Rugby
Gun Eketahuna flanker Johan Van Vliet will captain the Wairarapa-Bush rugby squad in their 2013 Heartland Championship campaign.
Head coach Mark Rutene confirmed the appointment of Van Vliet yesterday, saying he was "very happy" with the way he had performed in the deputy role last season and as skipper for "friendlies" against United States Collegians and Wanganui this year.
"He is a top player who leads by example, in the end it was a pretty straight forward appointment," Rutene said.
The need for a new face in the captaincy role for Heartland games this season came through the serious arm injury suffered by the incumbent, Greytown prop Kurt Simmonds, in the Meads Cup semifinal with Wanganui last October. He has played no rugby at all this year as a consequence but hopes to return in 2014.