New Page 0

Soffe Cup tennis returns this week after a break for Labour Weekend. With all ties resulting in 9-7 scorelines, no club has asserted itself in the competition yet.

Central Finance Rotokare host AWE Huatoki and if Rotokare have their top team, are likely remain unbeaten. No 1 Ben Pollard plays Chris Popata. Popata will fancy his chances after toppling Mike Fleming in the opening round. No 2 Blair Crowley will face Amrit Rai and Rai could make it two from two for Huatoki. In the No 3 and 4 matches, Rotokare's Malcolm Elder and Kyle Crowley should play David Innes and Ajeet Rai. Rotokare look to be too strong in the women with Karen Cranston and Tania L'Ami favoured over Alice Caskey and Chris Wilson in the top two matches and Beccie Atkins and Frances Gray likely to be too good for Robin Hinton and Sophie Robertson.

Icon Sports Tariki Pukekura are at home to Sandfords Manaia and are both without their top men, Mike Fleming and Cameron Koch respectively. Fleming's replacement, Callum Old will have his work cut out to beat Jordan Fleming. No 2 Meto Snegirev faces MIchael Gates, with Gates favoured. In the other two men's matches, Tony Radich and (possiby) former Inglewood player Thomas Brown should beat Tommy Death and Jacob Gopperth.

Manaia's women look too good for Pukekura. Nicole Koch, Sarah Kelly, Maree Gopperth and Trudy Neilsen will play Linda Reid, Kirsten Adam, Donna Thorne and Jeanette Harding.

Hareb Deken Oakura host Stumble Inn Waiwaka in what should be a close contest. Oakura has three changes to its line-up with Steve Novak, Becky Bruckner and Rebecca Scott not playing. They are replaced by Len Adamson, Sue Oldfield and Louise Brankin.

In the top men's matches, Graham Mitchell will play David Lace. Lace lost to Cameron Koch in three sets in the first week and Mitchell was unstoppable against Malcolm Elder, not dropping a game. No 2 Tei Walden will have a difficult task to defeat Mike Lace.

In the top two women's match ups, Oakura's Sue Oldfield should be too good for Michele Lace and in the No 2 clash Louise Brankin plays Nicki Martin who is returning after several seasons off to have a family. The other changes to the Waiwaka side are the introduction of Michael Goulding at No 4 replacing Michael Lloyd and Shuna Giles replaces Sharon Bruce at No 4. No 1 Krystal Oakes is unavailable for Waiwaka.

The Wilson and Sumpter Trophy competitions start today. The Wilson Trophy retains 12 teams with Pukekura Park having a new team and Waitara dropping down to the Sumpter Trophy. Champions, Inglewood are the team to beat having beaten Stratford in the final last season. In the Sumpter Trophy there are 8 teams, up from 7 last season. Rotokare and Hawera are not fielding teams and Manaia and Inglewood are new entries.

Wilson Trophy teams ( in last season's finishing order ) Inglewood, Stratford, Hawera, Okaiawa, Rotokare, Waiwaka, Matapu, Huatoki, Oakura, Manaia Blue, Manaia White, Pukekura Park.