They, too, have backs with the attacking prowess to test the tightest of defensive structures - think the Isaac brothers and Glen Walters - but, as with Gladstone, it will be the forwards who will probably hold the key to victory. If the "tighties" do the business and allow Nathan Iro to rampage in the loose, they should provide the icing on the cake for the after-match celebrations.
East Coast and Martinborough should have a cracker of a match at Whareama. Neither team would have been particularly happy with their form of last weekend, East Coast having to rely on two opportunist tries and a late penalty to draw with Pioneer and Martinborough conceding six tries in their loss to Eketahuna. In the past this game would have been touted as a battle between the flair of the East Coast backs and the ruggedness of the Martinborough forwards but both sides like to move the ball around these days and a high-scoring fixture is on the cards. A dollar each way would seem the smartest bet here.
Carterton would have been stunned by their defeat at the hands of Bush Sports last Saturday and won't find the going any easier when they confront Pioneer at the latter's Jeans St grounds. Pioneer, by comparison, have been going great guns of late and looked every inch serious title contenders in their draw with East Coast last weekend.
Carterton's tactics will be interesting. Generally they would be expected to keep the ball close to the forwards in an attempt to negate Pioneer's running game but now the maroons have acquired the services of big Fijian centre Paula Tikomainaivalu they might be more liberal in their approach.
If Tikomainaivalu is as big a handful for Pioneer as he was for Poverty Bay when playing against Wairarapa-Bush last season anything could happen.
Marist gave Gladstone a decent hurry-up last weekend and will be hoping for the same when they take on high-flying Eketahuna at Eketahuna. Plucky as Marist are, however, it is difficult to see them staying in touch with an Eketahuna side which some good judges are already tipping as a potential grand finalist further down the track.
Tomorrow's club rugby:
Premier division: Eketahuna v Marist, Eketahuna at 2.30pm (S O'Gorman; E Wallace and P Baucke); East Coast v Martinborough, Whareama at 2.30pm (C Jefferies; D Goodin and home team); Pioneer v Carterton, Jeans St at 2.30pm (S Andrew; D Whitcombe and G McKeown); Greytown v Gladstone, Greytown at 2.30pm (A Payne; G Moorcock and G Hall); Bush Sports a bye.
Senior reserves: Eketahuna v Pioneer, Eketahuna at 1pm (P Baucke); Masterton Red Star v East Coast, Memorial Park at 1pm (P Weeks); Carterton v Marist, Carterton at 1pm (D Adams); Greytown v Tuhirangi, Greytown at 1pm (G Hall); Bush Sports a bye.
Manawatu colts: Eketahuna v Foxton, Eketahuna at 1pm (E Wallace).
Secondary schools
Premier first XV: Rathkeale firsts v Feilding High firsts, Rathkeale at noon (D Goodin; B Whale and B Stewart); Wairarapa firsts v Newlands first, Wairarapa College at 11.15am (V Peterson; J Head and home team); Kuranui firsts v Newlands seconds, Kuranui at 1pm (G Moorcock). Under-15: Wairarapa v Feilding High, Wairarapa College 3 at 9.50am (V Peterson). Open grade: Makoura firsts v Rathkeale seconds, Makoura at 11.15am (K Lochhead), Wairarapa thirds a bye. Junior grade: Rathkeale White v Rathkeale Green, Rathkeale at 10am (B Stewart); Rathkeale XV v Wairarapa Gold, Rathkeale at 10am (B Whale); Chanel v Makoura, Chanel at 10am (R Wakeling); Wairarapa Blue v Kuranui, Wairarapa College at 10am (J Head).