Visitors represent danger says coach

Wairarapa tennis selector Steve Hurley isn't making any bold predictions over his team's chances of winning the hexangular inter-provincial tournament to be played at the Masterton Tennis Centre on December 12 and 13.
It's not that Hurley lacks faith in his players , rather that he respects the calibre of opposition likely to be provided by Wellington, Kapi Mana, Hutt Valley, Manawatu and a combined Taranaki-Wanganui combination.
"It's going to be tough for us, very tough,"Hurley said. "We won't be favourites, that's for sure"
The actual Wairarapa line-up won't be named until next week but likely starters in the men's line-up are Jono Hurley (Masterton), Baden Stevenson (Gladstone), Matt Spooner (Carterton) and Luke. Atkinson (Masterton), all of whom have performed well in the past in the representative arena.
Hopes too are that one of the country's top-ranked players on the professional circuit, Marcus Daniell, will again be part of the Wairarapa squad although Hurley said the prospects of him being available were about 50-50 at this stage.
The loss of talented youngster Sade Atkinson (Masterton) through a broken finger is a big blow to Wairarapa and leaves Hurley with a women's section in which Katie Wyeth (Opaki) is likely to be the only experienced campaigner.
"The bulk of our women will be fairly new to this level of tennis and it's going to be a huge test for them, "Hurley said.
On the inter-club front defending champions Martinborough and Pirinoa are calling the tune points-wise in the Wairarapa regional one tennis competition although the evenness of the six competing teams means grand final spots are a long way from sorted out.
Pirinoa, for instance, can expect a stern challenge from Masterton at Pirinoa tomorrow. Masterton will obviously be weakened by the absence of Sade Atkinson but with Jono Hurley, Luke Atkinson and Steve Hurley all on deck a close finish seems assured. Pirinoa have made a habit of 5-4 wins this season and it would be no surprise if that was the scoreline again.
Martinborough are at home to Opaki and will be fancying their chances of a comfortable victory thanks to the combined talents of players like Steve Chapman, Marco de Groot , the Nicholson brothers, Dan and Matt and Rhona Lovell.
Gladstone edged out Masterton in a thriller last weekend and their battle with Carterton at Gladstone should also go right down to the wire.Normally the top men's singles between Baden Stevenson and Matt Spooner would be the headline grabber here but with reverse singles matches being played in the second round it's very unlikely they will meet in that department.
.....Regional one teams are reminded that scoresheets should be faxed to the Wairarapa Times-Age on Saturday evenings so that publication deadlines can be met.