Puketoi could be the "dark horses" of this season's Wairarapa-Bush premier division rugby competition which kicks off tomorrow.
The Pongoroa-based club has worked hard to enhance their playing resources over the summer months and have made major advances in terms of quantity and quality.
A major coup was the appointment of former New Zealand sevens star Amosio Valence as player-coach. The 33-year-old can play practically anywhere in the backline and his tactical nous will be a huge plus.
Unfortunately for Puketoi, however, Valence won't be part of their line-up when they take on Carterton at Carterton tomorrow but hopes are that another of their high-profile recruits, Fijian Eroni Gaunavou, will be there despite a calf strain he suffered in a warm-up game last weekend.
Gaunavou was about as close as you can get to play for Fiji at sevens without actually taking the field, being selected in their squad a couple of seasons back but having to withdraw through sickness and not being included again. He has that valuable mix of pace and flair and will add plenty to the Puketoi three-quarter line.
Another Fijian in the Puketoi squad is Epeli Rayaqayaqa whose versatility is illustrated by the fact that while he has played at hooker for Fiji at under-18 level Puketoi will very probably team him in the inside backs with the experienced Jason Liverton.
No8 James Hooper-Smith will skipper Puketoi and is a former Dannevirke player already being touted as a prime prospect for Heartland selection while two youngsters expected to make an impact up front are lock James Nielsen and prop Daniel Jefferies, who has played for Waikato age group teams.
Carterton were runners-up for the premier division crown last year but have only about six of that squad turning out again. Their strength does appear to be in the forwards where Dylan Higgison, Mana Apiata, Blair Heming, John McFadzen and a talented prop from England Jamie Folan will lead the way. Of the backs expected to turn out tomorrow only halfback Jason Scott was part of their 2011 team.
GLADSTONE V MARTINBOROUGH
Gladstone, who beat Carterton in last year's Tui Cup decider, are in much the same boat as their neighbours this time round with a huge exodus of players leaving them a very different side than they were then. They travel to Martinborough tomorrow and will be depending on rugged front rowers Richard Puddy, Aaron Cook, Jake Ross and Lance Graves to spearhead a pack also likely to include an interesting acquisition from Gisborne in lock Brad Swindlehurst, Fijian Jim Temoci and Andrew McLean.
Three other gains, inside back Harry Wigley from Canterbury, pacy three-quarter Cameron Heyton from Manawatu and English utility Guy Wood will feature in the Gladstone backline, along with Charlie Bargh, Jason Bailey, Jason Coffey and Richard Kjestrup.
Martinborough have longtime Wairarapa-Bush rep James Bruce as coach this season and there are a lot of good judges picking them to be amongst the front runners for Tui Cup honours.They have a very similar line-up than what they had last year with Wilba Davies, Adam Marshall, Daniel George and the two Hawkins, Jared and Josh, sure to be prominent in the forwards and Cody Whittaker, Kieran Te Whare, Eli Telford and Greg Dennes in the backs.
BUSH SPORTS V RAMS
Bush Sports make their debut in Wairarapa-Bush premier division play tomorrow when they take on the Rams at their Pahiatua headquarters.
Two players who have transferred from Eketahuna in lock Brandon Young and hooker Campbell Lawrence will be important members of the Bush Sports pack with Young also taking the role of joint coach, along with Mike Rivers.
Others likely to shine up front are locks Sam Marshall-Wilton,a past Manawatu under-20 rep, and Rangi Wolland, front rower Jake Tipene and loosie Hamish Walker while pacy fullback Dillon Bennett, first-five Chris Crete and halfback Jordan Bennett-Davies are backs to watch.
The Rams -formerly known as Masterton Red Star - will be relying on the experienced loosie Chris Senior to set his usual good example up front but a broken hand means he will miss the first few weeks of club action. In his absence it will be front rowers Lance Buchanan and Daniel Gilmore and loosies Carl Thompson and Francis Kenner who will be expected to lead the forwards. Utility Heemi Tupaea, inside backs Mark Cummings and Pua Tufa, wing Sam Davies and fullback Matt Henderson should be the mainstays of the backline.
PIONEER V EAST COAST
Pioneer and East Coast will do battle at Whareama tomorrow and both have shaped up well enough in pre-season action to suggest this could produce some of the more entertaining action of the first round.
Wairarapa-Bush midfielder Tommy Harmon will captain a Pioneer side which will probably be looking to play an expansive game, allowing the likes of first-five Tipene Haira, midfielder Daniel Blong and wing Nokora Ewe to show their attacking qualities. Evergreen Nathan Rolls is sure to be prominent in the pack, along with Ihe Namana, Porky Henare, Matt Kawana , Lee Ewe and Mike Harmon, the last two of whom are in the process of recovering from injury.
East Coast again have former All Black Mark Donaldson as coach and their strength will probably lie in a backline which has huge scoring potential with Byron Karaitiana, Nick Olson and Jesse McGilvary and promising No9 Matt O'Connor. The ever-consistent Joe Feast is sure to make his presence felt up front.
EKETAHUNA V MARIST
Shaping up in the main game at Memorial Park tomorrow will be Eketahuna and Marist.
The duel in the loose between two of the finds of last season's Heartland programme, flankers Johan Van Vliet (Eketahuna) and James Goodger (Marist), should be a highlight.
Both are powerful runners with ball in hand and strong on the tackle.
Van Vliet will have another couple of talented loosies in Rupeni Temani and Pete Tua-Davidson helping him out for Eketahuna, the latter a brother of last season's Wairarapa-Bush skipper Joss Tua-Davidson, who has retired. Daniel Udy, Jesse Williams and Adrian Lochhead will give Eketahuna plenty of muscle in the tight while backs expected to shine are first-five Dane Hopa, and midfielders Chris Terry and Mata Matatini.
Goodger has been promoted to captain of Marist this season and he will be expecting big things up front from the likes of lock Kieran O'Brien, versatile Ben Couch and fellow loosie Anthony Balks.