Coach positive

Wairarapa-Bush rugby coach Peter Russell says the fallout of players from last year's squad is not as bad it might seem.
Many of the team which finished runner-up in the 2004 NPC third division series were missing when club matches kicked off in Wairarapa-Bush on Saturday, but Russell is confident most will return well before the inter-provincial programme gets into full swing.
"I don't think we'll be too badly off when the dust settles," he said. "We could be without three or four from last season, but hopefully no more than that."
Among regulars from last season's squad who did not front up on Saturday were backs Richard Carroll, Nathan Couch, Jaco Pieterse, Simanu Simanu and Hamish McKenzie.
Carroll, Couch and Pieterse are all recovering from injury and are expected to be back in action within the next month and Simanu and McKenzie are both out of the district. However, Russell believes they will again be joining up with the Eketahuna club in the not-too-distant future.
Also not turning out on Saturday because of injury was former Marlborough loose forward Rob Dick, who will be playing for Gladstone, while Carterton will soon be boosted by the return home of front rower Joe Harwood, who has played for Wairarapa-Bush in the past.
The fact three members of last season's representative line-up, loose forwards Mike Robinson and Bryan Saolele and wing Esava Teko are currently playing their club rugby in Wellington does not necessarily mean they too won't be available for Wairarapa-Bush in 2005.
"Who knows, they could be playing for one of our local clubs later in the season. or we might have to call on them anyway.It's too early to say what might happen in their case," Russell said.
There is the possibility also that the 2004 Player of the Year, lock Stu Smith, could still wear the Wairarapa-Bush colours this season. He has transferred to the Nelson-Bays region but has said that if he fails to make their NPC squad Wairarapa-Bush would very probably be his next option.
As if the loss of a player of Smith's calibre is not bad enough making it even worse is the news that two other middle rowers from last season's rep team, Daniel Joblin and Dan Griffin, have also moved out of the area, Joblin to Otago and Griffin to Manawatu.
Such is the shortage of quality locks locally in fact that the overseas "market' is being checked out to see if possible replacements for Smith and company can be gleaned from there.
"Right now the locking situation certainly isn't ideal but we're being pro-active in trying to solve it and hopefully we'll come up with something positive," Russell said
On a brighter note the Wairarapa-Bush coach has been delighted with the enthusiasm shown by the 24 prospective representative players who have been undertaking fitness training programmes since early in the New Year.
In charge of that aspect of their preparation has been a new face in the management team, Chanel College physical education teacher Stu Berkeley, whose own rugby curriculum vitae includes playing for the England under-18 and under-21 teams and on a professional basis for the famous Wasps club.
. "I would say that in terms of fitness most of our players are ahead of where they were last season. They've really got stuck in and done the hard yards," Russell said.
Plans are also in place for the current squad members to be addressed by noted sports psychologist Dave Hatfield, who has worked with both the Hurricanes and the All Blacks.
Russell said Hatfield would be concentrating on the mental side of the game with the aim to being to enhance players awareness of the importance of making accurate on field decisions.
"It's one thing to be fit but if the top two inches aren't working then the chances are that no matter how ready you are physically you'll still struggle to compete," Russell said