8 February 2007

The top four teams in the Soffe Cup interclub tennis competition clash in New Plymouth on Saturday.
Fourth placed Hooker Pacific Pukekura is at home to competition leaders Rotokare.  Last time these two sides played each other Rotokare won 12-4.  It will be a lot closer this week with Pukekura's Michael Fleming playing.
Rotokare have a strong men's line-up and although Pukekura's women should win all but the top women's singles as they did in the first round.  Rotokare are expected to win.
 
Third placed AWE Huatoki is at home to second placed Sandfords Manaia. This should also be a close one.   it was 10-6 to Manaia in the first round but Huatoki have acquired the services of Lucy Barlow who takes over at No 1 from Saori Han.  She is from Waikato and has been playing Caro Bowl in Auckland, the top woman's interclub competition.  Her clash with Taranaki no 1 Nicole Koch should be the highlight of the tie.
Huatoki's No 1 Jonathan Ussher will be too good for Thomas Luxton while Manaia should win the rest of the singles .
 
Stratford/MIdhirst are at home to Waiwaka. Waiwaka will be too good although they may be without Jordan Stayt who had to retire form his singles match last week with a reoccurrence of a back injury.  In the first round, the score was 10 -6 to Waiwaka but Stratford will be without Taranaki rep Kathryn O'Sullivan who has taken up a teaching job in Hawkes Bay.