“These are the games you want to step up and challenge yourself, so these are the games we’re looking forward to – specifically those two.”
Northern co-coach Jim Doolan agreed his squad were looking forward to having more matches.
“The guys that want to stay a bit local, they get a bit of sub-union rugby, and they’re playing, which is the main thing.”
In their shield challenge to CHB, Northern came back twice from being 14-0 and 22-7 down.
“Jack Kinder and James Coogan were probably the pick of the forwards, and Kahl Elers-Green, when he came on in the backline, he was a standout for us too,” said Doolan.
Tamehana’s Barbarians remain unbeaten after holding off Wairarapa Bush.
“Ben [O’Leary] stood out in the forwards for me, and Josefa [Rokotakala] in this game particularly,” he said.
“Backs-wise, Carliwyne [Riddles] did all right at the back there, got himself involved, but of all the backs, Joey Devine in his first game back at second-five, I rated him pretty high.”
Barbarians will now prepare to host the Heartland Hurricanes Under-20s at Cooks Gardens on Saturday.
Women’s Heartland competition
The Longrun Spouting Whanganui Women will have to be “road warriors” if they are to retain their North Island Heartland Series crown this season.
After four teams played the second annual tournament last year, the competition was originally expanded back to the original six with the return of Poverty Bay and East Coast.
Whanganui were given the 2-3 split for home/away fixtures, but now, with Poverty Bay having pulled out, they will have to go the hard route of three tough away matches with just the sole home clash to qualify for the Top 2 final on September 20.
The journey starts this weekend with the trip to Masterton to play Wairarapa Bush Wahine Toa.
Looking at other long trips to Boyd Park in Te Aroha and Whakarua Park in Ruatōria, coach Junior Nepia has worked to get his team prepared for the added effort of winning on the road.
“We had a training camp on Saturday that was geared towards trying to go a little bit deeper together, in terms of conditioning blocks and really trying to struggle our way through.
“Skill sets can only get you so far – teams that are more connected seem to have a better chance of success.”
Nepia is happy to hand over to the likes of leaders Sosoli Talawadua, Kimberley Hunt and others to handle the “back of the bus” bonding time.
“Those things are happening organically, which is a big weight off my shoulders because I don’t have to do it – they’re doing it themselves, which lends itself to a really great start of our season.”
While the side has had to deal with a bout of colds, the full 26-strong squad is expected to be available for Masterton.
