Pereira set to be ‘player of origin’

Former Wairarapa College first XV front rower Ben Pereira seems certain to be the "origin player" for Wairarapa-Bush in this season's Heartland rugby championship
Pereira, 25, currently plays his rugby in Otago for the Alhambra club, which won the premier division title there last year and were beaten finalists this season.
He has also played for Otago at senior representative level, including a pre-season fixture against North Otago just a matter of weeks ago.
Pereira is not new to Wairarapa-Bush senior rugby either, having made a couple of appearances for East Coast's premier division side this season. That side was, of course, coached by his father John Pereira, who played many games in the Wairarapa-Bush jersey himself.
Wairarapa-Bush coach Kelvin Tantrum said Pereira would travel north from Dunedin to play at hooker for his side in the non-championship fixture against Otago Country at Memorial Park this coming Saturday, and a decision would be made then as to whether he would remain with the Wairarapa-Bush squad over the remainder of the season.
"We are very keen to have him and hopefully he will be just as keen to continue playing for us," Tantrum said.
"He's a big, strong mobile guy with the experience to boot, he's just what we need.".
The "origin player" concept is being introduced to the Heartland championship on a trial basis this season. It allows for teams to select one player now based outside their own boundaries but who initially developed their rugby skills in the region for whom they will play.
The Otago Country match could also see two members of the Masterton Red Star side, which beat East Coast 26-3 in the grand final of the Wairarapa-Bush premier division competition on Saturday, make their debut for the union ... openside flanker Chris Senior and utility back Sele Tugaga.
Senior has been a standout figure in the Masterton Red Star pack all season, both for his speed to the breakdowns and the surety of his defence. He will be battling head on with Martinborough's Jared Hawkins for the openside flanker's berth as the representative season progresses.
Tugaga comes into the Wairarapa-Bush squad mainly as the back-up first-five to his Masterton Red Star clubmate Byron Karaitiana, but his versatility is such he can also play in the midfield or at
fullback if required.
Hopes are too that two of Wairarapa-Bush's three "loan" players for the Heartland championship, halfback Nick Risdon and wing Junior Togia, both of whom play their club rugby in Wellington, will be on deck for the Otago Country match.
The third "loan player" has yet to be confirmed with Tantrum hopeful of making a signing later this week. He is not saying what position that player will cover but in doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that a specialist fullback would be very handy.
The one injury problem confronting Wairarapa-Bush for this coming weekend surrounds Pioneer utility forward Nathan Rolls, who is battling broken ribs and he will not be risked.
Tantrum admits to knowing little about Otago Country but with Otago being one of the country's top provinces he is expecting them to provide Wairarapa-Bush with spirited opposition.
"I can't imagine they would be making a North Island tour just for the fun of it, they'll be a very competitive unit," he said. "We are at the stage where we need a decent hit-out and I'm sure we are going to get that."
Meanwhile, John Pereira has confirmed he will not be applying for the position of coach of the East Coast club's premier side next year.
In his two years in the position Pereira guided East Coast to their first premier division title ever 2008 and they were the beaten finalists this season.
"It's been both challenging and rewarding and I think the time is right to step aside and give somebody else a go," Pererira said, adding he had made his intentions known to East Coast officials well before the latest grand final.