Rutene eyes repeat success

BACK: Kurt Simmonds, returning to the fold.PHOTOS/FILE

Mark Rutene is already thinking ahead. Reappointed this week as head coach of the Wairarapa-Bush rugby squad for the 2014 season, he is determined not to let standards drop after taking his side to the semifinals of the premier section of the Heartland championship, the Meads Cup, this year and in 2012.

He is keen to reinstate the summer training programmes, which largely fell by the wayside last season as the Wairarapa-Bush union successfully battled to overcome its financial difficulties.

"The plan is to set up a structure which will have a group of players doing regular gym work from early January," Rutene told the Times-Age yesterday. "Enhancing their physical strengths is important, and it takes time. It won't happen overnight."

Rutene is aware that being a top four side in the Heartland championship for two years running means there is little chance of Wairarapa-Bush getting under the guard of their opposition next year.

"We have to accept we will be going into the championship as one of the favourites, and we have to be able to deal with the extra pressures that can bring," he said. "Nobody is going to take us for granted, we are going to have to be up for every game. It's a tough competition, there are 12 teams and you can't really discount any of them."

Having Paddy Gough return as assistant coach was labelled "tremendous news" by Rutene after there had been talk of him heading overseas and he was also delighted to have Gavin Hodder reappointed to the manager's position.

It seems almost certain, however, a new trainer will have to be found as Stacey Grant is unlikely to continue in that role because of his commitments as rugby development officer for the Wairarapa-Bush union.

"Stacey will be a huge loss to us, he's done a marvellous job over the past couple of seasons but he's a busy man, we understand that."

Rutene is expecting the bulk of the 2013 Heartland squad to be available for selection again next season, and there will be some notable acquisitions as well.

Skipper in 2012, Greytown prop Kurt Simmonds, will return to the fold as will Gladstone lock Andrew McLean. These experienced campaigners missed this year's Heartland programme through injury. Eketahuna flanker Johan Van Vliet took over the leadership in Simmonds' absence and is now playing in the Netherlands but is expected to back on deck as well.

New faces are likely to include high-profile front rowers Stan Wright and Eugene Gerrard. Wright, who plays at prop, has represented his home nation Cook Islands as well as playing for Northland in the old Air New Zealand Cup competition, Leinster in the Heineken Cup and Stade Francois in France's top 14 competition. According to Wikipedia he was the highest paid athlete from the Cook Islands in 2011.

Gerrard is a hooker who has played at the top levels in Manawatu and Hawke's Bay.