Inexperienced Wairarapa-Bush side to face Wellington in Jimmy Cotter trophy

What could well be the most inexperienced Wairarapa-Bush squad ever will take the field for the union in their Jimmy Cotter Memorial Trophy rugby match with Wellington at Memorial Park, Masterton next Tuesday.
Just five players who were regulars in of the Heartland championship-winning squad last year are included in the 31 named today by new selector-coaches Graeme Cheetham and Lofty Stevenson.
They are props Brent Rudman and Brendan Walker, lock Tomasi Kedarabuka, loosie Mike Spence and centre Simanu Simanu.
Skipper of that side, hooker Joe Harwood, would also have made the side but for injury, something which ruled out several other aspirants as well, including Eketahuna No.8 and captain Steve Olds. The absence of Harwood and Olds has left Cheetham and Stevenson without a local choice for the leadership role and that decision will be made after training on Sunday. Favourite is probably Spence, who has previous captaincy experience to call on. Cheetham admits the blooding of so many newcomers at representative level has a huge risk factor about it but also sees it as exciting for the future of Wairarapa-Bush rugby.
"Obviously it's a big challenge for management and players but, quite honestly, we are looking forward to it," he said.
"Experience is always a valuable commodity but the facts are that we didn't have a lot of that to pick from and there's no point in dwelling on it.
We've got to rely on what we've got to do the business and while there is work to do on skill levels we won't want for enthusiasm, that's for sure."
Cheetham knows the pace of the early-season rep games will test the fitness of his players, especially that against Wellington who themselves have mainly selected a group of promising youngsters to represent them.
"The speed of play is going to be a whole lot different than they experience on the club scene and how they react will count for a lot in the end result," he said.
The Wairarapa-Bush squad is:
Forwards: Brent Rudman (Greytown-Tuhirangi), Blair Gardner (Marist), Matthew Cox (Eketahuna), Mosese Sela (Carterton), Richard Puddy (Gladstone), Brendan Walker (Eketahuna), Kurt Simmonds (Gladstone), Daniel Griffin (Eketahuna), Jarrod Bambry (Puketoi), Tomasi Kedarabuka (Carterton), Cory Reid (Marist), Mike Spence (Gladstone), Josh Mackey (Eketahuna), Reuben Daysh (Carterton), Marcus Totman (Gladstone), Jarrod Hawkins (Martinborough), Solly Alsop (Eketahuna), Nathan Rolls (Pioneer).
Backs: Zeb Aporo (East Coast), Daryl Pollock (Marist), Matt Easton (Gladstone), Jason Liverton (Puketoi), Lima Lauvi (Masterton Red Star), Lance Stevenson (Carterton), Johnnny Guillard (Eketahuna), Andrew Patrick (Gladstone), Simanu Simanun (Eketahuna), George Williams (Gladstone), Joji Tamani (Eketahuna), Dan White (Eketahuna), Ben Couch (Marist).
Meanwhile, Wellington will not be fielding a full strength side for next Tuesday's game?anything but in fact. Selectors Jamie Joseph and Alama Ieremia have named a 24-man squad for the game and none of them are regulars in their top provincial line-up. Ieremia said he and Joseph saw the game as a "window of opportunity for those selected to show their wares".
They had deliberately chosen a side mainly made up of young, promising players who through their individual efforts at club and colts levels had been identified as potential Wellington Lions of the future. The Wellington squad is: Peter Sciascia (Avalon); Steve Bradshaw, Nick Risden, Johnathan Bentley (Hutt Old Boys); Arden David, Ged Robinson, Victor Vito, Miah Nikora (Maristc St Pats); Faifila Levave, Tobert Fruen, Jacob Ellison, Api Naikitini (Norths); Sam Green, Joe Hill, Maehi Austin (Old Boys University); Hoani Tui, Tu-Umaga Marshall, Willie Moala (Petone); Ambrose Plaister, Dane Coles, Chris Brightwell (Poneke); John Monu (Wainuiomata); Scott Fugistaller, Richard Cooney (Wests).