{"id":4776,"date":"2017-03-14T13:32:02","date_gmt":"2017-03-14T00:32:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/waibush.co.nz\/?page_id=4776"},"modified":"2020-11-30T10:17:18","modified_gmt":"2020-11-29T21:17:18","slug":"2016-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/waibush.co.nz\/wp\/year-by-year-history\/2016-2\/","title":{"rendered":"2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

We hope you enjoy this look back as we look forward to many more years of recording the history of Wairarapa Bush Rugby Union. We acknowledge all the information from the NZ \u201cRugby Almanack\u201d Series from the season\u2019s 1934 through to 2020 and appreciate their hard and dedicated work in providing this detailed history. \u2013 Web Admin<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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Acknowledgments to the NZ Rugby Almanack Franchise:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Back to Year by Year Index click here<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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2016<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"waibush2014\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Season<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/td>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n
2016 Status:<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
Heartland Championship<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
Founded 18<\/strong>86<\/strong> \u2013 Affiliated 1893 \u2013 Amalgamated<\/strong> 1971<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
President:<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
R.A.(Richard) Dahlberg<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
Chairman:<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
P.L. (Paora) Ammunson<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
Chief.Executive.Officer:
\n<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
A.R.(Tony) Hargood<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
Coach:<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
J.D. (Josh) Syms<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
Assistant Coach:<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
J.C.(James) Bruce & J.R.(Joe) Harwood<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
Main ground:<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
Memorial Park , Masterton<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
Capacity:<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
10,000<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
Colours:<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
Green and Red<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Wairarapa Bush made the top four Meads Cup playoffs for the fourth time in \ufb01ve seasons to consolidate their position as one of the Heartland heavyweights. Only two defeats were experienced in the round robin, each by just two points, and both could have been won. Conversely, the two-point win over Poverty Bay could have been lost as no opponent was ever really dominated, but the defence was a strong point. The defeat in the semi\u2014\ufb01nal against Wanganui was just a case of coming up against a team in top form.<\/p>\n

Locals from 2015 that did not reappear were Tipene Haira, Cody Whittaker (both to Taranaki James Wall (Wellington), Paul Tikomainavalu (returned to Fiji), Kurt Simmonds and John McFadzean (both retired). Thirty players were called upon, with only 16 having represented union previously. Some interesting newcomers were Sam Gammie (West Coast), Andrew Smith (Mid Canterbury), Abe Haira (Taranaki), Stan Wright (the Cook Islands representative who had \ufb01nished a long stint in France and previously represented Mid Canterbury and Northland) and former All Black Zac Guildford, back to the province of his birth, after not taking up a contract at Tasman. In addition, Sam Monaghan returned from overseas.<\/p>\n

The forward pack was mobile, but not a big one by Heartland standards, and the scrum was vulnerable on occasions. The loose forwards Sam Gammie, Nick Cranston and James Goodger were in outstanding form, with Goodger also providing a lot of lineout ball. Cranston, in his debut season at \ufb01rst-class level, was also given the captaincy. The trio\u2019s combination came to a premature end with the unfortunate injury to Goodger. Andrew McLean had a huge work rate at lock and was left as the principal lineout Winner with Goodger\u2019s unavailability. The scrum went better with the valuable experience of Stan Wright on the tighthead side while Richard Puddy\u2019s good form saw him supplant Abe Haira at hooker by the end of the season.<\/p>\n

Loan player John Ika was in superb form at halfback, very quick to break around the fringes, but was another to succumb to iniury before the end. Tim Priest was steady at \ufb01rst \ufb01ve-eighth and an accurate goalkicker. At second \ufb01ve-eighth it seemed to be a choice of the better attacker in Iziq Foa’i or the sound defender in Andy Humberstone. Zac Guildford, placed in the unfamiliar position of centre, did not get many opportunities on attack, but his experience was invaluable. At fullback, Sam Monaghan was another who did not get many opportunities. On the right wing, Cameron Hayton was top try-scorer with six. The backline may have been better served with Monaghan at \ufb01rst \ufb01ve-eighth and Zac Guildford at fullback or wing. Fijian winger Peni Rokoduguni made a couple of cameo appearances; he is a brother of Semesa who played for England in 2014.<\/p>\n

Higher honours went to:<\/strong><\/p>\n

New Zealand Heartland:<\/strong> E.J.Cranston, S.J.Monaghan<\/em><\/p>\n

2016 Match Record: Played 10\u00a0; <\/em>Won 7 ; Lost 3
\nPoints : For\u00a0292<\/em>; Against\u00a0246<\/i><\/b><\/span>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

note:<\/strong> a new points structure was trialed\u00a0in the 2016 Heartland Championship in 2017 they revert back to the 2016 scoring system :<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/div>\n