Wairarapa may lose star back

Wairarapa-Bush could be without star midfield back Nathan Couch for their 2006 Air New Zealand NPC first division rugby campaign.
Couch, 33, leaves for the United States next week where he will join up with the San Francisco Golden Gates . a club he helped get through to the finals of their national league in 2004.
And if they repeat that effort this year Couch will become ineligible for the Wairarapa-Bush NPC side as the rules for the first division series states players must have participated in club rugby here by June 1. Make the finals with the Golden Gates and Couch's return date to New Zealand would be around June 9.
It's a situation which disappoints Couch, who has played 56 games for Wairarapa-Bush and who was an integral part of their NPC third division-winning side last season, but he is philosophical in his acceptance of it.
"It's just one of those things??.rules are rules and in this case they could impact against me," he said. "Everything depends on whether we make the finals in the United States, and that's something no one can predict now."
Couch admits, however, that he is still very keen to be part of a Wairarapa-Bush squad which he believes has blossomed under the current management team headed by coach Peter Russell.
"Last season was just so enjoyable, it wasn't just that we were winning, but the team really bonded together well," he said. "It's great to be part of a set-up like that and if I get back in time ..I will be keen to play for them again."
For their part Russell and company won't want to wish any ill on the Golden Gates, but you can wager they will be silently hoping that their national league results are no quite good enough to get them through to the finals.
The loss of Couch would be a huge blow to their hopes of making their inaugural season in the first division series, a successful one, both because of his experience and his ability to impact hugely on both attack and defence.
Couch himself though is adamant that no matter whether he himself plays or not Wairarapa-Bush will be "very competitive" at first division level.
"There's just such an excellent spirit in the side that it's hard to imagine them not going on with it," he said. " There are some very good players there and I am sure they will step up to the mark."