Kapene Cup big cash incentive

The six teams to contest the main championship have already been found, but there will be still plenty of interest in the final series of preliminary games in the Wairarapa-Bush premier division rugby competition tomorrow.
The Moose Kapene Cup and $1000 will go to the side which finishes top of the points table at the end of the first round and, remarkably, any one of the top half-dozen sides could grab the honours.
Up front is Gladstone with 31pts but they have the bye this weekend and should be overtaken.
Second is Pioneer on 29pts, followed by Marist, Carterton and Eketahuna, all on 27, and Greytown-Tuhirangi on 26.
Remembering that four points are awarded for a win, two for a draw and one bonus point is available for scoring four or more tries or losing by seven points or less, you'd have to say that right now Pioneer have the inside running.
But they have a formidable assignment against Greytown-Tuhirangi at Pirinoa tomorrow, while Marist should pick up maximum points against East Coast at Whareama and likewise Eketahuna against Puketoi at Pongaroa and Carterton against Masterton Red Star at Carterton
Let's then take a brief look at the four games:-
Greytown-Tuhirangi v Pioneer, Pirinoa at 2.30pm:
The battle for Pioneer here will be to win enough ball in the forward exchanges for backs like Richard Carroll, Tommy Harmon and Sam Waipuka to strut their stuff.
The combined side will be well aware of the dangers if that happens and will be looking to the likes of Dylan Higgison, Norm Henricksen and Sylvanus Iro to call the tune up front. Greytown-Tuhirangi is our pick?just.
East Coast v Marist, Whareama at 2.30pm:
East Coast can be tough nuts to crack on their home turf, but you couldn't really anticipate them stopping a Marist side full of confidence after their win over Eketahuna last weekend, and with the mercurial Nathan Couch back on deck to strengthen their midfield.
Puketoi v Eketahuna, Pongaroa at 2.30pm.:
You only have to look at their points for and points against to have Eketahuna winning this one by plenty. Eketahuna has racked up 144 points and conceded 86 while Puketoi have managed just 20 points themselves while conceding 323.
The fact Eketahuna have lost two games already this season has many people doubting their ability to win the premiership for the fourth successive year but be warned, when the chips are down they have a habit of coming up trumps.
Carterton v Masterton Red Star, Carterton at 2.30pm:
Masterton Red Star will need more than the brilliance of dynamic flanker Chris Senior to make a close game of this one.
Carterton's big pack should dominate possession and while their backs have hardly set the Thames on fire so far this season they will have no excuse not to run in a number of tries.
Under the current rules the competition points earned in the preliminary round matches will be carried forward when the main championship and second division competitions get under way next weekend.
However, that format will be discussed at a meeting of the council of clubs next week so right now it's more a case of watch this space on that one.
The suspicion though is that changing the rules in midstream might not go down well with some clubs and that the status quo will apply.
The draw for the first round of main championship games is: Pioneer v Greytown-Tuihangi at Park Sportsground,
Eketahuna v Gladstone at Eketahuna, Carterton v Marist at Carterton.
The senior second division draw for the same day is: Masterton Red Star v Puketoi at Memorial Park, Martinborough v East Coast at Martinborough,