Gough new assistant to Rutene

Current head coach of the Old Boys University premier club side in Wellington, Paddy Gough (pictured), has been appointed assistant coach for the Wairarapa-Bush Heartland championship rugby side in 2012.

Gough takes the position held last year by Steve Thompson, who was also coach of Gladstone's senior first division club team, a role he will continue to hold in the season ahead.

Calling the chance to coach at Heartland level an "exciting opportunity", Gough said he was looking forward to working alongside Wairarapa-Bush head coach Mark Rutene.

Gough sees the building of a deeper pool of players who can perform well in the Heartland championship as being the biggest challenge facing the Wairarapa-Bush management team.

Being involved in some Heartland video analysis work last year, which included Wairarapa-Bush games, he had noted that while some individuals performed well there was a struggle to maintain consistency when injuries hit the squad.

He said it was vital that all players had an absolute commitment to fitness and executing their job accurately. "There needs to be a no- excuses attitude to those factors or you are gone before you start," he said.

On the positive side, Gough believes there is enough talent in Wairarapa-Bush for the Heartland team to make a positive impact." I am looking forward to seeing if we can't surprise some people this year," he said.

Wairarapa-Bush will also have a new team manager for their Heartland side this season, Justin Herbert, who is well-known in local cricket circles, taking over from Kevin Dudson. Also part of the management set-up will be experienced sports physiotherapist Louise Turner and Stacey Grant, who is the strength and conditioning coach.