Coach believes
his charges can
go all the way in
Heartland comp
Rugby
Rutene wants title
By Gary Caffell
Wairarapa Times-Age·
3 mins to read
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Head coach Mark Rutene is setting his sights high for Wairarapa-Bush in the 2013 Heartland rugby championship.
Delighted at the progress made last season when they made it all the way to the semifinals of the premier section, the Meads Cup, before being ousted by Wanganui, Rutene is looking for his squad to go all the way this time.
"The expectation is to win the Meads Cup - that's what we are aiming for," Rutene said yesterday. "It's a tough ask but we can do it. It's just a matter of building on what we achieved last year."
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Rutene has been "pretty pleased" with what he has seen from club rugby so far this season, saying there is little enough between the top six to eight teams to suggest competition for the major trophy, the Tui Cup, will be intense when it gets under way next weekend.
"You need your rep players being stretched every week and I think we'll have that," he said.
But, at the same time, Rutene admits the 27-strong squad he named yesterday to prepare for a match against US Universities at Memorial Park on June 19 does contain its share of question marks.
"I'm really pleased with the talent we had to pick from but there are a lot of players who still have to prove they can take the next step up, and this is a big chance for them in that regard."
Rutene was also quick to emphasise the door was very definitely not closed for players with representative aspirations who had not made the initial squad.
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Among those on the missing list are three of the stars from last season's Heartland campaign; captain Kurt Simmonds, Andrew McLean and Jesse McGilvary, with Simmonds and McLean injured and McGilvary now playing his rugby in Australia.
Also not there are former captain Joss Tua-Davidson, who has just resumed playing for Eketahuna after a season off, and another Eketahuna player, lock Dan Griffin, who was a standout for Wairarapa-Bush a few seasons back before injury took its toll.
His form at club level this season has been impressive but whether he is available for rep play remains to be seen and the same goes for former Canterbury rep Sam Monaghan, who also plays for Eketahuna.
The initial squad contains no "imports" from the Wellington region with Rutene deciding to give local players the opportunity to strut their stuff before looking to the likes of Wellington to cover any potential deficiencies.
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The full squad is: Wilba Davies, Daniel George, Tipene Haira, Cody Whittaker, Nathan Hunt, Michael Te Whare (Martinborough); Nathan Iro, Tapaga Isaac, Teihana Brown (Greytown); Lachie McFadzean, Tom Dixon, Johnie McFadzean, Jesse Vella (Carterton); Inia Katia, Richard Puddy, Cameron Hayton (Gladstone); James Goodger (Marist); Rima Mururai, Eruera Henare (Pioneer); Clark Butcher, Zeb Aporo, Nick Olson (East Coast); Johan van Vliet (Eketahuna); Sam Marshall-Wilton, Jordan Bennett-Davies, Campbell Lawrence (Bush). Training will be at Memorial Park on Wednesday, May 22, at 6.30pm with any player unavailable to advise Mark Rutene (0274) 470-833.