2011 Bush squad named

Eight new caps have been named in the 2011 Wairarapa-Bush Heartland championship rugby squad and there could be more to come.
Coach Mark Rutene and his assistant Steve Thompson announced a squad of 22 yesterday and it will be increased to 24 by the inclusion of another hooker and first five-eighth, the names of which will probably be confirmed by early next week.
The prospects are that at least one of them - the first-five - will be an "import" with Rutene having discussed possible candidates from the capital with his Wellington Lions counterpart Andre Bell.
One of those sure to have been mentioned is Jeremy Te Huia who did such a good job for Wairarapa-Bush in last year's Heartland campaign had he been playing at club level he could well find himself in the Wellington NPC squad this year.
Three of the backs named to date will be in their debut season for Wairarapa-Bush: young East Coast halfback Matt O'Connor and utility players Michael Vuicikau (Gladstone) and Dan Porter (East Coast).
Of that trio O'Connor is the most interesting selection as he will be contesting for a starting position with his East Coast teammate Zeb Aporo, who generally plays at first-five on the club scene.With former All Blacks halfback Mark Donaldson coaching East Coast they will be well-versed in the requirements of that role.
There will be some disappointment in local circles that nippy Gladstone halfback Inia Katia has been overlooked as he has been one of the big entertainers in premier division club play.
He probably lost out through Aporo and O'Connor having the edge in passing skills.
Vuicikau, from Fiji, and Porter, from England, can play anywhere in the backline from first-five through to fullback but the likelihood is they will be either centre or fullback for Wairarapa-Bush.They are both prolific try scorers and Porter has goal kicking as an extra string to his bow.
The new faces in the forwards are prop Wilbur Davies (Martinborough), hooker Campbell Lawrence (Eketahuna) and loose forwards James Goodger (Marist), Lee Ewe (Pioneer) and Johan Van Vliet (Eketahuna).
Davies was always considered a front runner for selection and the same could be said of Lawrence until he was sidelined by injury. Hopes are he will be recovered in time to take a full part in the Heartland campaign, even more so because of Jake Tipene's decision not to make himself available for rep play.
Goodger, Ewe and Van Vliet are three "young guns" who have been making a huge impression in club rugby and nobody could quibble at them being given the chance to strut their stuff at a higher level.
Goodger is a blindside flanker who can play lock and also kick goals, Ewe is normally a No8 and Van Vliet generally wears the No7 jersey.
The full Wairarapa-Bush squad is training at Memorial Park on Sunday, June 19 at 10.30am:
Forwards: Kurt Simmonds (Greytown), Campbell Lawrence (Eketahuna), Wilbur Davies (Martinborough), Brendan Walker (Eketahuna), Andrew McLean (Gladstone), Brandon Young (Eketahuna), Dan Griffin (Eketahuna), Joss Tua-Davidson (Eketahuna), Rupeni Temani (Eketahuna), Johan Van Vliet (Eketahuna), Lee Ewe ({Pioneer), James Goodger (Marist).
Backs: Zeb Aporo (East Coast), Matt O'Connor (East Coast), Tommy Harmon (Pioneer), Sam Mitchell (East Coast), Heemi Tupaea (Pioneer), Jesse McGilvary (East Coast), Michael Vuicikau (Gladstone), Nick Olson (East Coast), Dan Porter (East Coast), Lance Stevenson (Carterton).
The first outing for Wairarapa-Bush in 2011 is a friendly against Horowhenua-Kapiti in Masterton on July 23.
Second round matches in the Tui Cup premier division club competition will be played tonight or tomorrow with all teams desperate to earn enough points to keep them in the reckoning for semi-final spots.
Tonight's game, which kicks off at 7pm, will see Gladstone host Masterton Red Star and a repeat of their Kapene Cup clash a couple of weeks back when Gladstone had a comfortable winning margin is on the cards.
There will be at least two battle royals tomorrow, Pioneer v Eketahuna at Jean street and Martinborough v East Coast at Martinborough.
Eketahuna claimed the prize scalp of Gladstone last weekend while Pioneer also gave a powerful account of themselves despite losing to East Coast.
Those results make victory here especially important for Pioneer for another defeat will make it hard for them to make up the lost ground.They will be more than match Eketahuna in the backs but whether they can do so in the forwards is debatable.
East Coast hasn't been beaten this year but while they will deservedly start favourites against Martinborough the prospects of an upset certainly can't be ignored.
Martinborough have spirit to burn and will have been buoyed by their good win over Marist seven days previous.
In the other two premier division games Marist will be expected to bounce back to winning form against Greytown at Greytown and Carterton should have too many guns for Featherston at Carterton.