The Silverstream Wild have a chance of redemption after spectacularly failing at the end of last season when it mattered in the playoffs.
Silverstream Wild after going through the WFRXIX regular season with only a solitary loss, were bundled out of the playoffs after two morale sapping thrashings in the hands of the Cape Town Bulldogs and the Tanoa Warlords.
Extra motivation this season for promotion to the Premiership is the fact that a majority of the Silverstream’s squad contracts will be up for review at the end of this season, play well and the core of squad for the last three seasons could be retained. Daniel Braid has been confirmed to retain captaincy for the WFRXX season. While no vice-captain has been announced the leading contenders are the experience duo of Stephen Donald or Andy Ellis.
The Wild have done well filling a few gaps in their squad by calling up Regan Ware, Will Thomas, Elekana Laupola, Ryota Hasegawa, Atsushi Sakate and Trinity Spooner-Neera from the STAR Alliance Developmental squad. While Heiden Bedwell- Curtis from the Santiago Condors also joined the squad after a trade deal was make between the two STAR Alliance clubs.
“The make up of the team looks very balanced to me, with some young legs out there with some great experienced rugby minds. But the loss of lock Chris Jack and hooker Danie Coetzee, who had around 400 WFR caps between the pair, will put a little pressure onto some more experience members of the squad and help out our younger players in the squad,” calmly commented Silverstream coach Robert Ackerman. “The boys know there a chance to play with the big boys next season in the Premiership if we do well this season, they know they are trying to do that for all rugby loving locals of the upper Hutt Valley.”