Hosts wiser after last Lochore Cup final
The memory of losing last year’s Heartland Championship final will spur on Horowhenua Ka¯piti in another decider this year.
Horowhenua Ka¯piti host Wairarapa Bush in the Lochore Cup final, the playoffs for fifth to eighth place, at Levin Domain tomorrow, a year on from losing the top-tier Meads Cup final to Whanganui.
South Canterbury host Thames Valley in Timaru in the top-tier Meads Cup final today.
Horowhenua Ka¯ piti coach Chris Wilton hoped his side had learnt from last year’s loss.
‘‘We’re pretty stoked [to be in another final],’’ he said. ‘‘It’s about taking what we learnt last year, having been there before, and learning so we can put it into a performance this year.’’
Horowhenua Ka¯ piti beat Wairarapa Bush 37-21 during the season, but Wilton wasn’t expecting a repeat, especially with All Blacks great and Wairarapa Bush legend Brian Lochore expected to attend.
‘‘I just think a final is a different game. I know they will be up for it with the Lochore Cup, it’s special to them and Sir Brian is coming,’’ Wilton said. ‘‘I don’t think you take too much out of the round-robin game.
‘‘We learnt that from Whanganui last week.’’
Raging-hot Meads Cup favourites Whanganui were upset by Thames Valley in the semifinal last week.
Wairarapa Bush were beaten 24-0 by North Otago in the final round of the regular season, but reversed the result a week later to win 30-21 in the semifinal, so Wilton expected a confident Wairarapa Bush team.
The last time they two sides met in a final was the 2005 third division decider, which Wairarapa Bush won 28-23 in Masterton.
Wairarapa Bush coach Joe Harwood played that game and hoped for a similar result this year.
"It’s a final and if we play on adrenaline and passion the boys can get up for it.’’
He believed there were areas they could attack Horowhenua Ka¯ piti after their last meeting.
‘‘We were dominated in certain areas, the scrum in particular. There were opportunities in that match to get a bit closer.
‘‘Defensively our systems are a lot stronger than back then.’’
Horowhenua Ka¯ piti have made a some changes from their 34-24 semifinal win over Mid Canterbury last week. Wing Willie Paia’aua returns from a hand injury and Stewart Macgregor moves to the bench, while lock Tom Zimmerman returns to the reserves with TJ Fermanis unavailable.
Wairarapa Bush will be without influential first five-eighth Glen Walters, who has taken a contract to play rugby in Zimbabwe, and flanker Epeli Rayaqayaqa, who doesn’t play on Sundays due to religious beliefs.
Horowhenua Ka¯piti’s last title was in their centenary year in 1993, when they beat Whanganui 15-9 in Whanganui in the third division final. They are celebrating their 125th jubilee this season.