Harwood back, but out of first game

Carterton hooker Joe Harwood has been reinstalled as captain of the Wairarapa-Bush rugby team for the 2008 season although he won't be in charge when they play their first non-championship match against a Wellington XV at Memorial Park, Masterton next Tuesday.
Harwood will miss that game because of work commitments and the leadership role will go to No.8 Mike Spence, who was preferred by then coaches Graeme Cheetham and Lofty Stevenson as skipper through their team's 2007 campaign which ended with defeat in the semi-finals of the Meads Cup section of the Heartland championship.
New coach Kelvin Tantrum was at pains yesterday to dismiss any thoughts that the choice of Harwood as his captain could be seen as any sort of adverse reaction to Spence's performance last year, a sentiment supported by his naming of Spence as the official vice-captain for the current Wairarapa-Bush squad.
Rather, it was a case of Harwood's impressive efforts as captain of the Wairarapa-Bush team which won the Meads Cup two seasons back and of the national Heartland side which toured Argentina that same year which made him the "logical choice.", along with the fact that he had again been named skipper of the national Heartland team last season although no tour was organised for them on that occasion.
"He (Harwood) has huge respect amongst his peers, both on and off the paddock," Tantrum said.
"He's got outstanding leadership qualities and it makes good sense to have him as captain"
Unfortunately for Tantrum, Harwood will not be the only experienced player missing from next Tuesday's action.
Prop Brett Rudman and halfback James Bruce are both out with injury while midfielder Nathan Couch has commitments elsewhere. Also out is promising Gladstone first-five Dean Grant who is undertaking a two-week training course at the Mexted Rugby Academy while another talented youngster in Greytown halfback Mike Hollis is battling sickness and is very unlikely to be part of the starting XV
Providing further injuries from tomorrow's club play do not disrupt Tantrum's plans the likelihood is that another of the young brigade in Zeb Aporo (East Coast)will be at halfback on Tuesday with Patrick Rimene (Marist) and Mike Shaw (Gladstone) in the five-eighths, Jordan Watene (Gladstone) at centre, Lance Stevenson Carterton) and Nick Olson (East Coast) on the wings and Tiari Mahuri (Marist) at fullback. Of them Watene, Olson and Mahuri would be making their debuts for Wairarapa-Bush at senior A level.
In the forwards the front row is likely to consist of Kurt Simmonds (Gladstone), newcomer Mo Liemainelau (Greytown) and Dylan Higgison (Tuhirangi) with Tomasi Kedrabuka (Carterton) and Dan Griffin (Eketahuna) the locks.Spence (Gladstone) will be at No.8 and the probable flankers are Sully Alsop (Eketahuna) and Nathan Rolls ({Pioneer).
Tantrum has been delighted with the progress made by his squad at recent training sessions but is under no illusions as to the task facing them against a Wellington XV likely to consist of some of that union's most promising talent. "It's a tough game first up but it will be a good test of the character of our guys and that's something which will be very valuable come later in the season," he said."For us it's all about doing the basics well, of competing strongly in every area.Do that and we will be heading in the right direction.".
KAPENE MEMORIAL CUP
The draw for Moose Kapene Memorial Cup senior first division matches tomorrow again poses the question of why when two games are being played in Masterton on the same day they are not scheduled for the same venue or, failing that, at least have one starting 90mins after the other.
Having Marist playing Eketahuna at Memorial Park and Pioneer playing East Coast at the Park Sportsground with both games kicking off at 2.45pm means would-be spectators will have to choose which one they attend whereas sensible planning could have enabled them to watch the two should they wish to do so..
Mind you, choosing between the two won't be too hard for most non-ticket holders as the chances are they will have to pay to enter Memorial Park while entry to the Park Sportsground will be free,another anomaly which the union's council of clubs needs to address post haste..
A brief preview of senior first division games is:-
MARIST V EKETAHUNA Memorial Park No.1, 2.45pm:
The form book says anything other than a comfortable Marist win will be a surprise.They are coming off a hard-fought win over Martinborough and will be up against an Eketahuna team battling injury concerns and a disappointing loss to Greytown seven days previously.With Dan Griffin at the helm Eketahuna should at least break even in the lineouts and Sully Alsop should also give them parity in the battle for loose ball. Two of the unsung heroes of the Marist pack in hooker Kyle Karaitiana and lock James Goodger will lead their response up front but it is in the backs where they should have the winning edge, thanks to the likes of Patrick Rimene,Phil Aporo and Tiari Mahuri. PIONEER V EAST COAST Park Sportsground, 2.45pm:
This should be a cracker of a game with East Coast on something of a roll after successive wins over Martinborough and Puketoi and Pioneer buoyed by their stirring seven-point loss to unbeaten Gladstone last Saturday. East Coast's tactics could be the key as they might need to adopt a more conservative approach than usual to kerb Pioneer's strength in broken play situations ,an area in which forwards Nathan Rolls, Mike Wilson and Lee Ewe relish every opportunity to strut their stuff.Lessen their impact and East Coast could win, allow them latitude and Pioneer will probably prevail. GREYTOWN V CARTERTON, Greytown at 2.45pm:
Greytown grabbed their first win of the season when they beat Eketahuna last weekend and with that monkey off their backs they could prove troublesome for a Carterton side coming off the bye.The big test for Greytown will revolve around containing Carterton in the set pieces as with Tomasi Kedrabuka in the lineouts and Joe Harwood in the scrums they have a couple of experienced campaigners to show the way there. If Greytown do manage a reasonable share of possession though their backs could take some stopping as they appeal as a slicker unit than their Carterton counterparts.| MARTINBOROUGH V PUKETOI Martinborough No.1, 2.30pm:
Three successive losses have seen Martinborough drop off the pace on the points table in a competition dedicated to the memory of one of their favourite sons and and they will be keen to get their season back on track here.They seem likely to have the edge on Puketoi for flair and speed in the backs but with Jared Bambry and Evan Small the flag bearers Puketoi's forwards will ensure the home team has to work overtime for quality ball.There shouldn't be a lot in this one.