New players boost club lineups

With a host of new players, Te Rapa look capable of being a force in this season's competition and they open their campaign tomorrow against Melville.

Last year they finished top of the first division and the promotion-relegation group, before losing the Lion Cup final.

Garry Crossman is again coaching and will be helped out by Luke Cameron, who has come from Marist.

On the player front, the only departure for the team is that of first five-eighth Whanake Whare, who has moved to Taumarunui for family reasons.

He will be a significant loss after scoring 220 points for the club last year.

But offsetting this are some high quality gains.

Former NPC player Tim Manawatu is back from Italy, having played for the L'Aquila club in Rome.

The fullback/first five-eighth will be looking to link up with a couple of new fliers out wide in the form of wingers Abel Fleming and Declan O'Donnell, who have come from Old Boys and Marist respectively, with the latter a former Te Rapa junior and a member of Chiefs Development and New Zealand Under-20 teams.

After playing for Tasman last year, loose-head prop Brad Chubb comes to the club and will add some experience to the front row, which will be further boosted by the acquisition of former Waikato and Chiefs prop Denis Hazelton, who, like Waikato halfback David Bason, has moved from Hautapu.

Loose forward Steve Aki returns to Te Rapa from Marist and lock/blind-side flanker Mack Lynn – the brother of Waikato lock Toby – has moved from Fraser-Tech.

Te Rapa have also recruited well from Hamilton Boys' High School's national-title-winning 1st XV, with hooker Sefo Setephano, No 8 Adam Talou, first five-eighth Nathan George and centre Chauncy Edwardson all in the mix.

Otorohanga face a tough test first up in the form of Old Boys.

Coach James White returns, as do most of last year's squad, with the club generally sticking with local talent in their squad of 30 and seeing it as important to retain players.

Otorohanga haven't been hit by any losses and they have a few new faces in the form of centre Joe Perawiti, from Fraser-Tech; winger Sefo Burke from Te Awamutu Sports; loose forward/front rower Josh Ostern, who moves from the King Country competition; first/second five-eighth Jesse Martin from the Under-21 side and loose forward Hayden Buckman, who was playing overseas.

Still rebuilding after a few lean years are Taupiri.

They have a new exciting coaching trio in Paul Harris, Lance McLaggan and Michael Blank, who all move up from last year's championship-winning Under-21 side.

There is the same nucleus of players from last season, but the side will have to do without hooker Jared Cathcart, who has gone to Old Boys, prop Dave Cameron (Canada) and second five-eighth Willie Edmonds (Australia).

Taupiri kick off their season at home against University, who have Eric Stevens in charge after moving up from the assistant coaching role.

The team have suffered a double blow in the backs with utility Ethan Pollock and fullback Bauro Kairaoi both off to Hautapu.

While they have attained a trio of useful backs, their biggest gains come in the forwards.

Blind-side flanker/lock Whetu Douglas, comes on board from the Under-19s and Stevens has big wraps on another No 6 in the form of Eli Atkins, who is out of Hamilton Boys' High. "He's a very exciting young prospect, a young fella who's got the goods," Stevens said.

A lack of injuries has got Stevens feeling his side are in "way better shape" than this time last year and he was now focused on "getting the team culture and character right".

United Matamata Sports have a fairly young and pretty local group of players, with a few gains from their Under-19 and Under-21 teams.

Coach Brendon Brill took over halfway through last year and is a familiar figure, having also been in charge from 2002 to 2004.

One player who's made a return is lock/loose forward Jason Van Hout, who has been playing overseas in

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