Format for second round under fire

The Wairarapa-Bush Rugby Union's council of clubs are believed to be under fire from several clubs unhappy at the latest format of the senior first division championship, matches in which are scheduled to get under way next weekend.
Inquiries yesterday suggest that a proposal to give the top three seeds at the end of the Kapene Cup competition a bye and a guaranteed four points as a consequence no longer applies.
Instead the nine participating teams were based in groups of three based on present seedings with a decision taken that teams one, five and nine will not receive a bye in a first round which will be played over six Saturdays, thereby not allowing time for each team to play each other before the quarter-finals kick in on July 19.
To reward the top three Kapene Cup teams they will automatically be given four points while the four bottom seeded teams will receive one extra home game.
Also teams with the bye will be allocated two points rather than the four originally intended.
The anomolies of the new format are graphically illustrated when you work through the maximum first round points which can be obtained by any of the nine sides providing no bonus points are at stake, something which was unclear at the time these notes were penned.
By my reckoning Gladstone can earn themselves 28pts , Carterton and Marist 26pts, Eketahuna and Puketoi 24pts, and Greytown, East Coast, Pioneer and Martinborough, all 22pts.
In the proposed draw Gladstone have the good fortune to play three of their strongest opponents-Carterton, Marist and Pioneer-at home and they don't have the bye either.
Also having three home games are Greytown (Gladstone, East Coast and Marist), Eketahuna (East Coast, Marist and Greytown), Puketoi (Greytown, Martinborough and Carterton), Pioneer (Carterton, Puketoi and Eketahuna) and Martinborough (Eketahuna, Pioneer and Gladstone).
Two home games have been allocated Carterton (Martinborough and Eketahuna), Marist (Puketoi and East Coast), East Coast (Gladstone and Puketoi).
Like Gladstone, Eketahuna and Puketoi also miss the bye, a situation which means they don't face the problem of maintaining momentum during what is, in effect, a two weeks break between matches, a prospect which has already drawn adverse comment from a couple of coaches.
Whether the latest competition format will, in fact, remain in place is likely to be tested over the next few days with clubs unhappy with its type expected to approach the council of clubs with changes they see as necessary for it to be anything like fair and equitable.