Whanganui and Thames Valley will line up again at Cooks Gardens on Saturday. Photo / NZME
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The good news is the Steelform Whanganui squad for Saturday’s big Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship Meads Cup semifinal will virtually pick itself.
The not-so-good news is that the reason for this is resources will be stretched thin due to injuries and unavailability at Cooks Gardens.
In pre-arranged absences, utility back Ethan Robinson, halfback Griffin Culver and reserve hooker Joe Edwards are overseas for this week as Whanganui prepares for their third straight semifinal, and fifth consecutively from the pre-Covid seasons, against North Island rivals Thames Valley.
Very much missed last weekend in the upset loss to King Country, Tyler Rogers-Holden makes a welcome return to slot back into fullback which means, without Robinson, the midfield pairing of Cyrus Tasi and Alekesio Vakarorogo remains the same.
Just when Vakarorogo looked like he might come right from his pulled hamstring, he suffered a tweak to the knee on the other leg, reducing his effectiveness against King Country’s own flying Fijians.
It has also meant another week of delicate rehab to face the Swamp Foxes, with Vakarorogo feeling the responsibility of Whanganui being light on other outside backs.
“He was obviously pretty limited on Saturday, he thought he would get through it,” said coach Jason Hamlin.
While Hamlin applauded his star player’s determination to battle on for his team, in retrospect given all the outcomes from last Saturday, it would have been better to bring off the two-time Whanganui Player of the Year.
“Every time we asked, he said ‘nah, I’m fine’, and then he’d make a good tackle or half break.”
In fact, Vakarorogo had been so determined to prove his readiness that a tackle in the pre-match warm-up left key utility player Luke Whale with his own leg injury – he would limp on to the field for the fourth quarter against King Country but succumbed after nine minutes.
Hamlin said Whale should be good to go this weekend, as he will likely be needed for midfield-outside back cover now that options are few, compounded by talented winger Lafo Takiari Ah Ching sitting out the rest of the campaign with concussion.
“It’s all come about at one time, can’t worry about who’s not there and worry about who is.”
Reserve props Gabriel Hakaraia and Raymond Salu can handle the hooker role in behind Alesana Tofa.
What matters most for Hamlin is, that whoever plays and in whichever position, there has to be a step up in commitment after the side was out-passioned by King Country.
“Things we were getting away with in other games, we didn’t get away with this time.
“[This week] we’re just making sure the boys don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.
“Those plans are our normal standards of what we do anyway.
“[Last week] the first 20 minutes, we made 12 mistakes.
“You do that, you’re not going to win many rugby games. We didn’t on Saturday and we lost.”
While backs are light, Whanganui still has plenty of depth in the forwards, with seven of the starting eight plus four on the bench the same as those who defended so determinedly in the 16-14 win over Thames Valley back on September 7.
Nonetheless, the Swamp Foxes will also be coming into this match suitably humbled and determined to lift following their surprise loss to Horowhenua-Kāpiti last weekend.
“They weren’t expecting to lose that game – still got the two bonus points and still came third,” said Hamlin.
“To be playing at home’s a pretty big plus for us.”
A glance at Thames Valley’s roster reveals plenty of players who have beaten Whanganui at Cooks Gardens before, more than once.
Winger Alex Thrupp has scored eight tries from seven games since switching from King Country.
He is one of six former or incumbent New Zealand Heartland XV players including second five Fletcher Morgan and first five Todd Donlan, both goalkickers, lock Connor McVerry, reserve back Leroy Neels and reserve forward Brett Ranga – the 2018 Heartland Player of the Year.
Ranga (51 games), McVerry (64) and flanker-lock Cameron Dromgool (47) will bring all their Heartland experience to bear, while Donlan (North Harbour 2017), centre Rodney Tongotea (Counties Manukau 2019) and No8 Matty Axtens (Bay of Plenty 2016-17) have played at professional level.
Up front, veteran hooker Oneone Fa’afou played four tests for Samoa (2014-16), while promising prop Will Martin was part of this season’s New Zealand Under-20s side who came third at the world championships.
Kickoff is 1.35pm.