Heartland Review

Last updated on August 30th, 2010

North Otago’s first aim will be to make the Meads Cup playoffs in the 2010 Heartland competition after winning the Lochore Cup in 2009.  The side under coaches Barry Matthews and Shane Carter looks a better balanced side than the previous year although a number of new players will be on show. English hooker Stu Philpott, loose forward Ryan Long, number eight Tevita Fifita back from Japan and centurion Ross Hay will be the crux of the forward pack. The backline will be well served by two New Zealand Divisional XV representatives in Hamish McKenzie and Kilifi Fangupo while promising first five eighth and goalkicker Ben Patston will direct the backline. Captain Luke Herden, Divisional three quarter Faaitu Tuamoheloa and Roma Sefo will be a strong midfield while former Otago winger Greg Zampach will be on the right wing.North Otago plays East Coast in Ruatoria on Saturday.

South Canterbury under new coach Simon Scott who has returned from Auckland where he coached the Ponsonby seniors for three years as well as the Auckland under 20 side did not have a happy start to the season losing to Mid Canterbury, 3-28 last Saturday. South Canterbury finished fourth in the Meads Cup last season and with new centre from Ponsonby, Tyrone Ngaluafe, first five eighth James Merrett from the High School Old Boys Club in Christchurch  and prop John Direen also from HSOB, should be a strong contender for the Meads Cup round again.Sekopi Maea is a fine prospect at halfback while flanker Eric Smith and winger Male Iongi are back for another season.South Canterbury travels to play last season’s Meads Cup winners Wanganui over the weekend.

 Although Mid Canterbury has lost through retirement a number of key players the side played with quite a degree of confidence to retain the Hanan Shield with its 28-3 win last weekend.Loosehead prop Jason Rickard will captain the side with James Carr and lock Dan Dwyer adding experience while Mark Greave-Dunn is in the pack as a state of origin player. Pete McAndrew is back in the pack for another season while Tim Perry son of All Black Grant Perry will be at tight head. The backline is basically the Methven backline with six of the seven players from the country club.Mid Canterbury plays Poverty Bay in Ashburton on Saturday at 2.00pm.

 Wanganui has had two games, losing its Ranfurly Shield challenge against Southland but last week it beat Manawatu B 40-38.The good news for Wangabui has been the return of first five eighth Mark Davis from Taranaki to replace Leon Mason who has retired. Winger Johnny Mow has returned from Manawatu while in midfield Tau Moeke who played for East Coast in 2006 and Poverty Bay in 2005 has come down from Waikato. In the pack Aaron Kelly a 1.9 metre flanker from the Hautapu club will add value to the forwards.Wanganui plays South Canterbury in Wanganui on Saturday.

Thames Valley which tailed the field in the 2009 Heartland competition will be strengthened by the return of experienced halfback Aaron McDonald who last played in 2006 while utility Dave Harrison and prop Allan McLean will privide invaluable experience. Thames Valley beat East Coast, 26-18 and lost to King Country, 11-25 in preseason games and on Saturday will host West Coast at 2.00pm.

 Wairarapa-Bush which  plays Buller in Westport on Saturday has had three preseason matches losing to Poverty Bay,26-34, and Wellington Samoa,12-37, and beating Horowhenua-Kapiti,17-3. Key players for Wairarapa-Bush will be halfback, James Bruce who has played 58 games for the union, prop Dylan Higginson, a New Zealand Divisional representative and lock Dan Griffin. In the backs former North Otago player Jeremy Te Huia is at first five eighth and winger Junior Tongia will add impact.

 Poverty Bay, third in the Meads Cup last season has lost key five eighth Scott Leighton who has joined the police force and will also be without Wade Owen and Jack Brooking. In preseason games Poverty Bay beat Wairarapa-Bush,34-26 and lost to Hawkes Bay B,22-24. It is obviously a young side under Grainger Heikell and on Saturday travels to Mid Canterbury in Ashburton at 2.00p.m.

Buller which will again be coached by the two Craigs, Scanlon and Neil, will have much the same lineup as  in 2009 and will be led by Luke Brownlee who is close to a century of games for the Union.Buller has not had any preseason games and will break the ice against Wairarapa-Bush at Victoria Park, Westport.

 Horowhenua-Kapiti which made the Meads Cup round in 2009 will be hoping to build on this effort under coaches Charles Rudd and Jared Tanera when it kicks off against King Country in Te Kuiti on Saturday.

 West Coast had a warmup game against Tasman B and faded in the last quarter in a confidence building effort but the side has been hard hit after making the Lochore Cup final last season. This season  the  first five eighths and  midfield have all departed although the back three and halfback will add some continuity although four of the 2009 forward pack have gone. An interesting  newcomer to the side is former New Zealand Secondary Schools first five eighth, James Lash, a state of origin player .

 West Coast travels to Thames Valley on Saturday with kickoff at 2.00p.m.

East Coast under Buck Gray will be hoping to build on 2009 when it finished second last in the Lochore Cup and will expected to provide a better defensive screen after leaking over 50 tries last year. It meets North Otago at Wharekura Park, Ruatoria on Saturday at 2.30p.m.

King Country which finished third in the Lochore Cup last year will  host Horowhenua-Kapiti on Saturday but despite reports on the arrival of former NRL player David Peachey, King Country CEO Susan Knight stated that Peachey whilst possibly playing for the development side would not be in the Heartland side which will be bolstered by a number of Auckland club players.