Wanganui eye another Heartland championship

The pain of not earning promotion behind them, Wanganui stand out as favourites for rugby's Heartland championship starting on Saturday.

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Wanganui are chasing a third successive title and, aside from a couple of poached outside backs, have retained the bulk of the team who came from behind to beat Mid Canterbury 34-13 in last year's Meads Cup final.

Coach Guy Lennox is also back, and two players -- fullback Asaeli Tikoirotuma and winger Waisaki Ratalatubu -- had been snapped up by Manawatu and Taranaki respectively.

"If we can promote people through to that next level of rugby then we're doing our job, that's the price of success," Lennox said.

"Because we've done all right for the last couple of years they tend to look at key figures and hand pick them but that's part and parcel of Heartland rugby. In every team, people move on."

As usual it is hard to gauge the strenth of other unions but Lennox suspected Mid Canterbury would be strong again, while he anticipated North Otago, King Country and Poverty Bay to have improved their stocks.

A sizeable betting splurge on King Country raised eyebrows. They couldn't find room in their roster for former National Rugby League star David Peachey and have lured a handful of Auckland-based players south.

However, King Country still sit behind the leading teams in the eyes of TAB bookmakers.

Wanganui are rated $2.10 chances to retain their crown while Mid Canterbury are at $3.50, North Otago $6 and Poverty Bay $10.

Lennox said it was difficult to compare his team's capability to last year.

"Where we're at right now, we wouldn't be as strong as we were when we finished last year, not even close," he said.

"But with 10-12 weeks together, that's the beauty of the Heartland competition, it's the only time we work together and the improvement in the side is usually enormous.

"I'd like to think in another two months we'll be playing as well as last year."

After five rounds of matches, the competition splits into top six Meads Cup and bottom six Lochore Cup in October with finals for both divisions to be played on October 30.

Pools and draw for the Heartland rugby championship beginning this weekend:

Pool A

Wanganui, South Canterbury, Horowhenua Kapiti, West Coast, King Country and Thames Valley

Pool B

Mid Canterbury, Poverty Bay, Wairarapa Bush, North Otago, Buller and East Coast

Draw (home team listed first):

August 28

King Country v Horowhenua Kapiti, Wanganui v South Canterbury, Thames Valley v West Coast, East Coast v North Otago, Buller v Wairarapa Bush, Mid Canterbury v Poverty Bay

September 4

Horowhenua Kapiti v Wanganui, West Coast v King Country, South Canterbury v Thames Valley, Wairarapa Bush v Mid Canterbury, North Otago v Buller, Poverty Bay v East Coast

September 11

South Canterbury v Horowhenua Kapiti, Thames Valley v King Country, Wanganui v West Coast, East Coast v Buller, Poverty Bay v Wairarapa Bush, Mid Canterbury v North Otago

September 18

King Country v Wanganui, West Coast v South Canterbury, Horowhenua Kapiti v Thames Valley, Buller v Mid Canterbury, Wairarapa Bush v East Coast, North Otago v Poverty Bay

September 25

South Canterbury v King Country, Horowhenua Kapiti v West Coast, Wanganui v Thames Valley, Poverty Bay v Buller, Wairarapa Bush v North Otago, Mid Canterbury v East Coast

October 2, 9 and 16

Meads Cup and Lochore Cup rounds

October 23

Meads Cup and Lochore Cup semifinals

October 30

Meads Cup and Lochore Cup finals