Rivals to meet in battle for top flight

The battle for the Division 2 title couldn't be better scripted. It is a repeat of last year's promotion-relegation battle as Waipu takes on Otamatea Hawks.
Otamatea won the title last year and then beat Waipu in the playoff, earning the right to play in the premier division. But the club failed to raise enough players for both a senior and a reserve side and had to drop back into Division 2 leaving noses out of joint in Waipu and two competitions with uneven numbers.
Senior Otamatea coach Russell Kemp said despite their problems at the beginning of the season, they wouldn't rule out promotion into the premier division.
"The club's numbers have grown throughout the year  - the other thing to consider is that both competitions now have byes every week and no one wants that."
Kemp said he was aware that any application to play in the premier division would be examined closely after what happened this year but felt it was still worth the club considering it.
Waipu, if successful in the final tomorrow, would be going through the same process, Elton Fletcher from the club, said.
"We'll get the option of going up but it would be a big call for us at the moment to go up to [the premier division], there would be a lot of boxes  to tick," he said.

 Competitions manager Greg Shipton said any application to play in the premier divsion would have to be considered by the clubs and their representatives
"We're looking at having a review, probably in September, of all the club rugby competitions and all of the premier division and Division 2 clubs will be invited," he said.
Shipton said that as there was a gap in the competition, both clubs might apply to fill the vacant position. But given that next year was World Cup year, the clubs might take the chance to make a change.

  Otamatea just beat Waipu 15-12 at Caledonian Park in their only meeting this year.
Division 2  final  kicks off - at 12pm at Toll Stadium - and will be refereed by Dusty Reader.
Waipu: 1 Daniel Boon 2 Mark Brown 3 4 James Patterson 4 Anthony Rogers 5 Nathan Jocoby 6 Karl Hansen 7 Simon Pereira 8 Darryn Wilson 9 Shaun Clayton 10 Paul Carr 11 Samuel Abraham 12 Nathan Jones 13 Mathew Abraham 14 James Abraham 15 Jade Williams; Reserves: Milton Leef, Isacc Jones, Tyson Tua, Aaron Russel, Alton Fletcher, Lance Agar, David Callander.
Otamatea: 1 Naish Massey 2 Marco Troost 3 Shane Robinson 4 Clendon Phillips 5 Caylin Hobson 6 David Pilkington 7 Adam Cullen 8 Cale Campbell 9 Michael Robinson 10 Toby Phillips 11 Michael Peeni 12 Lincoln Phillips 13 John-Luke Whitehead 14 Michael Tovine 15; Reserves: Bruce Leslie, Bryn Ingham, Thomas Tepaa, Anthony Paikea, Luke Connelly, Dean Kingi, George Adams, Blake Worsfold.