'Friendly' fixture scrapped

Plans to have Wairarapa-Bush play a "friendly" representative fixture against East Coast in Masterton prior to the commencement of the 2008 Heartland rugby championship have been scrapped.
Both unions were supportive of the fixture being played but with neither wanting to interfere with club schedules a suitable date could not be found. Complicating the process was East Coast's desire to play on a weekend so as to avoid players having to get time off work to travel to Masterton for a midweek fixture. Their inter-club season finishes on July 19 while Wairarapa-Bush's continues through until August 2. Wairarapa-Bush then play Poverty Bay and a Wellington XV on the next two Saturdays.
The good news, however, is that plans are already being put in place for East Coast and Wairarapa-Bush to play a non-championship match next season, and probably on an annual basis from then onwards. A feature of the draw for inter-club rugby matches in Wairarapa-Bush on Saturday is the fact no senior first division games will be played in Masterton. The main game at Memorial Park will be a senior thirds match between Masterton Red Star and Featherston.
The draw is:-
SENIOR FIRSTS: Puketoi v Greytown, Pongaroa at 2.30pm (C.Jefferies); Eketahuna v Marist, Eketahuna at 2.45pm (A.Stringer; E.Wallace and home team touch judge); East Coast v Gladstone, Whareama at 2.45pm (D.Goodin; G.Hall and T.Lyford); Martinborough v Carterton, Martinborough at 2.30pm (G.Reisima).
SENIOR THIRDS: Masterton Red Star v Featherston, Memorial Park at 2.30pm (M.Brown); Eketahuna v Marist, Eketahuna at 1pm (E.Wallace); East Coast v Gladstone, Whareama at 1pm (T.Lyford); Carterton v Tuhirangi, Carterton at 2.30pm (K.Lochhead), Pioneer a bye.
COLTS: East Coast v Oroua, Whareama at 1pm (G.Hall).
Secondary schools.-Premier one: Wairarapa firsts v Rathkeale firsts, Wairarapa at 12.30pm (I.Hooper; A.Payne and B.Whale). Premier four: Kuranui firsts v Tawa seconds, Kuranui at 1pm (V.Peterson).
OPEN GRADE: Wairarapa College seconds v Rathkeale seconds, Wairarapa College at 11.15am (A.Payne); Rathkeale thirds v Wairarapa College thirds, Rathkeale at 11.15am (R.McKay); Chanel firsts a bye.
JUNIOR: Wairarapa College Blue v Makoura, Wairarapa College at 10am (B.Whale); Chanel v Kuranui, Chanel at 10am (E.Wallace); Wairarapa College Gold v Rathkeale, Wairarapa College at 10am (T.Lyford).
SECONDARY SCHOOLGIRLS (Sunday): Kuranui v Awatapu, Kuranui at 12 noon (A.Payne).