Rep side hit with injuries

RUGBY: Wanganui, this city of influence, should immediately despatch a high-powered emissary to Rugby Union headquarters in Wellington and request a delay in the start on the NPC.
Why? It wasn't so much a matter of the 25-8 loss to third-division Wairarapa Bush last night, but rather the shattered state of Milton Haig's NPC squad when the match at Massey University finished around 8pm.
Already down in strength because of injuries before the four-day camp at Waiuoru started on Thursday, Wanganui forwards Andrew Evans and Sheldon O'Hagen became further injury victims at the camp.
That left the squad two reserves short for last night's match ? played after the Wanganui squad "enjoyed" a two and a half hour bus trip from Waiouru in the late afternoon. That might have had its effect, because during the match starting first five-eighth Lee Peina (hamstring), Josh Edwards (popped shoulder), Richard Te Huna (shoulder), replacement wing Ateria Ateria (leg), five-eighths Jim Doolan (ankle), and No 8 Nemai Adrole (leg) all left the field of play ? and when the final whistle went wing Pati Fetuai'i and captain and prop Mike Thomson (ankle) were hobbling so badly they could not have carried on.
The situation was so bad that both Ateria and Doolan retook the field after initial injuries, and back and forward coach assistants Guy Lennox and Jason caskey were looking cross-eyed at each other wondering who would have to go on first.
Aside from all the pathos, however, there were one or two good parts to the Wanganui effort ? albeit without enough conviction to imagine that a side can yet be got together which could threaten Manawatu when the NPC starts next Saturday.
The lineout, diabolically bad against Taranaki B, was much more successful. The individual stars of the night were lock Filfili Samuella, No 7 Peter Rowe, No 6 Andrew Slight and second five-eighths Darren Balcombe.
But they did not get enough help, and it was in the tight play where Wanganui's weaknesses were exposed. Wairarapa Bush coach Peter Russell had his forwards working as a group, and with much lower body positions.
In contrast Wanganui blew to the ruck, but not over it, and the quality of ball delivered (if it was not nicked first), was so slow that the backs were always on the back foot.
And on a cold, dewy Palmerston North night the players needed a precious half a second to balance the ball before moving it on. A rapid Wairarapa Bush defence (have they been reading South Africa's play book?) cut down the space and never let the Wanganui backs get going.
So there's plenty for coach Milton Haig and Lennox to think about before training on Tuesday.
Who's fit, who isn't, which of the three halfbacks to use, whether to use Lee Peina or Denning Tyrell at first-five, how to get the tight forwards contributing much, much more ? as they surely have to if Wanganui is to become competitive.
Che Barlow scored Wanganui's only try, with Lee Peina kicking a penalty.
Wairarapa-Bush scored four tries, two of them from lineout drives to hooker Rob Foreman and Dan Filihavakava, and to fullback Bart Bigouurs and centre Simanu Simau.
Patrick Rimene kicked a penalty and a conversion.