Rising star Vito Wellington skipper

A rising star of New Zealand rugby was named as captain of the Wellington XV named to play Wairarapa-Bush in the annual Jimmy Cotter Memorial Trophy rugby match at Memorial Park, Masterton today.
Victor Vito grabbed the headlines when he scored the winning try for the New Zealand sevens team against Samoa in the dying seconds of the grand final of the world series tournament in Wellington
His effort there and later as a member of the New Zealand squad which captured the prestigious Hong Kong sevens title for the first time since 2001, had the 20-year-old being touted as the "next Jonah Lomu",a player also starred in sevens before becoming a box office sensation in the 15-a-side game.
It was a comparision which Vito himself ridiculed on the basis there would never be "another Jonah" but it was easy to see why it was made.
Like Lomu Vito matches bulk with speed and has a habit of walking over would-be defenders rather than skirting around them.
There is one major difference though and that is that whereas Lomu made his name at 15-as-side as a winger Vito is being groomed as a loose forward and consequently he was named on the blindside flank for today's match.
Despite Vito scoring a remarkable 27 tries in his debut season for New Zealand at sevens coach Gordon Tietjens was happy with the decision to withdraw him from this squad after the Hong Kong success.
"Victor made a tremendous impact on the sevens team but a player's overall development is also important," Tietjens said. "In his case it was thought he should concentrate on 15's specific training over the next few months."
Such is Vito's potential in 15's that members of the Hurricanes Super 14 management group were expected to be in Masterton today to assess his form and he looks a near certainty to be included in Wellington's Air New Zealand Cup team as the season progresses.
Giving him the captaincy of the Wellington XV also suggests he is seen as good leadership material, something hinted at earlier when he skippered the New Zealand under-19 side in 2006.While Vito is very much the future face of New Zealand rugby many individuals who have made their mark on the provincial scene in years gone by will be seen in action at the Colombo road grounds in Masterton this coming Sunday.
It is then that the Wairarapa-based Millhillians will play their Golden Oldies counterparts from Manawatu, the Evergreens., kick off at 1.30pm
For the Millhillians this is their 26 th successive season of regular play and spokesman Ritchie Robertson said they were always on the lookout for new members, the only stipulation being they had to be at least 35 years of age.
"We've got plenty of hard grafters but we'd like to be able to inject a bit of pace out wide&&..we're a bit sluggish there," he quipped.
Robertson said prospective players didn't have to worry about finding time to attend practise sessions, simply because there weren't any.
"They have just turn up with their shorts and boots, that's about the only stipulation," he said.