Seven applications have been received by the Wairarapa-Bush Rugby Union for the position of coach of their Heartland championship side for the 2008 season which became vacant through the resignation of Earl Va'a last month.
Four of them are from people currently resident outside the Wairarapa-Bush region with one actually living
overseas.
Chief executive officer Phil Taylor declined to release the names of the applicants because of privacy requirements but he said only two of them had put their names forward at the time Va'a was given the job.
"We are absolutely delighted with the number of applications received and the quality of the people involved," Taylor said, adding it was still hoped to finalise the appointment at a meeting of the union's board on Monday evening.
"Hopefully we can get any interviews we need to do out of the way before then," he said.
It is understood one of the local applicants for the coaching job is Graeme Cheetham, who shared the role with Lofty Stevenson last season when Wairarapa-Bush made it through to the semi-finals of the Meads Cup section of the Heartland championship. His overlooking in favour of Va'a in the initial selection process has attracted much debate. It is believed too that Cheetham's opponents on this occasion include a former Wairarapa-Bush B and Masterton Marist coach in Tony Hargood, who apparently had a late change of heart after telling the Times-Age earlier in the week that while he had given the position some thought he would not be putting his name forward because of timing issues.
Hargood has impressive credentials, having just been appointed to the coaching staff of the Auckland emerging players side after having helped coach the Auckland Colts last season ,a side which lost only one game.
On the club scene too Hargood has made a big impact in Auckland, coaching the Mt Wellington side which last season earned promotion to the premier grade for 2008.
