Still plenty of Heartland stuff to do

HEARTY PERFORMANCE: The wider Steelform Wanganui squad performed well against Hawkes Bay Saracens on Saturday, but coach Caskey still has work to do.

Steelform Wanganui coach Jason Caskey is hopeful a full squad will be available to play the final warm-up match against Wairarapa Bush this weekend.

In particular Caskey was keen to see Ruapehu first-five Craig Clare and Ngamatapouri loose forward Bryn Hudson return from injury in time for the home game on Saturday.

"Hopefully Craig will be right for this weekend and Bryn too, but if not we do have the cover," Caskey said yesterday.

"I'm pretty happy with the way the team is shaping up, although there's still a lot of stuff to work on. There's something wrong if you think there's nothing left to work on."

Paul Kenny from the Wanganui Rugby Union said both players were more than likely to get some game time this weekend. Clare was bracketed to play last weekend, but it was decided another to give him week to allow his calf injury to repair.

"Bryn is getting pretty close to recovering from his hamstring injury too," Kenny said yesterday.

A 26-man squad was announced to play Wairarapa Bush following last Saturday's 41-19 win over Hawkes Bay Saracens on a wet Cooks Gardens track.

Included in the squad was Irish import Steve Crosbie who debuted in place of the injured Clare after just two training runs. He impressed on debut.

Fellow Irishman, Border lock Gavin Thornbury, is also in the squad for this weekend after missing last Saturday's game for medical reasons. He had a painful boil and he was likely to be sidelined again and be kept for the first Heartland match of the season against West Coast in Whanganui the following weekend.

Thornbury's Border locking partner Sam Madams, who stepped up as the specialist lock at the weekend and played a blinder, is another obvious inclusion.

The selectors also named three additional players in the wider training group that will train with the squad on Tuesdays and play for the development team on Saturdays. They are Ruapehu prop Jason White, Kaierau hooker Jack Yarrall and Border centre Kaveni Dabenaise.

"We are preparing these guys for future Heartland duties, in particular young Jack Yarrall, I'd like to give him game time sometime this season," Caskey said.
Dabenaise came on against Wairarapa Bush and was instrumental in setting up Cameron Crowley's try.

While this week's weather forecast is for improved conditions with little rain in t he mix, Kenny said it was still 95 percent certain this Saturday's match against Wairarapa Bush would be played at Spriggens Park.

"It's almost certain the Wairarapa game will be played at Spriggens Park so we can save Cooks Gardens for the season opener the following weekend," Kenny said.