The eligibility of star flanker Joss Tua-Davidson to play for Wairarapa-Bush in the 2009 Heartland rugby championship, which kicks off on Saturday, was under severe doubt yesterday.
In a shock move the NZRU have informed the Wairarapa-Bush union that Tua-Davidson does not qualify to represent them as a "local player" because
of playing his club rugby for Bush Sports in the Manawatu competition.
It is a ruling which is being strongly challenged by the WBRFU with chief executive officer Phil Taylor saying his board were "disappointed and frustrated" that Tua-Davidson's eligibility was even being questioned at this late stage.
Taylor was adamant the WBRFU had hid nothing from the NZRU when detailing the credentials - including club registration - of likely Heartland squad members, including Tua-Davidson and a now injured second Bush Sports player Brandan Young - earlier in the season.
"You would thought that if there was a problem we would have heard about it then ... for it to come out just a few days out from our first Heartland game is both disappointing and frustrating," he said.
Taylor said the WBRFU case for Tua-Davidson - who lives in Pahiatua - to be considered a "local player" was based around the fact that Bush Sports's initial entry in the Manawatu competition had come with the blessing of the Wairarapa-Bush union and the club were clearly resident within their bounds.
"We accept the whole situation does have grey areas to it but we will be arguing there is fair cause for him (Tua-Davidson) to be given the benefit of any doubt," Taylor said.
Wairarapa-Bush coach Kelvin Tantrum echoed Taylor's sentiments, pointing out Tua-Davidson had played in his team's Ranfurly Shield challenge against Wellington and all their other non-championship fixtures and not a word had come from the NZRU over his eligibility.
"Quite frankly I'm absolutely gutted it has been raised now and I am sure everybody in the team is feeling the same way," he said. "It's important to remember this is no fault of Joss or the union, everything has been done out in the open."
What makes the matter even more disconcerting for Tantrum is the three "loan player" spots in his squad have been filled by the Wellington-based trio of Junior Togia, Siaosi Anamani and Nick Risdon and that means Tua-Davidson can't play under that provision either.
"The three players we have brought in are equally important to our side ,that's the truth of it," he said.
Tua-Davidson became an obvious choice for Wairarapa-Bush after starring at blindside flanker for a Bush XV in their pre-season fixture against a Wairarapa XV and he has been their most consistent forward during their non-championship programme.
He has not only been hugely influential on attack and defence but has also had the responsibility of making the lineout calls.
Not surprisingly then coach Tantrum was taking a "living in hope" approach when naming Tua-Davidson to play on the blindside flank in his team's opening Heartland championship match against West Coast at Greymouth this Saturday.
If he can't play, however, utility forward Corey Reid will be promoted from the reserves to wear the No 6 jersey.
There are no surprises in the starting line-up with perhaps the main talking point being the debut of "origin player" Ben Pereira at hooker.
A former member of the Wairarapa College first XV Pereira has repped for Otago at various levels over the past couple of seasons.
Tommy Harmon and Heemi Tupaea have been bracketed on the wing with Tantrum making that choice later in the week.
The full Wairarapa-Bush team is:
Nick Olson; Junior Togia, Siaosi Anamani, Sam Mitchell, Tommy Harmon or Heemi Tupaea; Nick Risdon; Duncan Law, Jared Hawkins, Andrew McLean, Tomasi Kedrabuka, Joss Tua-Davidson; Jared Brock, Ben Pereira, Kurt Simmonds. Reserves: Api Matenga, Sele Tugaga, Harmon or Tupaea, Richard Puddy, Nick Beavon, Corey Reid, Chris Senior.