Jamie Hughes will get to wear the coveted No7 jersey for Wanganui in Ruatoria tomorrow.
All pointers are to the future for Steelform Wanganui on the long haul to Ruatoria for the second round clash in the Mitre 10 Heartland Championship tomorrow afternoon.
The proof that no thought is being given to the Meads Cup champions last trip to Ngati Porou East Coast's stomping grounds - the sight on their tough 29-27 loss in the 2012 final - is coach Jason Caskey is sticking to his preseason plan to leave centenarian captain Peter Rowe on the bench in favour of 26-year-old Ruapehu standout Jamie Hughes.
Hughes had a great club campaign and made an impact off the Wanganui bench during preseason - including a try in the Ranfurly Shield challenge to Waikato - before having to recover from a shoulder injury.
Caskey said he had talked to the 110-game veteran Rowe before the start of the campaign about stepping back at some stage as the team looks to build some depth in certain areas.
"Giving Jamie a start is for another part of the plan to start building to the future.
"[Hughes] might not get many starts later in the year, but then again he might if we have to [with injuries] - we'll have to see.
"Some of the guys that are there are getting a bit older."
A similar rationale is in play with Kane Tamou getting the starting halfback spot ahead of 2015 Heartland Player of the Year Lindsay Horrocks.
The next most experienced player, Cole Baldwin is promoted to the starting hooker position ahead of Roman Tutauha to captain the team, as he did in October last year for the final pool game with Wairarapa-Bush when Rowe was injured.
It shows Caskey's confidence to stick with rotation despite dealing with injuries to other key players from the big win over West Coast last weekend.
Lock Sam Madams hurt his AC joint in the early stages of the match and gutted it out until being replaced as scheduled after halftime, while hat trick scoring winger Michael Nabuliwaqa is the latest player to be dealing with an ankle injury and is taking a week off.
Campbell Hart moves into lock with Tremaine Gilbert promoted to the blindside flank, while Bryn Hudson remains on the bench ahead of Ranato Tikoisolomone.
With Samu Kubunavanua still not ready to return, youngster Te Rangatira Waitokia moves from fullback to the wing, while Caskey was quite happy to welcome back another veteran war horse as 75-game capped Ace Malo completes his comeback from injury to make the starting lineup.
After being sidelined with his own ankle problems, Irishman Steve Crosbie joins the bench as Caskey will reward the good play of Dane Whale over the past fortnight by keeping him as starting first-five.
"Dane went well in his goal kicking in the second half [against West Coast], which is a key factor for his job."
Coming out of the game at Cooks Gardens, Wanganui spent the end of their Tuesday session doing a lot of fitness work, giving Caskey was concerned with the team losing accuracy and getting messy at the breakdown when feeling weary on Saturday.
"When we get tired, we're not getting underneath, something we want to improve a lot.
"Improve our decision-making. You can't think when you can't breath properly."
While East Coast rugby has been in the doldrums since 2012, Caskey is aware they remain dangerous at home.
Last weekend's 54-30 loss to Poverty Bay in Gisborne was more competitive than the scoreline suggests, especially when factoring in six point tries.
Poverty Bay blew out to a 24-8 lead while East Coast lock Solomone Vaka was sinbinned, and despite being 32-8 down at halftime the visitors came back after tries by prop George Tuala, first-five Todd Doolan, former NZ Heartland Under 19 winger Jayden Milner and reserve No8 Siosiua Moala.
The home side scored a converted try from a charge down off the final play to inflate the scoreline.
It is the longest North Island haul for Wanganui, who will leave down at 10am today for the bus to Palmerston North and flight to Auckland, followed by a two hour layover before heading back down the coast to arrive at 5pm.
So long as there are no delays in transit, Caskey will take the team for a light run around Whakarua Park to shake the travel out of the legs.
The Wanganui team is:
1. Tietie Tuimauga; 2. Cole Baldwin; 3. Viki Tofa; 4. Campbell Hart; 5. Gavin Thornbury; 6. Tremaine Gilbert; 7. Jamie Hughes; 8. Malakai Volau; 9. Kane Tamou; 10. Dane Whale; 11. Te Rangatira Waitokia; 12. Kameli Kuruyabaki; 13. Craig Clare; 14. Simon Dibben; 15. Ace Malo.
Reserves - Forwards: 16. Roman Tutauha; 17. Hamish Mellow; 18. Peter Rowe; 19. Bryn Hudson. Backs: 20. Lindsay Horrocks; 21. Cameron Crowley; 22. Steve Crosbie.