Top eight rugby teams out for edge

With the first round of games behind them, teams that make up the top eight are now focusing on the business end of the rugby season with the first games being played tomorrow.

Competition points gained in the first round are not carried through but do count from now on, so teams will be keen to gain an early advantage over their rivals.

Since none of the four senior first games is scheduled to be played at Memorial Park, keen Masterton rugby fans will need to travel to catch any action. And with the prospect of a couple of close games, any travel may prove well worthwhile.

Those who head north could encounter potentially the game of the round as Kapene Cup winners Pioneer take on Bush Sports in Pahiatua. When the teams met in round one, Pioneer came from behind and, with the aid of two second-half tries, secured a 17-6 victory. Bush may feel this was one game that got away from them and will be all out to square the ledger, especially with home-ground advantage.

Both teams will be keeping one eye on the skies as weather conditions may well prove a factor since a wet and heavy ground could nullify the threat of the speedy and free-ranging Pioneer backs. The Bush forwards initially had the better of their Pioneer counterparts in the first game and will be wanting to reassert that dominance over the full 80 minutes again on Saturday.

Pioneer come off the bye from last week and will feel the fresher of the two sides. Potentially a game to savour for rugby fans.

East Coast, coming off the back of a narrow 15-12 victory last weekend against Bush Sports, should start out favourites in their visit to Carterton. But the home side have taken to the idea of leaving their best until the second round and, buoyed by a decent performance last weekend at the Gladstone Domain, Carterton may prove a hard nut to crack on their own turf.

Gladstone face a tricky trip to Greytown. The home team, a potential dark horse for this year's championship, is hitting form at the right time and will be looking to impose themselves on the visitors. Gladstone, for their part, are coming off a convincing 42-21 win and will be keen to maintain that momentum but may well need to bring their A game if they are to take the spoils.

The final senior first game sees Martinborough host Eketahuna. The home team outplayed the winless Marist last weekend at Memorial Park in a nine-try romp and, while Eketahuna will provide stiffer opposition, Martinborough should post their first points of this new round.

In the senior seconds competition, two of the teams who didn't make the cut face off against each other when Puketoi host Marist. Home advantage may prove the telling factor here in Puketoi's favour in a game which could go either way.

In the other two games, Rams should prove too strong for Martinborough while the Tuhirangi/Pioneer game is another that could be a bob each way and decided by the weather.