Gutted Carterton eyeing stars

Defending champions Carterton will be without at least seven members of last season's squad for this year's Wairarapa-Bush senior first division rugby competition.
Carterton benefited from the transfer of six players from Pioneer last year - backs Tommy Harmon, Charlie Brown, Rex Rimene and Tipene Haira and forwards Lee Ewe and Mike Harmon - but they will all be back in the Pioneer colours this year.
Also missing will be longtime front-rower and captain Joe Harwood who has retired from all rugby because of a neck injury. He skippered Wairarapa-Bush to Lochore Cup success last season.
Coach Steve Hurley says the loss of so many players weakens Carterton but he is still confident that come the end of the series they will again be among the serious title contenders. "I'm pretty sure we will be thereabouts when it counts," he said.
Wairarapa-Bush reps Dylan Higgison, Tomasi Kedrabuka and John McFadzean will be important members of the Carterton pack with Mike Wakefield and a new face in Ash Casey also expected to make their presence felt there.
Two of the best halfbacks in the province, Justin Lett and Cody Whittaker, will compete for the starting role in that position while other backline stars on deck again will be the versatile Jono Hurley and Lance Stevenson. The 2011 Wairarapa-Bush senior first division rugby competition starts on Saturday, March 19.