"Hands off our players" is the catch cry of those planning to have the newly-formed Ruamahanga colts rugby side contest this season's Manawatu Colts competition.
Formed after some sterling work behind the scenes by the about-to-depart Wairarapa-Bush rugby development officer Gareth Waldron, with the full support of the WBRFU board of control, Ruamahanga had some 25 players aged 17-22 on their books just a few weeks ago.
But with their first game against Linton just three days away, that number has been cut almost in half as other clubs in the Wairarapa-Bush region have enticed players to join up with either their premier division or senior reserve sides.
And that situation irks their manager, long-time Pioneer stalwart Richard Dahlberg, whose son Joe is the team coach.
Dahlberg said the whole idea behind the formation of Ruamahanga was to give Wairarapa-Bush a second team in the Manawatu colts competition, Eketahuna already being there.