Pity Wairarapa-Bush rugby selector-coach Peter Russell when it came to naming his side for the non-championship match against Hawke's Bay in Napier on Monday. By then the number of players unavailable through injury or work commitments had reached alarming proportions. Among those out of the reckoning were captain Mike Robinson, Jason Russo,Joe Harwood, Rob Dick, Senoa Isaac, Tavita Issac, Jorgi Tamani, Jaco Pieterse Ritchie McDonald and Nathan Sanson. And considered not quite ready to return to the representative scene after lengthy injury breaks were two regulars in last season's NPC third division squad, Sam Henderson and Richard Carroll. With such a huge player drain it's hardly surprising that some of Russell's selections for Monday's fixture could be described as being out of left field. In the backs, for instance, he has plucked young East Coast player Nick Olsen out of relative obscurity to play on the wing while on the other wing will be Carterton's Tommy Harmon, who has played the vast majority of his rugby in the midfield. A third winger in Esava Teko has been named in the reserves and his inclusion is a huge plus for Russell Teko scored a record number of tries for Wairarapa-Bush in 2004 but his availability for this season had been in doubt. He is currently playing for Oriental-Rongotai in the Wellington club competition but intends to join up with a Wairarapa-Bush club within the next fortnight or so. No doubt his services will be keenly sought as players of his ability are not exactly a dime and dozen on the local scene. In the forwards Russell has moved Gladstone's Steve Wilkinson from lock to his preferred position of openside flanker and will field a new locking combination in the form of Eketahuna youngster Tim Iro and Carterton's Dan Filihiahekava. It will be a big test for Iro, whose brother Sylvanus will be wearing the No.8 jersey but Russell expects him to make the most of the opportunity. "It's the same for all the newcomers???.it's a great chance for them to put their hands up and show they can make the grade at the higher level,"Russell said. "If they play well on Monday who knows what the future might hold for them."
