They tackle Alexandra, who stunned them 24-21 in last year’s semifinal in Queenstown after thrashing them 27-0 in Alex the week before.
Then, because the game is in Queenstown, Wakatipu will be defending the cherished White Horse Cup they took off Upper Clutha last season (the cup’s not up for grabs in finals footy).
That semifinal loss — after another semifinal loss the season before — is "definitely on everyone’s mind, especially for the boys that were involved last year", Wakatipu coach Jordan Manihera says.
While Alex beat Cromwell in their season-opener last Saturday, Wakatipu had a bye and instead had an intense all-morning training session. "To get that extra training camp, it’s helped our preparation."
Though they lost both preseason games against tough Southland opponents, Manihera — who, like his assistant, Kapa Te Rangi Moeke, is back for a second season — says those games allowed some Wanderers a crack at higher-level rugby.
Manihera’s thrilled Bradley Cross is back after two seasons off — "it’s good to have an experienced leader, specially in the spine at No 8".
Adding to Saturday’s atmosphere, past players are assembling an hour before kick-off at 1.30 — "they’ll be roaring and they’ll be singing some songs off the deck when we run on the field".
Meanwhile, Arrowtown play defending competition champs Upper Clutha in Wanaka this Saturday, keen to avenge their 50-0 loss last time they crossed the Crown Range.
They’ll be buoyed after beating last season’s cellar dwellers Matakanui Combined 66-15 at home last Saturday — the curtain-raiser to that game will be a Wanderers’ preseason against Upper Clutha B.
Meantime Wakatipu Women also started their season last weekend, losing 42-14 to a newly-combined Marist/Midlands team in Invercargill. This Saturday they’re playing Lower Mataura Valley at the Queenstown Rec Ground.
- Saturday, Wakatipu Ladies v Lower Mataura Valley, 12.30pm; Wakatipu v Alexandra, Queenstown Rec Ground, 2.30pm; Wanderers v Upper Clutha B, 12.30pm; Arrowtown v Upper Clutha, Wānaka, 2.30pm.
Joe Brial, right, catches up with Wakatipu Prems’ Will Burdon whom he played with and against during his Queenstown days. PHOTO: PHILIP CHANDLER
Joe back on his field of dreams
Queensland Reds loosie Joe Brial, who played his first rugby for Wakatipu under-8 through to U13 teams, returned ‘home’ with his Super Rugby Pacific team last week on their way to play the Highlanders in Dunedin.
They trained on the Rec Ground where Brial first dreamt of playing pro rugby, before visiting his old haunt, Fergburger.
The 23-year-old, whose dad Michael was a 13-test Wallaby, says many of his team-mates had never even been to the South Island.
"The boys said if there’s a Super Rugby team here, it’d be tough to look past that."
After Remarkables Primary, Brial moved to Sydney and made Australian Schoolboys and Junior Wallabies sides.
He then linked up with the Crusaders Academy and made New Zealand U20 and Canterbury NPC sides before signing on for the Reds.
He debuted last year and, due to the Reds’ strong loose forward trio, has mostly played off the bench.
