Rugby: Magpies' 33 good men

HBRFU president Blair Furlong presents a ranfurly Shield pin to Ricky Riccitelli. PHOTO/Paul Taylor

HAWKE'S BAY Magpies rugby team's head coach Craig Philpott said his 2015 squad has been four years in the making.

"They're resilient and motivated and work harder than anybody else. They're your team and you should be proud of them," Philpott told the 250 sponsors at yesterday's season launch breakfast function in Hastings.

The 33-strong squad includes two All Blacks, five Super Rugby champions and eight Super Rugby runners-up. They boast a total of 654 first class appearances for the Bay and an average age of 24.

Of the 30 players (fullback Israel Dagg and prop Ben Franks were in Sydney with the All Blacks and loosie Hugh Renton was in Wellington sitting an exam) whom Philpott introduced, all but one of them, have played in a Ranfurly Shield defence.

"Many of them also know what if feels like to come second in Championship finals ... by millimetres twice," Philpott said referring to last year's 32-24 loss to Manawatu and the previous year's 26-25 loss to Tasman.

He stressed the fact the squad included civil engineers, freezing workers, plumbers, electricians and trainee nurses was just as important as the World Cup and Super Rugby titleholders.

"They are good sons, good fathers, good brothers, good partners and most importantly good men."

Philpott described the Magpies sponsorship model as unique. "Most unions have five main sponsors and very little else. We've got well over 200 and whether you are a main sponsor or not these players would not be here without you guys."

There were no prizes for the best joke of the morning, but if there were it would have gone to Magpies captain Brendon O'Connor.

"There has been a lot of talk about statistics this morning but something which has slipped under the radar is the fact Ihaia [West] and I have doubled our win tally for the year since we have been back with the Magpies after playing for the Blues earlier in the year."

The Blues player-of-the-year, O'Connor, is in his third season with the Magpies and this will be his second as captain. It will also be his last as he will link up with the Leicester Tigers club in England after the ITM Cup.

"Hopefully we can go a step further and take out the final this season to get promoted. Along the way it would be good to hold on to the Ranfurly Shield for another summer too," O'Connor said.

Union director Simon Tremain told guests at the function that this season's team was the most experienced since the squad of the late 1960s.

"It has Super Rugby class in all positions and the backup looks good right through the team too.

"Having the shield helps attract players like we have and it also helps generate our sponsorship. Having the shield for the summer was fantastic and it helped recollect the 60s," Tremain said.

The former Magpies, Otago and Wellington rep described the first 40 minutes of last year's 41-0 win against Otago in the first shield defence of the season as the best performance by the Magpies for many years.

Tremain pointed out it takes a while for a new coaching staff to gain the necessary mana and respect and with Philpott and his assistant Danny Lee entering their fourth season with the team they now have this.

"With an ounce of luck I'm sure we have the shield around at the end of this season too."

Tremain reminded sponsors last year was the union's best financially. The union's net surplus was $242,048.

Union president and one of the heroes from the 1960s shield era, former All Black Blair Furlong, presented the squad with Ranfurly Shield pins in recognition of the three successful defences this season.