The Wairarapa-Bush colts rugby team is on a roll, having won all three of their matches in the B section of the Hurricanes under-20s competition and qualified to meet Poverty Bay in the final at Palmerston North this Saturday. It will the second time in as many weeks that Wairarapa-Bush andPoverty Bay have clashed with last Saturday's encounter in Gisborne seeing Wairarapa-Bush get home 20-15 after racing out to a 20-3 by halftime. In earlier competition games Wairarapa-Bush had beaten Wanganui 20-3 and Horowhenua-Kapiti 59-3. A second victory over Poverty Bay this weekend and Wairarapa-Bush would progress to a promotion-relegation game against the bottom team in the A section of the Hurricanes competition, a section which comprises Wellington, Manawatu, Hawke's Bay and Taranaki. And it would also enhance the prospects of some of their key players making it into the Hurricanes under-20s side, which will be announced later that evening. Amongst those who must be in the running for that team are backs John Dodd and John Uys, both of whom were part of the extended Wairarapa-Bush senior A squad earlier in the season, and forwards Jono Owen, Tim Iro, PJ Harrison, Jared Hawkins and Josh Mackey. Most of those players starred in senior first division club play this season with the notable exception being Owen an ex-New South Wales under-16s prop who played for Eketahuna colts. The Wairarapa-Bush side also has the advantage of having a powerful management team, all of whom seem certain to make a big impact at a higher level in the coaching role. Coach is Mark Rutene with Graeme Cheetham as his assistant while Neil Foote is trainer and Justin Herbert manager. But Rutene emphasises that while he is listed as coach all four have their say in team selections and game plans. "We've all had a fair share of experience in coaching now so it would be silly not to have everyone chipping in," he said. Rutene is not counting his chickens on the result of Saturday's match though as he was impressed by the ability of Poverty Bay to close the game up in the second half of last weekend's match.
