WEST COAST RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION - 2009
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Acknowledgments
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For the first time in 10 seasons West Coast scored more points than it conceded and against Buller, in the semi-final, posted a record score against any opposition. Highlight of the season, and a memorable day in West Coast history, was hosting the Lochore Cup final at Greymouth. On a warm, sunny afternoon the Coasters hoped for a repeat of their shock defeat of North Otago two weeks earlier. It wasn’t to be.
Perhaps there was some complacency after having compiled nearly 90 points in the previous two games. Such convincing high scoring wins in succession had never been witnessed west of the Southern Alps. It was a hard fought final and had the referee and match officials decisions been a little kinder the result could have been different. The game, and the atmosphere, exemplified the spirit of Heartland rugby.
Much of the team’s success could be attributed to consistent selection and the efforts of coach Anthony Lawry and management. The season commenced with an encouraging 32-30 win over Marlborough in a warm-up game. In the championship the Coast lost all three away games and won all home games - until the final. The front five were never bettered in any game and the scrum power of front-rowers Sam Durie, Gordon Iafeta, Rowan O’Gorman and former Nelson Bays rep Blair Mirfin was a huge factor in giving the inside backs freedom to control the games. Hooker O’Gorman scored five tries in two games and finished the year by scoring both tries in NZ Marist’s win over the Heartland team. Peter Nicholls, Tere Wycliff and Chris Mason toiled hard in the second row and were useful loose forwards when required. Alan Monk, Mitchell Sincock , Brad Houston and Mark De Goldi were experienced loose forwards.
Halfback and captain James Ferguson became stronger with each game and his selection for the Heartland team was deserved. So too was Josh Cornish who consistently produced polished efforts. Jason Merrett showed promise but lacked experience. Rob Thomson was a rock at fullback, his powerful punts gaining much territory. James Ward at centre provided space for the wingers, 19 year old Luke Hughes and the speedy Maleli Tora, to capitalise on. Jared Cropper, the union’s * Player of Origin, started on the wing but proved far more effective in midfield.
* PLAYER OF ORIGIN
In the Heartland competition match squads of 22 players may have up
to three players loaned from outside the union. In 2009 the NZRU introduced,
as a trial, the Player of Origin concept, additional to the three
allowable loan players. A Player of Origin is defined as a person
who from the age of 12-18 played rugby in the relevant Heartland union,
either for a school or club, for at least three years who is now playing
rugby outside the union.
Higher honours went to:
New Zealand Heartland XV : Cornish, Ferguson
2009 Squad
J.Alexander (Blaketown)
D.I.Blackburn (South Westland)
L.K.Cornish (Blaketown)
J.J.Cropper (* Christchurch - Canterbury RFU)
N.G.Davy (Blaketown)
M.A.De Goldi (Sydenham - Canterbury RFU)
S.D.Durie (Marist)
J.R.B.Ferguson (Blaketown)
J.C.Hill (South Westland)
B.G.Houston (Blaketown)
L.J.Hughes (Grey Valley)
G.H.Iafeta (Blaketown)
C.P.J.Mason (Christchurch - Canterbury RFU)
M.J.Meehan (Marist)
J.Merrett (Christchurch - Canterbury RFU)
B.G.Mirfin (Grey Valley)
A.B.Monk (Blaketown)
M.N.H.Monk (Blaketown)
R.T.Nicholls (Grey Valley)
R.P.O’Gorman (Marist-Albion - Canterbury RFU)
B.D.Sims (Blaketown)
M.J.Sincock (Wests)
L.Tauti (Blaketown)
T.Tauwhare (Kiwi)
R.P.Thomson (Blaketown)
M.M.Tora (Marist)
J.W.Ward (Blaketown)
T.A.Wycliff (Grey Valley)
WEST COAST TEAM RECORD 2009
Played 10 , Won 6 , Lost 4 , Points for 232 , Points against 202
* Heartland Match / # Lochore Cup
AA
REWARDS HEARTLAND RUGBY - POOL A |
|||||
| . | P |
W |
D |
L |
Pts |
Wanganui
|
5 |
4 |
- |
1 |
20 |
Horowhenua-Kapiti
|
5 |
4 |
- |
1 |
18 |
Wairarapa
Bush  |
5 |
3 |
- |
2 |
14 |
West
Coast  |
5 |
3 |
- |
2 |
12 |
Buller
|
5 |
1 |
- |
4 |
8 |
East
Coast  |
5 |
- |
- |
5 |
0 |
AA
REWARDS HEARTLAND RUGBY - LOCHORE CUP |
|||||
| . | P |
W |
D |
L |
Pts |
West
Coast |
8 |
5 |
- |
3 |
21 |
North
Otago  |
8 |
4 |
- |
4 |
20 |
King
Country  |
8 |
4 |
- |
4 |
20 |
Buller
|
8 |
3 |
- |
5 |
17 |
East
Coast |
8 |
1 |
- |
7 |
4 |
Thames
Valley  |
8 |
- |
- |
8 |
4 |
*August 29 v Wairarapa Bush ,,Greymouth
Won 13 - 10
Cornish , try
Merrett , conversion , penalty goals (2)
Referee: R.R.Kelly
* September 5 v Horowhenua Kapiti ,
Paraparaumu Lost 9 - 33
Merrett , penalty goals (3)
Referee: G.G.Smart
* September 12 v Buller , Greymouth
Won 26 - 20
Ward (2) , tries
Merrett , conversions (2) , penalty goals (4)
Referee: G.R.Newman
* September 19 v East Coast , Greymouth
Won 34 - 21
Tauti, Thomson, Sincock , tries
Cornish , conversions (2) , penalty goals (5)
Referee: S.A.W.Eden-Whaitiri
* September 26 v Wanganui , Wanganui
Lost 9 - 33
Merrett m penalty goals (3)
Referee: S.M.Elliott
# October 3 v Thames Valley , Greymouth
Won 27 - 3
Mirfin, Hughes, Durie , tries
Merrett , conversions (3) , penalty goals (2)
Referee: M.S.Muir
# October 10 v King Country , Taupo
Lost 13 - 22
Hughes , try
Merrett, conversion
Cornish , penalty goals (2)
Referee: G.G.Stuart
# October 17 v North Otago , Greymouth
Won 35 - 17
O’Gorman (2),Ward, Cropper , tries
Cornish , conversions (3) , penalty goals (3)
Referee: S.W.McDermott
# October 24 v Buller (Lochore Cup
Semi final) , Greymouth Won 53 - 22
O’Gorman (3), Hughes, Cropper, Wycliff, Ward, Houston , tries
Cornish , conversions (5) , drop goal
Referee: S.M.Elliott
# October 31 v North Otago (Lochore
Cup Final) ,Greymouth Lost 13 - 21
Tora , try
Cornish , conversion , penalty goals (2)
Referee: S.C. McPhail
First Semi-final: at Rugby Park, Greymouth
, Saturday October 24
West Coast 53 (O’Gorman 3, Hughes, Cropper ,Wycliff
, Ward, Houston tries; Cornish 5 conversions and dropped goal)
defeated Buller 22 (Coman, Bonisch, C. Moore tries;
Thompson 2 conversions and penalty goal).
Referee: S.M.Elliott
Second Semi-final: at Centennial Park
, Oamaru Saturday October 24
North Otago 31 (Waenga 2, Forrest tries; Waenga 2 conversions and
4 penalty goals) defeated
King Country 27 (Seduadua 3,'I`aylor tries; Murrell 2 conversions;
Quinlan penalty goal).
Referee: S.A.W.Eden-Whaitiri
Final: at Rugby Park, Greymouth , Saturday
October 31
North Otago 21 (Breen, Fonua tries; Waenga conversion;
Waenga 2, Forrest penalty goals) defeated
West Coast 13 (Tora try; Cornish conversion and 2
penalty goals).
Referee: J.S.C.McPhail
