This year has seen the competition split into six-team country and town groups, with the top 3 from each division forming the championship group for the second round.
With Utiku, Taihape, Marton, 2021 champions Kelo Hunterville, runners-up Harvey Round Motors Ratana and a now solely-senior Ruapehu making up the country grade, the pathway to the top 3 has been described as "murderers row".
A couple of country sides, likely capable of beating one or two teams which will make town's top 3, are going to miss out.
"My thoughts exactly, we're up against it," said Utiku assistant coach Dave Kereti.
Utiku's attempt to regain the shield from Marton on their home turf came up short 34-12, but the side travelled better to Ohakune last weekend, holding on 24-19 against Ruapehu.
"Given they've lost a few senior members to premier sides, they still were pretty tough," said Kereti of the narrow win.
"It could have gone either way."
New head coach Michael Ziarno brings a couple of players from the Waiouru Military Camp down with him to provide some much-needed reinforcement to the backline – Utiku is known for cultivating a strong forward pack.
"With them and their [military] exercises, we can have top prospects one week, and then reworking to use our forwards as backs," said Kereti.
"We're getting good numbers to training."
Leading the charge upfront are the three Coogan brothers – the sons of Utiku club legend Andrew.
Prop Gordon Coogan played the 2021 representative preseason fixtures for Steelform Whanganui until suffering a shoulder injury against Hawke's Bay Development, while Mark Coogan was named in the Whanganui Development XV squad.
Joining them is James, who captained Feilding Old Boys last season.
Preparing the game with Taihape, Kereti said as well as winning, the club is trying to give as many of their younger players as possible an opportunity, so they don't just rely on the veterans.
"The boys are up for it, we're under no illusions it will be tough."
Senior draw (1pm kickoffs unless noted, times subject to change):
Town
Border vs Celtic, Dallison Park (May 6, 6pm); Counties vs Pirates, McNab Domain; Kaierau vs Buffaloes Kaierau Country Club
Country
Ratana vs Hunterville, Ratana Pa; Taihape vs Utiku Old Boys, Memorial Park; Marton vs Ruapehu, Marton Park
Metro
It went from the worst of times to the very best for the St Johns Whanganui Metro, which created history with their first victory in three seasons of the MRU Women's competition on Saturday.
After a heavy loss to four-time consecutive champions Kia Toa RFC seven days prior, Metro's inner belief was brought to the fore with their 34-15 victory over newcomers Wairarapa Wahine Toa at the Kaierau Country Club.
"Coming into the weekend, as a leadership group, we made it clear to the girls that we just need to go out there and just be absolutely relentless," said prop Lavenia Nauga-Grey.
"We started off very well. [Wairarapa] pushed through their big ball carriers at us, that's how they came back for their two tries."
The Metro backline was outstanding, even when their franchise player Riana Tamati had to come off for a blood bin in the first quarter.
Stepping up in her absence was Keilani Tyrell, daughter of former Samoan test player and local legend Denning.
"She brought a nice, calm presence to the halfback role," said Nauga-Grey.
Also shining was Learna Nepia, in her first game for Metro after recovering from both Covid-19 and a hamstring injury.
"She just played absolutely amazing – ran the ball hard, footwork was amazing."
Former Black Fern Sosoli Talawadua led by example with some big tackles and some tactical kicking as well.
The Country Club was filled with whānau of the team, who gave boisterous support.
In one of the best compliments of the day, one of the rookie Metro players overheard two little girls in the clubrooms saying to each other they had to go out and watch the team play – when you're trying to grow the women's game locally, you can't hope to hear better.
Metro will try to keep their momentum going when they play Ashhurst Pohangina RFC at Spriggens Park on Saturday.
Meanwhile, it was an inauspicious start to St Johns Whanganui Metro Colt's defence of the Gordon Brown Memorial Cup, after a 34-20 loss to Te Kawau RFC in Rongotea.
A new-look team in the MRU Colts competition after the departure of regulars like Jack O'Leary, Keightley Watson, Joey Devine, Jacob Gedye and Sam Cosford among others – the scramble for WRFU premier and senior teams to confirm the last-minute status of other players meant Metro had a disrupted build-up to the season opener.
"Really scrappy – we had 10 or 11 at training, then on Saturday we had 22," said coach Mark Cosford, staying on for one more season.
"A bit awkward to work on moves and lineout calls before kickoff."
Te Kawau, meanwhile, had a couple of preseason fixtures, and ultimately out-scored Metro five tries to four, with successful goal kicking widening the margin.
Winger Justin Ferguson got a double for Metro, with the other tries coming from Sebastian Devine and player-of-the-day halfback Jerome McKenna, all three being squad members from the previous season, with Devine following in the footsteps of his brothers.
"The younger ones from last year, I've got a core of eight to nine and some new boys coming through," said Cosford.
He will be joined by Ricky Winterburn as an assistant coach, having had success with the City College 1st XV, with an eye to Winterburn taking over the head coach role in 2023.
Metro have the bye in their nine-team competition this weekend, before facing Bush SC at their park on May 14.
