Wairarapa-Bush squad head to Martinborough in tsunami alert

Evacuation skills weren't exactly on the agenda for the Wairarapa-Bush rugby training squad at their three-day camp at Whiterock Station, near Martinborough, last weekend but their alertness in that discipline was tested first hand on the Sunday.
Early that morning the 16 players and their management team were awoken with the news a tsunami was possible along the Wairarapa coastline because of the 8.8 magnitude earthquake which shook Chile. Activities planned post-breakfast were cancelled in favour of packing up and heading to the comparative safety of Martinborough township.
''It was something different you don't often have _ a tsunami as an excuse for skipping training,'' Wairarapa-Bush coach Kelvin Tantrum quipped. ''We were told we had to go and we didn't argue.''
Tantrum was, however, delighted with the progress made over the first two days of the camp with Friday night involving discussions between players and management regarding how best Wairarapa-Bush could prepare for their 2010 campaign, which seems likely to involve three ''friendlies'' before the start of their Heartland championship campaign.
Poverty Bay and Wellington Samoans have already been confirmed as definite starters and hopes are that at least one other lead-up match can be arranged.
Tantrum said players had been asked to air their views on what structures they saw as working well in previous seasons, along with those which had not been so successful, and he described their input as ''extremely valuable''.
And he was also impressed by the enthusiasm shown by squad members on the Saturday when a variety of events were held, including non-rugby activities like fishing and hunting.
''There was plenty of good banter going on, it was all very worthwhile,'' he said.
Sunday saw the Wairarapa-Bush squad involve themselves in rippa rugby matches with Martinborough JAB players. Experienced campaigner Joe Harwood said it was part of a push to raise the profile of the Heartland team and make the players aware of their obligations, both on and off the field.
Tantrum agreed with Harwood's sentiments, saying one of the main aims in 2010 is to get the Wairarapa-Bush rugby fraternity thoroughly behind their team, including youngsters.
''We want kids coming to our games and being able to identify with the players,'' he said. ''Maybe we have been too insular as a team in the past, now we want to get out and make ourselves known to as many of our supporters as we can.''
Meanwhile, Tantrum anticipates the bulk of last season's Heartland team being available again although a notable exception will be livewire Martinborough flanker Jared Hawkins, who is overseas.