Marist, Gladstone to clash in opener

It will be a replay of last year's grand final when Gladstone and Marist meet in the opening round of matches in the Wairarapa-Bush Rugby Union's senior first division competition on April 5 with defending champions Gladstone having the home advantage on this occasion.
A total of 10 teams will again contest the premier series although Greytown will be operating on their own account rather than as an amalgam with Tuhirangi, who will field a team in the senior thirds competition instead.
The first round draw is:
APRIL 5: East Coast v Greytown at Whareama, Masterton Red Star v Eketahuna at Memorial Park, Gladstone v Marist at Gladstone, Pioneer v Puketoi at Pioneer, Martinborough v Carterton at Martinborough.
APRIL 12: East Coast v Eketahuna at Whareama, Martinborough v Greytown at Martinborough, Carterton v Pioneer at Carterton, Puketoi v Gladstone at Puketoi, Masterton Red Star v Marist at Memorial Park.
APRIL 19: Pioneer v East Coast at Pioneer, Marist v Puketoi at Memorial Park, Eketahuna v Carterton at Eketahuna, Greytown v Masterton Red Star at Greytown, Gladstone v Martinborough at Gladstone.
APRIL 26: Puketoi v East Coast at Puketoi, Masterton Red Star v Martinborough at Memorial Park, Greytown v Eketahuna at Greytown, Carterton v Marist at Carterton, Pioneer v Gladstone at Pioneer.
MAY 3: East Coast v Masterton Red Star at Whareama, Greytown v Carterton at Greytown, Martinborough v Puketoi at Martinborough, Marist v Pioneer at Memorial Park, Eketahuna v Gladstone at Eketahuna.
MAY 10: Puketoi v Carterton at Puketoi, Gladstone v East Coast at Gladstone, Marist v Greytown at Memorial Park, Eketahuna v Martinborough at Eketahuna, Masterton Red Star v Pioneer at Memorial Park.
MAY 17: Carterton v East Coast at Carterton, Gladstone v Masterton Red Star at Gladstone, Eketahuna v Pioneer at Eketahuna, Martinborough v Marist at Martinborough. Greytown v Puketoi at Greytown.
MAY 24: Marist v Eketahuna at Memorial Park, East Coast v Martinborough at Whareama, Puketoi v Masterton Red Star at Puketoi, Gladstone v Carterton at Gladstone, Pioneer v Greytown at Pioneer.
MAY 31: East Coast v Marist at Whareama, Pioneer v Martinborough at Pioneer, Greytown v Gladstone at Greytown, Carterton v Masterton Red Star at Carterton, Eketahuna v Puketoi at Eketahuna.