Foreign invasion!

The number of overseas players participating in the Wairarapa-Bush senior first division rugby competition this season is set to increase.
If everything goes to plan over the next few days Puketoi will have their numbers strengthened by the addition of two prop forwards from Kenya while Martinborough is awaiting the arrival of a prop from the United States and a hooker from Zimbabwe.
Puketoi coach Lyndon Mayo says his Kenyan props will be "very welcome" as his side has a shortage of experienced front row forwards.
But he is unsure as to whether they will be available for Puketoi's opening competition game against Carterton at Pongaroa this coming Saturday.
"I guess it will all come down to whether their paper work is complete,' he said. "We're hopeful of them playing but not counting on it."
Mayo expects Puketoi to be a competitive unit in 2006, believing that a mid-table position in the first division series is a distinct possibility.
The talented Bambry brothers, Keiran at flanker and Jared at lock, will be key members of their pack along with another promising loosie in Tahe Hiroko while backs to watch could be lively halfback Joe Hull and elusive midfielder Lewis Small.
Martinborough coach Sid Tatana admits depth could be a problem for his side, especially in the early stages of the 2006 season.
He said they were "pretty well off' for forwards but backs were thin on the ground and he would dearly like to see greater numbers in that area.
"I'd hate to think what might happen if we ran into a few injury problems early on; right now we don't have the numbers to cope with that," he said.
One of the best-performed loose forwards on the club scene last season in Josh Hawkins will again spearhead the Martinborough pack, along with Jared Hawkins, Morgan Davies, Wayne Jephson and Sam Welsh.
Add to them the American and the Zimbabwean and they will have considerable ball-winning potential.
With the two halfbacks from last year's squad moved on there is still a vacancy there in the Martinborough line-up with the mainstays in the rearguard again likely to be first-five PJ Aporo, midfielder Owen Coulson and winger Ritchie McGregor.
Returning to the first division fold this season after an absence of some three seasons is Featherston and their coach Eru Kaiwai says they are very much in a rebuilding period, both in terms of players and supporters.
"The big aim for this season is to get the premier team up and running and to build a good support base for it," he said. "Obviously results are important but for us just being there is a huge plus in itself".
Kaiwai is pleased that a number of players who joined up with other Wairarapa-Bush clubs when Featherston's first division side went into recess have come back into the fold and he said their team would largely consist of players from within the Featherston area.
Three Sargents - Chris, Jeremy and Tom-will be in the pack as will Stu Berry at lock and Julian Stokes at hooker.
Halfback has not been an easy position to fill with Simon Sinclair and Chris Sutherland moving from other positions to share that role while Grant Creman will be at first-five, Paul Burt in the midfield and Shem Crafer on the wing.
Featherston will host Marist on Saturday.