Webb Ellis Trophy hits Wairarapa

Four Wairarapa schools will host rugby's most sought after prize on Thursday, March 31.
Making a brief visit to the region is the William Webb Ellis Trophy, which is at stake in the 2011 Rugby World Cup being played throughout New Zealand later in the year.
It will be at Eketahuna School from 9am to 10am, Lakeview School from 10.30am to 11.30am, Douglas Park School from noon to 1pm and Carterton School from 2pm to 3pm.
Wairarapa-Bush Rugby Football Union community rugby manager Doug Bracewell said members of the general public would be welcome to visit the schools during the above times and he is confident of big viewing audiences at each of the venues.
"It's rugby's ultimate prize and this is one of the few chances people will get to see it up close and personal," he said.
Meanwhile, the WBRFU's premier division competition continues tomorrow with the return of Featherston to the top grade and the playing of Eketahuna's home game against Masterton Red Star at Mangatainoka being the main talking points.
The draw is:
MARIST V PUKETOI, Memorial Park at 2.30pm:
These two teams had contrasting results last weekend, Marist beating last year's finalists Masterton Red Star 23-10, and Puketoi being on the end of a 56-0 thumping by Gladstone.
On that basis you would have to think this will be something of a romp for Marist but remember it is early season and country teams like Puketoi generally take a week or two to get themselves into top gear. In Duncan Law, Hamish Walker and Evan Small, they have some rugged campaigners up front who will be out to dominate the set pieces and, therefore, deprive the pacy Marist backs of the chance to cut loose on a regular basis. It has to be said though that the Marist pack impressed with their tenacity last weekend with lanky blindside flanker James Goodger pressing early claims for rep selection and the likes of Corey Reid, Leuma Wilson and evergreen prop Lee Paku relishing every opportunity to display their running skills. There was a lot to like too about the way young Daniel Blong slotted in at first-five and his progress will be followed with interest.
EKETAHUNA V MASTERTON RED STAR, Mangatainoka at 2.30pm: Note the venue here. Mangatainoka has made a great job of hosting a couple of pre-season Super rugby matches over the past couple of years and the ground there is expected to be in tip-top shape. As will the Tui sure to be consumed afterwards! Eketahuna were apparently impressive enough in starting their season with a 17-3 win over Martinborough and they have a set of forwards who are going to keep all their premier division opposition honest in the ball-winning departments in 2011. They won't get everything their own way there tomorrow though as the Stars pack showed themselves to be a physical lot last Saturday and will be aiming to meet fire with fire. Eketahuna will start favourites but only just.
GREYTOWN V PIONEER, Greytown at 2.30pm: Both sides were on the losing end last weekend but, at the same time, did enough to suggest they will be thereabouts when the whips really get cracking a little further down the track. Greytown's tactics will be interesting. They probably don't have as much firepower in the backs as Pioneer and coach Albie Matthews could well be tempted to have them focus more on keeping the ball close to the forwards. Pioneer, on the other hand, are likely to adopt the free-flowing style of rugby which suits them best so the result could come down to how much quality ball they obtain.
MARTINBOROUGH V CARTERTON, Martinborough at 2.30pm: Looking at the paper strengths of the two sides you would have to think Carterton will have the edge but they will be wary of a Martinborough side playing in front of what is sure to be an enthusiastic home crowd. The green-and-blacks generally pride themselves on their mobility up front and, with the lively Jared Hawkins on the flank, they will be especially dangerous in broken play situations. Carterton's challenge then will be to adopt an approach structured enough to ensure the nuisance value of Hawkins and company is kept to manageable proportions.
FEATHERSTON V EAST COAST, Featherston at 2.30pm: Featherston make their long-awaited return to premier division play and they come up against a formidable foe in East Coast, who kicked their season off with a narrow win over Pioneer last Saturday. The word is that Featherston have picked up some useful talent from over the hill and with the Sargents, Tommy and Jeremy, leading the way there will be no lack of physical endeavour from them in the forward exchanges.
The $64,000 question though is how will they cope with the pace and flair of an East Coast backline which, with Zeb Aporo, Byron Karaitiana, Sam Mitchell, Jesse McGilvary and Nic Olson, is fair brimming with attacking talent. Their combined skills should steer the Coasters to victory.