The Arrowtown and Wakatipu Premiers rugby sides are in recovery mode — especially the former — as they prepare to kick off their seasons at 2.30pm tomorrow.
Arrowtown are away to the Cromwell Goats and Wakatipu are home to Alexandra.
Arrowtown — who had mixed results last year — have lost for various reasons about 15 players, including stalwarts Malcolm Sutherland, Blair Foster, Connor Bissett and Thomas Grandiek.
Only their front row remain largely intact, including Ben Carr, who’s captain, along with evergreen loosie Aidan Winter, who at 40 still looks like a spring chicken, second-year coach Simon Harper says.
‘‘We’ve got some young guys who got a bit of experience last year, but this year they’re pretty much starting.
‘‘On paper, it’s a team of pretty much no-names.’’
However, they’ve still picked up some useful players, ‘‘so it’s not all doom and gloom’’.
Harper says he’s got ‘‘tempered expectations’’ for the comp, which features two full rounds after being severely truncated of late.
‘‘But I’ve seen enough pre-season, with the attitude and the effort, that we’ve got the potential to tip over some of the top teams.
‘‘The goal this year will be to just regrow the team and do the best we can with what we’ve got and just have some fun.’’
Meanwhile, defending champions Wakatipu have lost some of their leading players, including Brad Cross, Kapa Moeke and Danny Kayes.
They’ve also been badly beaten in two pre-season games, however coach Brett Anderson says he chose tough opponents to keep his
players’ feet on the ground after last year, and is optimistic they can win again.
‘‘We’ve had pretty good numbers [at training], we probably just haven’t had everyone there at once, yet.’’
The pack, in particular, look strong again this year, and have been boosted by the returning Dave Fraser, experienced loosie Paulie Tuala,
who’s been playing in Australia, and former Blues player and Māori All Black, Jordan Manihera, who’s been playing Major League Rugby in the United States.
The latter will help the coaching staff till he’s fit to play in eight to 10 weeks.
Wakatipu’s captain is last year’s ‘player of the year’, second-five Rube Peina.
eanwhile, Wakatipu Wanderers started their season last Saturday with a 26-17 loss to Star in Invercargill.
