Rangiuru's pre-season starts with new sponsors on board

Tanerau Latimer will once again be coaching Rangiuru in the upcoming Baywide rugby competition.

A new sponsorship deal will mean Rangiuru has dual major sponsors for the 2020 Baywide rugby season.

Premier and development teams manager DJ Pouwhare says recent success at the club has been a factor in bringing two local businesses, Metalco and GJ Building, on board.

Rangiuru won the Baywide Premier 2 title in 2018, securing promotion to the Baywide Premier division for 2019. Under former All Black Tanerau Latimer, the club secured a place in the second-phase, top-eight premier competition to ensure premiership rugby in 2020.

''We've never really had a major sponsor of our teams before, so it's a bit of an honour and a privilege to have a couple of companies come on board,'' says DJ.

''They've probably seen the rise of Rangiuru over the past couple of years and it probably helps, the coach we've got. There are a lot of good people around the club at the
moment.''

That roster has been enhanced with the addition of former Māori All Black, Chief and 101-game Waikato veteran Deon Muir to the club's coaching team.

DJ says securing the sponsorship takes a lot of stress off the club.

''I guess probably a lot of people know we're not the wealthiest club and it helps us on and off the field.''

It has also secured the club its first opponents for the 2020 pre-season on Saturday.
Metalco also sponsor the University of Waikato Rugby Club.

''They have for a number of years now and when they decided to come on board we said, 'why not get the two clubs together and make it an annual thing'.''

Fresh from victory in the Te Puke 10s rugby tournament, Rangiuru's women's team, the defending Baywide Women's champions, will take on their University counterparts in the first game, kicking off at 12.30pm, with the men's game at 2.30pm.

Unfortunately, it is unlikely new jerseys and warm-up gear will arrive in time due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Te Puke Sports also start their pre-season on Saturday, with development and premier games again Fraser Tech at Murray Salt Stadium. Games start at 1.30pm and 2.30pm respectively.