West Coast RFU – 2024

Heartland Championship

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2024

Season

2024 Status:
Heartland Championship – Lochore Cup Runners Up
....Founded 1890..Affiliated 1893
President:
P.J. (Paddy) Kennedy
Chairman:
L.J. (John) Canning
Chief Executive Officer:
Mike Connors
Coach:
S.J. (Sean) Cuttance
Assistant Coaches:
J.V. (Jared) Mitchell, T.K. (Troy) Tauwhare
.Main ground:
 John Sturgeon Park, Greymouth
Capacity:
.8,000
Colours:
 Red and white hoops. red shorts. red socks with white tops

Results 2024

Sat 17 Aug 2:00 pm H Heartland Championship Poverty Bay 38 - 29
Sat 24 Aug 2:00 pm A Heartland Championship Mid Canterbury 49 - 21
Sat 31 Aug 2:00 pm H Heartland Championship Horowhenua-Kapiti 26 - 27
Sat 07 Sep 2:30 pm A Heartland Championship / Rundle Cup Buller 17 - 20
Sat 14 Sep 2:30 pm A Heartland Championship King Country 43 - 17
Sat 21 Sep 2:00 pm H Heartland Championship East Coast 37 - 19
Sat 28 Sep 2:30 pm A Heartland Championship Wairarapa Bush 38 - 31
Sat 05 Oct 2:30 pm H Heartland Championship South Canterbury 38 - 43
Sat 12 Oct 2:30 pm A Heartland Championship Horowhenua-Kapiti 51 - 52
Sun 20 Oct 2:05 pm A Lochore Cup Final King Country 46 - 44

West Coast almost repeated their Lochore Cup triumph of last year. In the final against King Country, the Coast scored an 80th-minute try to level the match at 34-all. But the conversion to win the match hit the left-hand upright and rebounded away. In the required 20 minutes of extra time, West Coast eventually went down 44–46 in a thriller.

The 46 tries and 324 points scored were West Coast’s best ever tallies in a Heartland Championship season, and the four wins, six loss record could well have been improved upon. The match against Wairarapa Bush was a classic game of two halves. West Coast led 24–5 at halftime after scoring three excellent tries but eventually lost 31–38. There was a one-point loss (round robin) and a one-point win (semi-final) against Horowhenua Kapiti, and West Coast pushed the formidable South Canterbury side — on 38 consecutive wins prior to the match— to 38–43 scoring six tries.

The season was a personal triumph for Troy Tauwhare. At the conclusion of the season he had taken his tally of appearances for West Coast to 108, and number of tries scored to 29, both new records for the union. He was in brilliant form at hooker and his efforts for his team were monumental, scoring seven tries to top the table while continuing to serve as assistant coach.

Newcomer Ben Alexander started every game at loosehead prop and seemed to handle the rigours of Heartland rugby well. Fellow prop Jesse MacRae played his 50th game in the opening match. Lock Tumama Tu’ulua captained the side, his ball-winning ability in the lineout was great value and he also showed good mobility around the field.

West Coast had a fine set of loose forwards in Gordie Lloyd, Caleb Karangaroa, Ethan Simpson and Jack Rea. They all had their moments and worked well together. Jack Rea looked very promising and made the NZ Heartland Under 20 team.

Seasoned halfback and assistant coach Jared Mitchell serviced his backline quickly and Jacob Waikari-Jones was a very good acquisition on loan. The first five-eighth was in excellent goalkicking form, his 34 conversions was a new season record for Wes Coast and his six conversions against Horowhenua Kapiti in the semi-final equalled their match record.

At second five-eighth, Jarel Hemehema caused all sorts of problems for the opposition, scoring five tries with his strong running, while wingers Jaime Garland and Kane Parker were two good finishers, scoring four tries each

Roster 2024

  Position PL TR CON PEN DG
Aloffagia (Tasi) Sone Hooker 1 0 0 0 0
Jesse MacRae Prop 9 0 0 0 0
Benjamin Alexander Prop 10 3 0 0 0
Tumama Tu'ulua Lock 9 0 0 0 0
Caleb Karangaroa Flanker 6 0 0 0 0
Ethan T.G. Simpson Lock 6 2 0 0 0
Gordie Lloyd Lock 10 2 0 0 0
Jared Mitchell Fullback 7 2 0 0 0
Jacob Waikari-Jones First Five 10 2 34 8 0
Jack Sheridan Centre 8 1 0 0 0
Jarel Hemehema Fullback 10 5 0 0 0
Jaime Kearns 1 0 0 0 0
Richard Kaisia Centre 8 0 0 0 0
Mitchell Tapp Hooker 8 1 0 0 0
Toby Hanrahan-Kennett Fullback 2 0 0 0 0
Arnie Gibbens Lock 6 0 0 0 0
Adam Friend Lock 2 0 0 0 0
Daniel Foord Prop 3 0 0 0 0
Murphy Kupe Prop 3 0 0 0 0
Tamatautonu Faitotonu No. 8 5 0 0 0 0
Troy Tauwhare Hooker 9 7 0 0 0
Henare Mason Scrum Half 5 0 0 0 0
Daniel Davis Prop 7 0 0 0 0
Logan Winter (Takurua) Flanker 10 2 0 0 0
Nick Hyde Hooker 1 1 0 0 0
Nick Foxley Centre 5 0 0 0 0
Oliver Robb Scrum Half 3 1 0 0 0
Kane Parker Fullback 10 4 0 0 0
Quinn Johnsen Hooker 7 2 0 0 0
Robert Brocklehurst Lock 2 1 0 0 0
Jack Rea Flanker 9 2 0 0 0
Carlos Thomson Winger 3 0 0 0 0
Nathan Booker Centre 5 1 0 0 0
Sean R. McClure Centre, Winger 9 2 0 0 0
Jaime Garland First Five 7 4 0 0 0