Hard slog for King Country to get back up

Not too long ago King Country were boxing well above their weight in the NPC first division, capable of upsetting the likes of Canterbury and Wellington.

But after struggling in the second division last year, King Country were automatically relegated and they now find themselves in the third division for the first time.

And they cannot assume that there will be a revival in the fortunes of a union that produced the greatest All Black, Colin Meads.

Noel McQuilkin, who coached the King Country side in the first division a decade or so ago, believes the players should not take it for granted that it will be a cakewalk this year and a speedy return to second division.

"It's going to be a tough competition and our guys will be making a mistake if they think that it is just third division and it'll be easy," McQuilkin said. "They should not underestimate anyone.

"There are some excellent footballers in the third division throughout all the teams, and especially on their home grounds every side is hard to beat."

As coach of the New Zealand Divisional XV, McQuilkin, with the help of former All Black and former national selector Earle Kirton, kept a close eye on the third division last season.

He was impressed with the quality of the four semifinalists, Poverty Bay, Wairarapa-Bush, South Canterbury and North Otago. South Canterbury went on to beat North Otago in the final.

He expects these four sides to be of similar standard this year. With Wanganui, as well as King Country, dropping back from last year's second division to form a nine-team competition, rivalry should be intense.

One asset for King Country this year should be a top coaching staff.

Samoan legend Peter Fataialofa, who had an extensive representative career with Auckland and Counties Manukau, will succeed Glynn Meads as coach.

The back coach will be Michael Scott, an accomplished halfback with a long representative record to his credit with Counties, the Blues in the early years of the Super 12 and New Zealand Maori.

King Country will rely on experienced fullback Kevin Weinberg and a promising forward from last year, Daniel Alofa.

Experienced halfback and goalkicking specialist Lee Peina has transferred to Northland. Veteran hooker Paul Mitchell has retired after a record 147 matches for King Country and many Super 12 appearances with the Blues and the Chiefs.

Promising wing Pehi Te Whare, who represented King Country while attending Te Kuiti High School, is now in Hamilton and is likely to be in the Waikato Colts squad.

Fatialofa, who believes he will field a competitive unit, has four Samoans involved in King Country domestic rugby in centre Mussolini Schuster, son of former Samoa coach Peter, flanker Paulo Mavega, halfback John Evalu and first five-eighths Roger Walker.

He is also counting on using loan players from either Auckland or Waikato.