WEST COAST RFU – 2006

. Season 2006	2006 Status: Heartland Championship ....Founded 1890..Affiliated 1893 President: E.G.Wilson Chairman: P.Millar Chief.Executive.Officer: M.Connors Coach: R.Maitland Assistant Coach: R.Brockbank .Main.ground: .Rugby Park, Greymouth Capacity: .8,000 Colours: .Red and white hoops. red shorts. red socks with white tops

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.

WEST COAST TEAM RECORD 2006

Played 8 , Won 1 , Lost 7 , Points For 136 , Points against 286

AA REWARDS HEARTLAND RUGBY – POOL A
.	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