While happy with the overall performance of his side at that event, Telford said there was obvious scope for improvement and he believes that has come through three practice games against formidable opposition and by training three times a week since a brief break over the Christmas-New Year period.
Calling the shots at one of those training sessions was Scott Cottier, an Aucklander who specialises in fitness work and has been closely involved with the Warriors. That particular session lasted two hours and Telford said the benefits were immense, mentally and physically.
"It was pretty gut busting but it gave the boys an idea of what was required to succeed at the very top levels, everything seems to have gone up a notch since then," he said.
There will be no easy pool games for Wairarapa-Bush at the Rotorua tourney. First up on Saturday they will meet Wellington (10.05am) and then will confront Waikato (12.45pm) and North Harbour (4.20pm). The Wellington and North Harbour games will be televised.
If the games were 15-a-side, Wairarapa-Bush would be on a hiding to nothing in all three of these matches but Telford is quick to point out that sevens is different and his side have the necessary combination of speed and unpredictability to trouble - and perhaps even beat - any other team in the country.
"Anybody who sees us as a pushover could be in for a shock, we don't need to fear anyone," he said. "If we play well as a team and stick together and back each other up anything could happen."
There are 13 players in the Wairarapa-Bush squad and while all of them except travelling reserve, promising Wairarapa College loosie Bruce Kauika-Petersen, are guaranteed plenty of game time the starting seven will probably consist of Rima Marurai, Nick Olson and Tavita Isaac in the forwards and Inia Katia, captain Sam Monaghan, Corey McFadzean and Nathan Hunt in the backs. That would leave Raymond Oakley, Daryl Pickering, Rodney Kjestrup, Nick Robertson and Upper Hutt "import" Richard Wasley on the bench. The latter is a "man mountain" whose size and mobility means it takes at least a couple of defenders to stop him whenever he has ball in hand.
There is no question, however, that if Wairarapa-Bush are to fire then Katia and Monaghan will need to play a leading hand. Katia's nifty footwork and rapid acceleration makes him a natural at sevens and Monaghan is also expert at not only making room for himself, but also others around him. The more space they create for speedsters like McFadzean, a former top college player who has returned from Otago to play for Carterton in 2015, and Hunt the better the chances of success.
