Backs to burn!

Wairarapa-Bush rugby coach Peter Russell is excited at the number of talented midfield backs available for representative selection in 2006.
The two players who starred there for most of last season, when Wairarapa-Bush won the very last NPC third division competition, Nathan Couch and Simanu Simanu, will again be the top contenders, but challenging them hard are Glen Bunny, Tom Harmon, Lawrence Matthews, Russell Thompson and Duncan Rutherford.
Couch is currently in the United States, but is heading home within the next fortnight, which is not only good news for Wairarapa-Bush, but also for his Marist club whose hopes of a premier division inter-club title will obviously be boosted by his return.
His no-nonsense on both attack and defence played a big part in Wairarapa-Bush's successes last season, and he combined superbly with Simanu whose form was so consistently impressive that he was named third division player of the year.
Bunny and Harmon were part of last season's Wairarapa-Bush squad and their versatility was valuable, Bunny also shaping well at fullback and Harmon proving lively on the wing.
They have both been in good touch at club level this season, and with Wairarapa-Bush not exactly chockful of quality fullbacks and wingers they could, in fact, be seen in those roles again at times on the representative scene?.. that is if they don't become first choice midfielders of course.
Both Matthews and Thompson have played for Wairarapa-Bush in the past with Thompson also having repped for Counties. He has joined up with Pioneer on the local scene, but is currently battling a leg injury which will probably keep him out of contention for Wairarapa-Bush's Jimmy Cotter Memorial Trophy match with Wellington at Memorial Park next Tuesday.
Matthews was his typically elusive self for his Marist club in their win over Martinborough in Saturday match and, like Bunny, has the skills to do a decent job at fullback as well.
Rutherford from Gladstone is the new kid on the block amongst those in the reckoning for midfield berths. He too has been in good form in interclub matches, and is yet another who is more than handy in the fullback position, a role he filled capably for the Wairarapa-Bush under-23s in their recent fixture with Japan Universities.
Thompson is not the only current squad member on the "very doubtful" list for the Wellington game. Hopes were high that former Buller winger Junior Tongia ? scorer of three tries in two games against Wairarapa-Bush last season ? would make his debut for Wairarapa-Bush there, but he too has a leg injury which will almost certainly keep him out of that game.
The same situation applies too to last season's prolific try scorer Esava Teko, but another winger in the 2005 line-up, Marika Kau, has returned to Wellington from a stint in Taranaki and is available for selection for the Cotter trophy match. Considering the paucity of quality wingers on the club scene, he seems likely to be named there, along with Eketahuna flier Jori Tamani, who is starting to return to the form which made him such a key figure in the Wairarapa-Bush side a couple of seasons back
Russell will announce his team for the Wellington game on Friday, and it is certain to include a number of debutantes in the Wairarapa-Bush jersey?.players like props Burtus Buckle and Brent Rudman, hooker Ross Batty, lock Lalangi Peters and loosie Mike Spence.