Stormy run-up for Wanganui

Lindsay Horrocks and his Steelform Wanganui team want to reverse the misery of their pool play loss to Buller tomorrow at Cooks Gardens. PHOTO/FILE

Steelform Wanganui coach Karl Hoskin has been in the eye of the storm for the last seven days - quite literally.

Trying to prepare for a must-win Lochore Cup semifinal against Buller at Cooks Gardens, after a disheartening 2013 campaign, preparations were disrupted by Tuesday's flooding.

The evening's training was cancelled as half of the Ruapehu-centric squad would have been unable to either attend or get home.

It meant just one full run for the ever-rejigging lineup last night but Hoskin remains determined to cut out any kind of cancerous self-doubt spreading through the team.

"In talking to them, it's do-or-die really," he said.

"The mentality is you're representing Wanganui and this is a semi-final, and to hell with anything else."

Aside from one or two cosmetic changes, this is virtually the same Buller lineup that upended Wanganui 15-11 in Westport on August 31 and Hoskin said it was "dead right" that payback is another motivating factor tomorrow.

"We've got decent touch judges, that makes a difference. They were harsh down there."

A number of players have paid the price for last weekend's misery against West Coast. From a backline which never found a groove in 2013, both wingers Sailosi Naqiso and Robert Hughes drop to the bench with Jason Temara moving out wide and veteran Ace Malo returning to his preferred fullback spot.

After two months fiercely contesting the second-five berth, Soonalote Tauailoto and Pehira Huwyler find themselves as the latest midfield combination, while another steady hand in Areta Lama returns to first-five, with teenager Zyon Hekenui back on the wing.

Far from being unhappy with Hekenui's efforts when thrown in the deep end against West Coast, Hoskin insists Lama, who came off the bench for Tom Wells in Westport, is more suited to Buller's different attack patterns. "It's his sort of game he plays a big game in the big occasions."

Double tryscorer Jason Hughes again swaps with Lasa Ulukuta at No8, while Roman Tutauha will take over at hooker for Karl Parker. Soldier Sonny Woodmass slots straight back in for Andrew Evans.

Tellingly, only lock Nick Cranston and prop Vaan Rauhina have started every game in the same position during the Pink Batts Heartland competition.

Discussing this statistic afforded Hoskin opportunity to again address the elephant in the room for 2013.

"We had a bad injury run, and people had to move. But the answer is still not to go out and get more loan players.

"We're really working hard to get local players up. The idea is not to bring in loan players at the expense of more local players otherwise we might as well go join another union."

Buller will have their eye on winning for the next two weekends to retain the Lochore Cup they won in 2012 by beating South Canterbury in the final, which served as the last major televised domestic game of the season.

Kickoff is 2.30pm.