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 2020 and appreciate their hard and dedicated work in providing this detailed history. – Web Admin

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With the loss of their opening three matches it was a certainty that Wanganui would have to win all remaining five round robin matches to have any chance of making the top four playoffs for the Meads Cup. In a dramatic run, where every match was a virtual elimination match, not only were the last five matches won, they were all won with a bonus point for four tries or more to finish fourth.

The winning streak started with Wanganui’s best performance of the season against unbeaten West Coast where Wanganui had to play with 14 men for the last 74 minutes, having had a player red carded. Victory over Thames Valley in the semi-final was achieved in a hard-fought  encounter, but in the final Wanganui had to concede to a North Otago team that was better on the day.

Wanganui had a smaller forward pack than the majority of teams in the Heartland Championship but still functioned well. Angus Middleton, Jamie Hughes, and captain Campbell Hart were outstanding loose forwards, gaining turnovers and exhibiting strong defence. A change was made at number eight after the defeat to Buller with Ezra Meleisea brought in on loan and he fitted in well.

Locks Sam Madams and Josh Lane (along with Campbell Hart) frequently gave Wanganui an edge in the lineouts. Madams was strong in all departments of tight play and well supported in this regard by Lane who had made just two previous appearances in 2017. Wiremu Cottrell, Gabriel Hakaraia, Kamipeli Latu and newcomer Raymond Salu were all capable props in the scrums and around the field. Latu, in particular, was impressive, Hakaraia missed the final through injury, and Salu had very good pace for a front row forward, scoring five tries. Roman Tutauha was his usual consistent self at hooker.

Lindsay Horrocks was in top form throughout the season, comparing favourably with any other halfback in the Heartland Championship. Craig Clare’s season ended prematurely with injury with Dane Whale taking over at first five-eighth. Whale’s goalkicking unfortunately was erratic and Nick Harding was brought into fullback to assume the goalkicking duties. He proved to be most reliable, including one superb penalty goal from inside his own half in the semi-final.

Twenty-year-old wing Vereniki Tikoisolomone had a sensational debut season, scoring 13 tries to easily top the Heartland Championship try scoring and finish just one short of the Championship record. Tyler Rogers-Holden scored four tries against Ngati Porou East Coast, and unluckily lost his place when Harding was brought in. Loan player Shai Wiperi was a steady utility. The midfield combinations tried in the first half of the season seemed problematical, being resolved with the arrival of loan player Amos Pogia to strike an effective partnership with Penijamini Nabainivalu.

Locals missing from last year’s line-up included Cameron Crowley (retired), Harry Symes (injured), Simon Dibben (semi-retired), Kaveni Dabenaise (Northland) and Kameli Kuruyabaki (Manawatu). Of the arrivals Shae Wiperi had previously played for Horowhenua Kapiti, Josaia Bogileka had represented NZ Marist and Ezra Meleisea had been a Samoa Under 20 rep.

Higher honours went to:
New Zealand Heartland: C. Clare, C. Hart, L. Horrocks, P. Nabainivalu

2019 Results

Sat 10 Aug	1:00 pm	A	Pre-Season (non-first class)	Hawkes Bay Saracens	Whanganui RFU	17 - 38	Match Center
Sat 17 Aug	2:30 pm	H	Pre-Season (non-first class)	Wellington Development	Whanganui RFU	15 - 14	Match Center
Sat 24 Aug	2:30 pm	A	Heartland Championship	Wairarapa-Bush	Whanganui RFU	28 - 18	Match Center
Sat 31 Aug	2:30 pm	H	Heartland Championship	Thames Valley	Whanganui RFU	30 - 36	Match Center
Sat 07 Sep	2:30 pm	A	Heartland Championship	Buller	Whanganui RFU	22 - 21	Match Center
Sat 14 Sep	2:30 pm	H	Heartland Championship	West Coast	Whanganui RFU	36 - 18	Match Center
Sat 21 Sep	2:30 pm	H	Heartland Championship	Ngāti Porou East Coast	Whanganui RFU	67 - 24	Match Center
Sat 28 Sep	2:30 pm	A	Heartland Championship	North Otago	Whanganui RFU	22 - 27	Match Center
Sat 05 Oct	2:30 pm	H	Heartland Championship	King Country	Whanganui RFU	57 - 19	Match Center
Sat 12 Oct	2:30 pm	A	Heartland Championship	Horowhenua-Kapiti	Whanganui RFU	15 - 38	Match Center
Sat 19 Oct	2:30 pm	A	Heartland Championship (S/F) Meads Cup	Thames Valley	Whanganui RFU	15 - 20	Match Center
Sat 26 Oct	3:05 pm	A	Meads Cup Final	North Otago	Whanganui RFU	33 - 19	Match Center

APPEARANCES For Wanganui RFU (2019)

2019 Players

			Position	PL
	Amos Pogia		Midfield Back	6
	Angus Middleton		Loose Forward	6
	Bryn Hudson		Loose Forward	3
	Cameron Davies		Halfback	2
	Campbell Hart		Loose Forward, Lock	9
	Chris Breuer		Loose Forward	3
	Craig Clare		Centre, Five Eighth	2
	Dane Whale		Five Eighth	10
	Dylan Gallien		Hooker	7
	Ethan Robinson		Centre, Midfield Back	8
	Ezra Fano Meleisea		No. 8	7
	Gabriel Hakaraia		Prop	8
	Jack Hodges		Lock	1
	Jamie Hughes		Loose Forward	9
	Jason Myers			0
	Josaia Bogileka		Midfield Back	2
	Josefa Rokotakala		Lock	0
	Joseph Edwards		Hooker	3
	Josh Lane		Lock	9
	Kamipeli T. Latu		Prop	9
	Karl Pascoe		Wing	2
	Kieran P. Hussey		Loose Forward	0
	Lindsay Horrocks		Halfback	9
	Nick Harding		Centre, Fullback	9
	Penijamini Nabainivalu		Centre	8
	Peter Travis Hay-Horton		Lock	5
	Poasa Waqanibau		Centre	0
	Ranato Tikoisolomone		Loose Forward	3
	Raymond Salu		Prop	8
	Roman Tutauha		Hooker	10
	Sam Madams		Lock	10
	Samu Kubunavanua		Flanker, Winger	6
	Shai Wiperi		Centre, Fullback	10
	Tom Symes		Wing	2
	Trinity A. Spooner-Neera		Midfield Back, Fullback	0
	Troy Brown		Centre, Midfield Back	9
	Tyler Rogers-Holden		Midfield Back, Wing	9
	Vereniki Tikoisolomone		Wing	10
	Wiremu Cottrell		Prop	5
	zPenalty Try			0