Wanganui will be pushed to maintain dominance

Meads the motivator

Defending champions Wanganui will start slight favourites in the 2017 Heartland Championships.

The Butcher Boys may not have it all all their own way, as the competition has got closer and the standard has risen in recent years.

Wanganui have, however, set the standard, stamping their authority as the powerhouse of the championship, when they took a fifth Meads Cup win last year with a 20-18 win over a brave Buller outfit.

Their success is even more impressive when considering no other union has won the Meads Cup more than twice and Wanganui have only missed the final twice.

Buller, the country’s smallest union, is also expected to be thereabouts at the business end of the season.

South Canterbury and Mid Canterbury will also be in the mix, while King Country and Poverty Bay can’t be left out of the equation.

North Otago will be keen to get back into the top four under new coach Nigel Walsh after claiming the Lochore Cup (for 5th) last season.

There are also three ageing former All Blacks signed to Heartland provinces.

Halfback Piri Weepu, who played 71 tests, is the most high profile, having joined Wairarapa Bush after Zac Guildford turned out for them last season.

King Country have signed fourtest halfback Alby Mathewson, while Mid Canterbury have onetest midfielder Regan King in their ranks.

West Coast look to have snared former All Black hooker Corey Flynn, after he turned out for them against Mid Canterbury, in a preseason clash.

None are expected to singlehandedly change their teams’ fortunes but, in the past, highcalibre arrivals have lifted the players around them.

Wanganui coach Jason Caskey said it was difficult to pick a top four until the season gets going.

‘‘You don’t know how much teams change year to year, that’s the way of the Heartland.

‘‘Teams have got better in the past couple of years, you no longer think that will be an easy game, you are nervous most weeks.’’

The long-serving coach said there was always a surprise.

‘‘I remember when East Coast came out of nowhere to make the final and then won it the following year.’’

Caskey was happy with their pre-season form.

‘‘We are building OK. The big thing for us is to try and try with our local players, we are likely to only have one loan player, two at the most.’’ Winning the Meads Cup will be even more important this year after Colin Meads’ death, New Zealand Heartland team coach Barry Matthews says.

The Heartland Championship’s top trophy was named in Meads’ honour in 2006 and the late, great All Blacks legend took a keen interest in the grassroots rugby competition, which kicks off tomorrow.

Matthews, who coaches South Canterbury and the New Zealand Heartland XV representative team, said Meads was a strong supporter of Heartland rugby and would be sadly missed.

Wanganui will be without their long-serving influential captain Peter Rowe and fullback Ace Malo, both of whom have hung up their boots.

Known for developing young talent, they have named exciting Wanganui Collegiate schoolboy Cody Hemi on the wing.

‘‘We had a [South Canterbury[ camp when we heard that he had died and we said it would make the Meads Cup even more important what it’s been in the past, not that it wasn’t important before,’’ Matthews said.

‘‘You’ll always remember where you were when Colin Meads died; a bit like when Princess Diana died [in 1997].’’

Matthews said Meads’ passing would give every Heartland team extra motivation in 2017.

‘‘If you can win it on the anniversary of Colin Meads’ death it will mean more than what it would have in the past.’’

South Canterbury coach Barry Matthews, who will also again be in charge of the New Zealand Heartland XV, also expects things to be close.

‘‘In the Heartland it is always hard to know. The pre-season scores are up and down.

‘‘Teams also have a high turnover, half our squad is new.’’

Matthews expected Wanganui and Buller to be among the front runners

‘‘They will tough as usual but not the only ones.’’

Buller coach Craig Scanlon expected the usual suspects Wanganui, South Canterbury, Mid Canterbury and North Otago- to be strong.

‘‘West Coast have significantly improved. Until we actually get a few week into the competition noone knows really.’’

Scanlon said his side would also be competitive if it stayed injuryfree.

Buller have, retained James Lash at first five, who was pivotal in their run to last year’s Meads Cup final.

The opening round of the championships tomorrow has plenty of interest as it is a replay of both of last year’s Meads Cup semifinals. Buller host South Canterbury, while Wairarapa Bush travel to Cooks Garden to face Wanganui.