty Bay regions.
His playing days were curtailed by injury in 2011, but he was encouraged to stick with the game as an official.
The WRFU and Wanganui Rugby Referee Association are constantly after former players to take up the whistle.
"Some of our locals will recall a local talent Glen Collins, who suffered serious injury at a training run some years ago," said the release.
"He went on to become one of our highest local ranked referees, and although he is no longer in the region, is prime example of real positive options available to our members after playing the game.
"Daniel Rolls, David Kereti, David Gower, testament to their commitment as players, [are] now involved in officiating rugby fixtures.
"The goodwill that is spread by Hugh's communication with our province will reap beneficial reward and valuable experience."
