League: Town Country format fitting

Bay of Plenty league coach Doug Unuwai has a problem all selectors want - too much talent to choose from.

There was no better example of this than in the Town-versus-Country match at Puketawhero Park at the weekend.

It's been almost six years since the Bay of Plenty side have used this type of criteria to select a regional team and Unuwai says the first of two such matches is proving invaluable.

"Back then it was called the State of Origin. Ernie Walker introduced it and it used to be the Bay of Plenty side against the Midland side, which were the Tokoroa sides back in the day.

"Back then it was good, too. We played that for three seasons and we got the best of the players, come putting their hand up for those games."

The scoreline 46-14 to Town could have suggested it was a one-sided affair but both sides held nothing back - a fact that impressed Unuwai.

"There was no kindness out there. Everyone was playing for a position and that's what I think it's about. It's making the Town and Country side first then making the Bay side after that."

Unuwai who is also the coach of Pikiao Warriors said having a two-match Town-versus-Country series opened up the opportunity for him to see player combinations the regular premier competition didn't offer.

"I was really happy with it, the boys out there ... they have got the talent, it's just a matter of drilling it as a unit.

"With these games this is what we're going to get out of it.

"They're going to have more time playing together, not like in previous years, where they come together the week before and were then going into a competition. This is a good build-up to it."

The coach said the next match would be played next month and he was keen to see other players given the opportunity to show what they had to offer.

"We are going to utilise a lot more talent and introduce some outside players just to put the pressure on the guys that are in there so they're not cemented in the Bay side.

"I like to have a look at every body." Unuwai told the Rotorua Daily Post he would like to see the Town-versus-Country concept expanded.

"I hope to see it continue next year and also introduce a second senior team so we have two games running on the day.

"We've got five [premier] teams in the competition this year and we've only got, 30 or 40 players out there. That means there are another 50 or so players missing out."