Five chasing Wairarapa rugby rep coaching job

Five definite applications have been received for the position of selector-coach of the Wairarapa-Bush rugby side for next season, with the likelihood of more to come.
Closing date for applications is next Tuesday and WBRFU chief executive officer Phil Taylor said the level of interest was such that a "good number" could be to hand by then.
Taylor said inquiries into the position left vacant by the decision of Peter Russell, pictured right, to resign after four highly successful seasons in the role were not only confined to New Zealand but overseas as well.
"Yes, we do have an international flavour to the process?.obviously the success we have had has spread far and wide," Taylor said.
Once the applications have closed they will be vetted by a selection panel consisting of former All Black selector and Wairarapa-Bush coach Lane Penn, WBRFU board members Brian Weatherstone and Charlie Meyer and Taylor himself
They will probably narrow the number down to a handful who would then be interviewed with the successful applicant likely to be known before the WBRFU annual meeting on December 12.
Any thoughts that Russell may again seek the position after missing out on the head coaching role for the Wellington Air NZ Cup side were yesterday scotched by the man himself.
"Four years in the job is long enough?..for the players as well as the coach," he said. "It's time for a change, there is no going back."
Russell accepts that with Wairarapa-Bush having won the NPC third division and Heartland championship titles over the last two seasons the new coach will have a hard act to follow but he sees no reason why that level of success won't be maintained.
"Talk to the players and they will tell you that while we ended up winning the Heartland title they are capable of doing better, both individually and collectively," Russell said.
"There's probably another 20 per cent to come from last year's side for starters and that has to be a positive, doesn't it?"
Russell, who co-coached the national Heartland side on their recent Argentinian tour, was in the final mix for the Wellington coaching position which was given to the well-credentialled Aussie McLean and he remains in the running to be McLean's assistant, the announcement of which will probably be made by the end of this week.
Failing that Russell will then "have a look" at other coaching positions on offer outside the Wellington area.
"It's not something I'm too worried about, if there's something there which would suit then I guess I'll put my name up for it," he said.
But while finding a coach for Wairarapa-Bush next season is obviously no problem the same can't be said for another of the region's major sporting sides, the Wairarapa United men's soccer team.
They finished a very creditable third in the Capital premier division series last season under the coaching of Phil Keinzley but he has resigned from the post to take up an administrative role within the club and no firm applications for the vacancy have yet to be received.
Keinzley said the situation was a "bit concerning" as a new coach would want to have a summer training programme in place, as well as look at the strengths and weaknesses of the current playing personnel.
"We'd like to think someone will be in place within the next couple of weeks but right now we don't have anything definite in that respect," he said.