WEST COAST RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION - 2006
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Acknowledgments
to the NZ Rugby Almanack Franchise: |
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Under new coaches Robbie Maitland and Ross Brockbank West Coast showed much improvement and proved competitive in more games than results indicate. Eventual champions Wairarapa Bush were fully tested before victory was gained over Mid Canterbury. Had last minute kicks been successful against East Coast (conversion) and Buller (penalty) the results would have been more fruitful. The inability to turn possession into points and to sustain second half pressure was to be the team’s undoing on more than one occasion.
With only three home games and four long trips to the North Island West Coast spent more hours travelling than any union and though they retained their character till the end the players were very travel weary by the final game. Hadleigh Smith and Neil Linklater shared the number eight position with the one selected to start also being the captain. Both were fine players. Ofa Misa and Alan Monk (open-side) were a pair of effective flankers. The tight five more than held their own - former King Country and Marlborough rep Tony Kerr partnering 37-year-old Lomiga Va’aelua at lock while Dougal Hurst and Joe Nabou were prominent in the front row.
At first five-eighth Corey Simpson impressed with his long touch-finders and running game while his goalkicking was usually accurate. He also directed the backline well. Daniel Keno was consistently sound at second five. John Fungavaka was at centre with Lasa Ulukuta and Titiume Fungavaka on the wings. Maleli Tora showed much promise as an attacking player, whether on the wing or at fullback. James Ferguson continues to improve, an energetic halfback. Luke Dixon (fullback) and Daniel Tauwhare (utility) were older backs who provided much experience.
2006 Squad
C.J.Clark (Blaketown)
C.S.Crichton (Marist-Albion - Canterbury RFU)
L.R.Dixon (Marist)
J.R.B.Ferguson (Christchurch - Canterbury RFU)
S.H.Fungavaka (Kiwi)
T.Fungavaka (Kiwi)
M.Hende (South Westland)
D.G.Hurst (South Westland)
D.T.Keno (Blaketown)
T.J.Kerr (Wests)
E.Langi (Blaketown)
N.M.Linklater (South Westland)
M.J.Meehan (Marist)
M.Misa (Marist)
O.Misa (Marist)
A.B.Monk (Sydenham - Canterbury RFU)
M.H.Monk (Blaketown)
M.A.Murdoch (HSOB - Canterbury RFU)
J.Nabou (Univ - Canterbury RFU)
M.N’Gaue (Kiwi)
E.P.O‘Gara (Wests)
T.G.Scadden (Kiwi)
T.P.Sexton (Wests)
C.N.Simpson (Christchurch - Canterbury RFU)
H.G.M.Smith (Blaketown)
D.J.Tauwhare (HSOB - Canterbury RFU)
M.Tora (Blaketown)
L.Ulukuta (Marist)
L.Va’aelua (Blaketown)
R.M.Wilson (South Westland)
WEST COAST TEAM RECORD 2006
Played 8 , Won 1 , Lost 7 , Points For 136 , Points against 286
AA
REWARDS HEARTLAND RUGBY - POOL A |
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| . | P |
W |
D |
L |
Pts |
Wairarapa
Bush  |
5 |
5 |
- |
- |
22 |
North
Otago  |
5 |
4 |
- |
1 |
20 |
Mid-Canterbury
|
5 |
2 |
- |
3 |
10 |
Buller
|
5 |
2 |
- |
3 |
9 |
East
Coast  |
5 |
1 |
- |
4 |
6 |
West
Coast  |
5 |
1 |
- |
4 |
6 |
AA
REWARDS HEARTLAND RUGBY - LOCHORE CUP |
|||||
| . | P |
W |
D |
L |
Pts |
Poverty
Bay  |
8 |
5 |
- |
3 |
24 |
Thames
Valley  |
8 |
4 |
- |
4 |
21 |
King
Country  |
8 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
20 |
Buller
|
8 |
3 |
- |
5 |
14 |
East
Coast |
8 |
1 |
- |
7 |
6 |
West
Coast |
8 |
1 |
- |
7 |
6 |
August
19 v North Otago v Oamaru Lost 3 - 67
Simpson , penalty goal
Referee: K.R.McBride
August 26 v Wairarapa Bush , Masterton
Lost 18 - 31
Va’aelua , Keno , tries
Simpson , conversion , penalty goals (2)
Referee: S.W.McDermott
September 2 v Mid Canterbury , Greymouth
Won 24 - 9
A.Monk, Linklater , tries
Simpson , conversion , penalty goals (4)
Referee: V.G.Munro
September 9 v East Coast , Ruatoria
Lost 20 - 22
Ulukuta , try
Simpson , penalty goals (5)
Referee: G.L.Williamson
September 16 v Buller Greymouth Lost
16 - 17
Keno , try
Simpson , conversion , penalty goals (2) , drop goal
Referee: K.R.McBride
September 23 Thames Valley (Lochore
Cup) , Thames Lost 16 - 51
Crichton , try
Simpson , conversion , penalty goals (3)
Referee: T.A.Pullar
September 30 v King Country (Lochore
Cup) , Greymouth Lost 22-32
Ferguson , Tora , tries
Simpson , penalty goals (4)
Referee: S.W McDermott
October 7 v Poverty Bay (Lochore Cup)
Gisborne Lost 17 - 57
O.Misa , M.Misa , tries
Simpson , conversions (2) , penalty goal
Referee: B.A.Murray
