The prospects of Wairarapa-Bush challenging hard for the major spoils in the Heartland rugby competition have been given a huge boost.
Fears that prolific-scoring first-five Glen Walters might not be on deck in 2013 dissipated yesterday when Wairarapa-Bush head coach Mark Rutene confirmed Walters would not only be available for representative selection again but was transferring from the Hutt Old Boys Marist club in Wellington to Greytown.
He could have his first game for the defending Tui Cup champions when they take on Bush Sports at Pahiatua tomorrow.
News that Walters, a former pupil at Kuranui College, was going to be playing his club rugby here was particularly heartening for Rutene, as he will lose the "loan player" status he had last year and enable another player to be brought in from outside the region if deemed necessary for their Heartland campaign.
"I guess you could say it gives us an extra card to play but we are still a way off from going down that track. Right now the focus is on giving the local players the chance to push their claims," Rutene said yesterday.