Unbeaten Coast in prime spot

East Coast have taken an early lead in the Wairarapa-Bush premier division competition.
They have won all three of their matches to date and are sitting on 14 points, followed by Pioneer 11, Marist 10, Gladstone, Eketahuna and Carterton 9, Martinborough 6, Masterton Red Star 4, Greytown, Featherston and Puketoi 2.
Eketahuna and Carterton are also unbeaten but, unlike East Coast, they have already had the bye in the 11-team competition.
The leading team at the end of one complete round of matches will take away the Chris Kapene Memorial Trophy but points secured over that period will not count towards the Tui Cup main championship which will initially involve two pools, one consisting of six teams and the other of five.
A full round of pool games will then be played with the semifinals seeing the pool A leader playing the second-placed team in pool B and vice-versa. The winners of those matches will then progress to the grand final on July 16.
Tuhirangi leads the senior reserves competition with 15 points. Then come Pioneer and East Coast 10, Masterton Red Star 9, Carterton 8, Martinborough 5, Eketahuna 2, Greytown, Marist and Gladstone 0.
The club draw for Saturday is:
Premier division: East Coast v Martinborough, Whareama at 2.30pm (G. Reisima; C. Jefferies and E. Wallace); Carterton v Pioneer, Carterton at 2.30pm (S. O'Gorman; P. Weeks and P. Thompson); Gladstone v Marist, Gladstone at 2.30pm (A. Stringer; A. Payne and home team); Greytown v Puketoi, Greytown at 2.30pm (G. Hall, T. Porter and home team); Featherston v Eketahuna, Featherston at 2.30pm (S. Andrew; J. Devine and home team); Masterton Red Star a bye.
Senior reserves: Eketahuna v Marist, Eketahuna at 1pm (K. Lochhead); East Coast v Martinborough, Whareama at 1pm (C. Jefferies); Carterton v Pioneer, Carterton at 1pm (P. Weeks); Gladstone v Masterton Red Star, Gladstone at 1pm (A. Payne); Tuhirangi a bye.
Manawatu colts grade:Wairarapa-Bush Baa Baas v Feilding, Memorial Park No 2 at 1pm (D. Goodin).
Wellington women's premier division: Eketahuna v Wainuiomata, Eketahuna at 11.30am (G. Moorcock).
College: Pre-season sevens at Wairarapa College from 10am to noon (J. Devine, P. Thompson and B. Whale); pre-season sevens at Rathkeale College at 9am and 10am (T. Porter, P. Weeks).