Pirates need new attitude

Saturday could be a pivotal afternoon in the 2013 season for a Pirates outfit who have had little to show for six weeks rugby except a string of missed opportunities and trips to the judiciary.

Farming just a few kilometres from Marton and seeing the spring in the step of that team who is playing for each other, Pirates coach Phillip Morris wants the minds of his men to be both right and thinking collective at Marton Park.

With one win and two draws from five games although since Round 1 every opponent has been top four or knocking at the door Morris said the ball-running style which characterises his team was still creating enough chances to win these close matches.

However, last week's dour loss to Kaierau showed "a lack of attention to detail with the ball and without the ball".

"I was disappointed with the performance on Saturday. We're not where we should be," he said.

The catalyst has been April 6's loss of the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield to Border in the spiteful affair from which three players were suspended.

Centre Samu Etuaiti is halfway through his exile for abuse of a linesman, while forwards Simon Hillis and Pinota Leo are back but showing the effects of their layoffs.

Morris said he had the depth to cover, but compounding the problem last week was not having inspirational captain Lasa Ulukuta, who took advantage of Anzac Day to take a weekend trip home to the West Coast, while fullback Josh Navito also had other plans and midfielder Visesio Stanley withdrew the morning of the game.

"Defections on the day of the game didn't help the attitude of the players there," Morris said.

"It just sends a bad vibe through the dressing room."

At their best, this is still the Pirates side that gets everyone's attention.

Having brought in 248 points this season Ruapehu are streaking ahead, except on April 20 when they fought out a 16-16 stalemate with the city club at Spriggens Park.

Pirates were also in a similar spot in 2012 before going on a seven-game winning streak.

With Ulukuta back to lead from the front for the Baldwin Memorial Cup in Marton, Morris notes the locals have their blood up in a competition which aside from Ruapehu's dominance is proving the most competitive in ten years.

"[Marton's] a big catchment and it should be strong.

"We've got to win and get the points table ticking over."