KEY POINTS:
Just six of their players have returned and they've endured five pre-season rugby games without a win.
Hardly the sort of buildup that will have supporters gushing with confidence when Wairarapa Bush open their Heartland championship defence this weekend.
The inaugural winners have undergone the sort of overhaul
that will have leading rivals like Wanganui and North Otago licking their lips on the eve of provincial rugby's grass roots title race.
The Bush have lost coach Peter Russell to Hawke's Bay and a number of leading players to retirement, overseas or their jobs simply won't allow time to commit to two months of rugby.
They are the sort of problems encountered by all amateur provinces but new co-coach Lofty Stevenson reckons Wairarapa Bush have undergone an especially severe bout of player drain.
"I guess every team still see us as the champions but it's a new start really for Wairarapa Bush rugby," he said.
" We've had a couple of good seasons so this is a test on our fans - are they just fair-weathered friends or are they in there to support the local rugby boys?"
Captain Joe Harwood is one of the returning six, along with tryscoring centre Simanu Simanu, while experienced local forwards Steve Olds and Daniel Griffin return after missing last year.
An interesting newcomer is likely looking prop Shane Temana, who has arrived from German club SC Frankfurt 1880.
Stevenson and co-coach Graeme Cheetham have made a point of sticking mostly to locals rather than rely on Wellington loan players, as Russell did to good effect.
"Peter upset some clubs because why would the players here play rugby if they don't get the chance to play for Wairarapa Bush," Stevenson said.
"We've been club coaches here and Peter wasn't so he didn't have that experience.
"We're asking, can we do it with local players? Until we give it a go, we won't know."
Stevenson's initial goal of notching a first win for the year should happen on Saturday when they host last year's wooden-spooners West Coast.
O ther pool A clashes see 2 006 semifinalists Mid Canterbury host Thames Valley and Horowhenua Kapiti at home to King Country.
However, it is in pool B that the major challenges to the title lie.
North Otago and Wanganui both racked up a competition-high 50 tries last year but were pipped by the more disciplined Wairarapa Bush in the Meads Cup playoff matches.
Wanganui, who host East Coast at Cooks Gardens, will still be stinging from the 14-16 loss in the final at the same packed ground last year. They were unbeaten until that game.
They have enjoyed better player retention but not flying winger Pati Fetuai, whose 14 tries last year was the most by anyone.
North Otago began 2006 as firm favourites and coach Mike Mullins has again assembled a potent-looking team, stacked with a healthy dollops of Pacific Island flair.
Tries should be in the offing when they host Buller on Saturday while South Canterbury are home to Poverty Bay to round out the pool.
Stevenson tipped Poverty Bay as potential dark horses.
He said they were unlucky not to reach the top-six Meads Cup competition after pool play last year.
Playing an expansive style, they were a class above their opponents in the second-tier Lochore Cup, over-running King Country 46-34 in the final.
First round draw (all games on Saturday starting at 2.30pm)
Pool A: Mid Canterbury v Thames Valley, Horowhenua Kapiti v King Country, Wairarapa Bush v West Coast
Pool B: North Otago v Buller, South Canterbury v Poverty Bay, Wanganui v East Coast.
- NZPA