Wanganui RFU – 2011

We hope you enjoy this look back as we look forward to many more years of recording the history of Wanganui Rugby Union. We acknowledge all the information from the NZ “Rugby Almanack” Series from the season’s 1934 through to 2015 and appreciate their hard and dedicated work in providing this detailed history. – Web Admin

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2011 Season

2011 Status: Heartland.Championship Founded 1888 – Affiliated 1892 President: J.Slight Chairman: D.R.Hoskin Chief.Executive.Officer: D.S.Cobb Coach: J.M.Caskey Assistant Coach: J.P.Hamlin Main ground: Cooks Gardens Capacity: 15,000 Colours: Royal Blue, Black and White

New coaches Jason Caskey and Jason Hamlin maintained Wanganui’s standing at the head of Heartland rugby, guiding the team to its third Meads Cup title in four years. The loss to Mid Canterbury, the first on home soil since 2007, stung Wanganui and they responded with high scoring wins over the next three weeks. The unbeaten record at Cooks Gardens remains intact however as the Mid Canterbury game was played at the former headquarters of Spriggens Park which the union had to use while the USA RWC squad was using the main venue as a training base.

Wanganui was clearly the best Heartland team, with experience and class in all positions and this is reflected in eight being selected in the Heartland squad.The speedy threequarters, Sam Scown, newcomer Simon Dibben,Tevita Taufu’i and fullback Asalemo Malo scored half the team’s tries.

They were provided quality ball from their inside backs, the captain Steelie Koro, Mark Davis, and the halfbacks Sean Brown and Denning Tyrell. Tremaine Gilbert and Rusiate Vukula were newcomers who seized their opportunities. Cole Baldwin, Shaun McDonough and Vaan Rauhina were an experienced front row. Andrew Retallick looks promising at lock partnering Jon Smyth who was in outstanding form.

Loose forwards Andrew Evans, Darren Munro and Fraser Hammond were joined by Origin player Daniel FitzGerald, brother of Michael, the Manawatu player. FitzGerald, aged 19, captained his club team to the final of the Manawatu club championship and looks to follow his older brother’s career path.

Higher honours went to:
New Zealand Heartland: Baldwin, Dibben, Koro, McDonough, Munro, Scown, Smyth, Vukula

2011.Match.Record:	Played 10 ; Won 9 ; Lost 1
Points :	For 426; Against 163
1. August 6 vs King Country, at Wanganui
Won 50 – 19
Wanganui Scorers : Dibben (2), Scown (2), Baldwin, McDonough, Malo tries
Davis (6) Conversions , (1) Penalty Goal
Referee: B.D.Skeen
2. August 13 vs South Canterbury, at Timaru
Won 28 – 18
Wanganui Scorers : Retallick, Dibben, Vukula tries
Davis (2) Conversions , (3) Penalty Goals
Referee: J.S.C.McPhail
3. August 20 vs Thames Valley, at Paeroa
Won 31 – 21
Wanganui Scorers : Scown (2), Taufu’i tries
Davis (2) Conversions , (4) Penalty Goals
Referee: W.G.Burdett
4. August 27 vs Mid Canterbury, at Wanganui
Lost 23 – 26
Wanganui Scorers : Dibben, FitzGerald, Scown, Taufu’i tries
Davis (1) Penalty Goal
Referee: J.S.C.McPhail
5. September 3 vs Poverty Bay, at Gisborne
Won 58 – 13
Wanganui Scorers : Malo (2), Taufu’i (2), Vukula, Brown, Koro, Hughes tries
Davis (3) Conversions , (2) Penalty Goals , A.Malo (3) Conversions
Referee: G.G.Stuart
6. September 10 vs Horowhenua-Kapiti, at Wanganui
Won 76 – 08
Wanganui Scorers : Scown (3), Dibben, Rauhina, T.Gilbert, Retallick, Evans, Brown, FitzGerald tries
Malo (8) Conversions
Referee: S.M.Elliott
7. September 17 vs West Coast, at Greymouth
Won 69 – 12
Wanganui Scorers : Malo (3), Taufu’i, Dibben, FitzGerald, Davis, Hughes, Harris, T.Gilbert tries
Davis (8) Conversions, (1) Penalty Goal
Referee: W.G.Burdett
8. September 24 vs Wairarapa Bush, at Wanganui
Won 29 – 14
Wanganui Scorers : Baldwin, Davis, Munro, Vukula tries
Davis (3) Conversions , (1) Penalty
Referee: J.S.C.McPhail
9. October 1 vs Mid Canterbury, at Wanganui {Meads Cup Semi-Final}
Won 32 – 22
Wanganui Scorers : Taufu’i, Hughes, Vukula, Tyrell tries
Davis (3) Conversions, (2) Penalty Goals
Referee: M.S.Muir
9. October 8 vs East Coast, at Wanganui {Meads Cup Final}
Won 30 – 10
Wanganui Scorers : Dibben, Koro tries
Davis (1) Conversion, (6) Penalty Goals
Referee: B.D.Skeen
APPEARANCES For Wanganui RFU (2011 – Career) C.Baldwin Border 10 63 J.Barret Taihape 3 3 S.Brown Marist 10 14 M.K.Davis Coastal – Taranaki RU 9 31 S.Dibben Marist 10 10 A.D.Evans Ruapehu 9 34 D.T.FitzGerald Te Kawau – Manawatu RU 8 8 I.Fonotoe Ratana 1 1 M.B.Gilbert Utiku OB 4 57 T.Gilbert Taihape 8 8 F.C.Hammond Ruapehu 6 39 W.Harris Kaierau 9 9 J.Hughes Ratana 10 10 S.P.Koro (Capt) Marist 10 50 J.D.Lock Marton 6 41 S.M.McDonough Ruapehu 10 40 A.Malo Kaierau 10 36 N.Martin Taihape 5 5 D.Munro Kaierau 10 34 V.M.Rauhina Ratana 10 34 A.L.Retallick Border 10 10 P.G.Rowe Ruapehu 1 71 S.Scown Marist 9 30 A.C.Slight Pirates 2 22 J.Smyth Border 10 52 T.Taufu’i Kia Toa – Manawatu RU 8 8 D.I.Tyrell Kaierau 8 87 R.Vukula Marist 9 9