Stakes high in Buller match

Don’t be fooled by the size of Buller. With just three premier senior teams, when compared to Wairarapa-Bush’s eight the southerners could be mistaken as small fry.

But this little rugby union is an expert at recruiting well, and coupled with a handful of experienced old-guard footy players is a regular favourite of the bookies.

Equally, Farriers Wairarapa-Bush have been playing with plenty of swagger winning four in a row, their best record since claiming the inaugural Meads Cup way back in 2006.

It all points to an intriguing battle at Trust House Memorial Park this Saturday.

Like Wairarapa-Bush, Buller lost their season opener (against South Canterbury) but are unbeaten since.

Third and fourth on the table both sides will be desperate to win and with it be the masters of their own destiny for the remaining two round robin matches.

In first-five eighth James Lash Buller have arguably the best player in the Heartland Championship, according to Wairarapa-Bush coach Josh Syms. He was instrumental in Buller getting to the Meads Cup final in 2014 and last year played for the Tasman Makos. His wizardry has been spellbinding oppositions in 2016 scoring a hat-trick of tries against Poverty Bay in round three.

In addition to Lash, Buller have classy finishers in left wing Stefano Sauqaqa and fullback Anthony Tailua, both of whom scored hat-tricks against East Coast last weekend.

But the Wairarapa-Bush faithful know that their team has plenty of fire-power of its own, not that they have got to witness a great deal of explosives on home turf to date.

Syms’ men seem to play their best rugby away from home, particularly across the Cook Strait. Last week they chalked up their second away southern scalp beating North Otago 38-22.

Earlier forecasts of a dry track this Saturday look to be on the turn, but Syms says while the wet turf suited King Country in the opening round it could well prove to be to Wairarapa-Bush’s liking against Buller.

“To be honest, we would prefer it to be dry, but given that our boys are now use to playing on the wet turf it might be to our advantage,” Syms says.

At least one selection change has been forced on Syms with second-five eighth Iziq Foa’i set to sit the match out because of injury. The big Tongan has impressed in every game that he has played and proved a trump card down in Oamaru. Andy Humberstone is a more than able replacement having barely put a foot wrong this season.

Foa’i’s loss is prop Stan Wright’s gain. Restrictions around the number of import players have prevented Syms from playing both Foa’i and Wright in the same match. Wright was “huge” against Mid Canterbury, Syms says with big things expected from again this Saturday.

Other changes to the starting XV include Richard Puddy getting the nod over Abe Haira at hooker, Andrew Smith drops to the bench with James Goodger shifting into lock, Sam Gammie starting at blindside flanker and BJ Campbell No.8.