Wanganui RFU – 2013

2013

Season

Easily the most successful team in the short history of the Heartland Championship – in the seven previous competitions having made every Meads Cup final and won four of them – Wanganui had their worst ever placing in 2013, failing to make the semi-finals, finishing sixth in the round robin with a 50/50 record. Three of the four wins were in identical fashion: 6-23 down to defeat South Canterbury 24-23 ; 8-21 down to defeat Poverty Bay 25-21; 14-24 down to defeat Horowhenua-Kapiti 28-24. Only the win against Thames Valley did not require a second half rally.

The forward pack was an interesting makeup, with nine ofthe 12 regulars being selected from the champion Ruapehu club who had won the club championship in an undefeated season, and seven of the 12 were 30 years of age or older on the opening day of the Heartland Championship.

The props Vaan Rauhina and Shaun McDonough were solid and reliable, with Rauhina also captaining in Peter Rowe’s absence. The lineout went better when Nick Cranston was partnered, by Sonny Woodmass but it was unfortunate that Woodmass was not always available due to his soldier duties. In the loose forwards captain Peter Rowe led from the front and earned selection into NZ Heartland team, which he also captained again. He had effective support from Doug Horrocks, and Lasa Ulukuta had good go-forward at number eight.

The backline really struggled for consistency and penetration. There was some improvement when fullback Asalemo Malo and centre Jason Temara were swapped halfway through as Malowas the only game breaker. For the semi-final, though, they were then swapped back to their original positions. The four wings used received few opportunities. Eighteen-year-old debutant Zyon Hekenui had a promising season. A fullback for his club, he played on the wing and was even tried at first five-eighth.

With a firm policy of only using the talent within the province, the new coach Karl Hoskin used 28 players, but only two of them – Vaan Rauhina and Nick Cranston – started every game in the same position. Players were tried in different positions when injury and loss of form hit, with the goal to create depth. Thirteen players were debutants, and another six with previous Wanganui experience were recalled after at least a year’s absence: Jason Hughes (2011), Pehira Huwyler, Sam Madams, Lasa Ulukuta (all 2010), Josh Edwards (2009) and Robert Hughes (2006).

Only two outside players appeared – Jason Temara and Doug Horrocks who was classed as Player of Origin. Nineteen days after the Lochore Cup semi-final defeat, Hoskin resigned after one year of his two-year contract.

Wanganui retained the Bruce Steel Memorial Cup with successful defences against Wairarapa Bush 39-20 pre-season and the 28-24 Heartland win over Horowhenua Kapiti.

Higher honours went to:

New Zealand Heartland: Cranston, McDonough, Rowe, Ulukuta.