Selector slams talent lack

Wairarapa senior tennis selector Luke Atkinson is worried about the lack of players with the skills and desire to represent the province on the representative stage.
Atkinson had to work overtime to ensure Wairarapa fielded a team in the annual Adidas Cup tournament at Palmerston North at the weekend and with "four or five" of that squad very probably non-starters for next season he is concerned how competitive Wairarapa might be without them.
"A lot can change from season to season but right now you'd have to wonder whether we will have the quality of player available to make it worthwhile to actually front up," Atkinson said.
"We've only just managed to hang in this year and unfortunately the signs are we could be in an even worse state next season."
Atkinson was pleased, however, with the overall efforts of Wairarapa at the latest Adidas Cup tourney. They lost by just 9-7 to Taranaki and while the defeats by eventual champions Manawatu and Wanganui were more decisive they had still acquitted themselves with credit.
"We always knew it would be tough going but, in reality, we didn't do too badly," Atkinson said.
"Individually there were some very good results and everybody gave it 100 per cent. You couldn't fault them in that respect."