13 March 2009

Soffe Cup resumes today after a four week break due to Taranaki Anniverary Weekend (not scheduled), a rainout and the senior rep match (not scheduled).
The feature match is the one between the top two teams, Central Finance Rotokare and Hareb Deken Oakura at Oakura.
In the first round it was 11-5 to Rotokare. The top two men's singles are likely to be between Rotokare's Ben Pollard and Chris Popata against Graeme Mitchell and John Hardie Boys with the Rotokare pair favoured.
In the women's singles, Rotokare's Catherine Stevenson and Kelly Toa will start favourites against Sue Oldield and Becky Bruckner.
 
Third placed Sandfords Manaia are at home to Hawera. Manaia are likely to get a big win like the 14-2 drubbing in the first round. Hawera's best hope, No 1 Neil McCann may be out injured meaning Conrad Heron would be promoted to play Cameron Koch or Jacob Gopperth. The No 2 match would be Hawera's Heron/Sean Mehrtens playing Gopperth/ Michael Gates.
In the women's singles, Manaia's Nicole Koch and Ginny Death are likely to have easy wins against Sheri De'ath and Erin Annabell.
 
Fourth placed Hooker Pacific Pukekura play sixth placed McDonald Real Estate Matapu and are likely to improve on their 11-5 win of the first round as Matapu's No 1 David White, who won three matches last time attends university and will probably be unavailable. The top matches will probably be Pukekura's Dennis Reid against Kyle Crowley and Linda Reid against Krystal Oakes.
 
Fifth placed AWE Huatoki is away to eighth placed Lockwood Design and Build Okaiawa and is unlikely to repeat their 15-1 win of the first round. Two of their players, Jono Ussher and Quin Rosa have returned to university. The top two positions are likely to be filled by David Innes and Jeremy Wichman who will play Andrew Powell and Vincent Baylis.  In the women's matches, Huatoki's Chris Wilson and Megan O'Donnell will face Joanne Gyde and Beth McLeod.