Wairarapa-Bush Rugby Union chief executive officer Tony Hargood is excited at the number and quality of applicants for the position of head coach of the Wairarapa-Bush Heartland championship rugby squad in 2015.

Applications closed on Tuesday with 14 being received, including two from overseas.

Although not at liberty to disclose any information on those seeking the job, Hargood expressed delight at the interest shown in the role and the curriculum vitaes of the contenders.

“The depth and breadth of the applicants as far as rugby knowledge and background is concerned is outstanding,” Hargood said.

Just when the successful applicant will be named has yet to be confirmed but it will come after a panel of four has interviewed the prime candidates and made their recommendation to the union’s board.

“Right now we’d probably be looking at making an announcement by early December,” Hargood said.

Wairarapa-Bush had a somewhat forgettable Heartland campaign this year, finishing 11th of the 12 teams after registering just the one win. In the previous two seasons they had made the semifinals of the premier section, the Meads Cup.

Whoever is selected as head coach for 2015 will have the enticing prospect of preparing his squad to challenge for New Zealand rugby’s most iconic trophy, the Ranfurly Shield.

Holders Hawke’s Bay have given three Heartland unions the chance to lift “Log of Wood” with Wairarapa-Bush being first cab off the rank in a match to be played under lights at McLean Park on Friday, July 10. And next in line are Horowhenua-Kapiti on July 17 and reigning Meads Cup champions Mid-Canterbury on July 24.

The relationship between Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa-Bush is a long one. They first played Wairarapa in 1890 and Bush in 1904 and they have clashed in Ranfurly Shield matches several times. Next year’s encounter will be a day after the 89th anniversary of Hawke’s Bay beating Wairarapa in the famed Battle of Solway challenge in Masterton in 1927; a result which was reversed after Hawke’s Bay was found to have played an ineligible player.

The closeness of the two unions was highlighted when Wairarapa-Bush featured in Hawke’s Bay’s centennial celebrations in 1984 but they have not played each other since Queen’s Birthday weekend 2003, when Hawke’s Bay prevailed in Napier 37-15.

Next year’s Wairarapa-Bush side will also have the distinction of being the first Heartland championship side to host matches on an artificial turf. Construction of the turf at Memorial Park is expected to be completed well before the club season kicks off and the facility, which will also include lights, is to be shared with football.