Mid Western Rugby Club president Carl Gunson (left) and head coach Danny Woodcock are putting the final touches on tomorrow's Mid Western 10s tournament in Maungakaramea. Photo / John Stone
Mid Western Rugby Club president Carl Gunson (left) and head coach Danny Woodcock are putting the final touches on tomorrow's Mid Western 10s tournament in Maungakaramea. Photo / John Stone
Good culture will be the theme of the day tomorrow as 11 rugby teams converge on Maungakaramea for the annual Mid Western Rugby Club 10s tournament.
The tournament, in its second edition, will feature three more teams than in 2019 - Awanui, Kaikohe, Mid Western, Mid Northern, Kamo (lastyear's champions), Western Sharks, Waipū, Hikurangi, Southern, UK/Moerewa and North Harbour's Mahurangi.
Mid Western's Grayson Potter (left) celebrates at Semenoff Stadium as his side won the championship final last year. Photo / File
Originally set to have 12 teams in action, a team from Otamatea withdrew on Wednesday, which was too late for organisers to find a replacement side.
The mix of premier and championship teams will play at least three games with the competition opener between Mid Western and last year's losing finalists Hikurangi at 9.24am, before the championship final at 5pm wraps up the day.
The competition, headed by Mid Western president Carl Gunson and head coach Danny Woodcock, was inspired by a similar tournament run by Mangakahia Rugby Club and used as good preseason training for teams across grades.
Both Carl Gunson (left) and Danny Woodcock have worked hard to keep the club's culture moving in the right direction. Photo / John Stone
"We wanted to give the opportunity for championship teams to play with premier teams ... trying to build the bridge between the two competitions," Woodcock said.
"Fitness-wise you can't get much better - hard, fast and it gives players a bit of a wake-up to where they are at."
However, the tournament was one of multiple initiatives from the Maungakaramea-based club to engage better with its community, after a survey found success on the scoreboard was not the only priority.
"A lot of people wanted to come along for the day and they actually wanted to feel safe, feel welcomed, wanted to socialise and rugby fits in around that," Woodcock said.
"The main thing is competitive rugby and that they've got a good place to have a drink, have a feed and socialise, which we were surprised by to be honest."
Mid Western's 2019 championship winning team. Photo / File
Cultivating a positive culture had become a top priority for those at Mid Western. In last year's tournament, an incident occurred between teams from Kerikeri and Hora Hora which precluded them from entering in this year's competition.
Club president Gunson, who made the decision to bar Kerikeri and Hora Hora, said he was open to both clubs returning in the future, but underlined he was committed to his club's new mission statement.
"While I'm president at the club, we won't put up with any of that behaviour," Gunson said.
"Our vision is to be a successful community club which develops great players and people on and off the field."
Mid Western's Dan Wells. Photo / File
Pleased at how the tournament had grown from last year, Gunson hoped to include women's and age-group teams in future competitions to further engage with Maungakaramea's growing population.
"Hopefully we get a good crowd to turn up, it'll be some good running rugby and hopefully everyone's having a good time, enjoying that camaraderie that comes with rugby."
Draw:
9.24am: Mid Western v Hikurangi 9.48am: Mid Northern v Waipū 10.12am: Southern v Kamo 10.36am: Mid Western v Mahurangi 11am: Waipū v Kaikohe 11.24am: Awanui v Sharks 11.48am: Kamo v UK/Moerewa 12.12pm: Hikurangi v Mahurangi 12.36pm: Mid Northern v Kaikohe 1pm: UK/Moerewa v Southern
Mid Western: Campbell Dunn, Sam Vallings, Brad Skelton, AJ Rudsdale, Jayden Carter, Mario Lawrence, Jovan Harris-Hagley, Dan Babe, Verner Horn, Arthur McKechnie, Darren Ganley, Thorodin Crawford, Jaden Matson, Ethan O'Shea, Charlton Tunui, Brad Dean, Theunis van Loggerenberg, John Gardner, Kelvin Keefe, Des Lavender.
Kaikohe: Matthew Paraha, Jack Tango, Raymond Rakete, Vincent Te Rore, Tumanako Pawa, Micheal Davis, Ben Compain, Solomon Dalton, Pae Heamara, Reagan Hills, Anaru Nimmo, Bodean Rogers, Stacey Heke, Ngaphui Rogers, Tuari Davis, Josh Davis, Api Cooper, Jayden Elkington, Donald McKenzie.
Mid Northern: Aidyn Ferris, Curtis Toapuho, Rikki Heramia, Luke Edwards, Tomislav Baker, Chad Boyed, Daniel Potter, Kalani Going, Malachi Reweti, Brady Rush, Jack Colbourne, James Cherrington, Kealii Leuluai, Joachim Edmonds, Jordy Levavasour, Inoke Bogidrau, Epeli Kadavu, Waitangi Neho, Cam Hill, Waipu Stone.
Waipū: Marley Mackay, Sean McCully, Matthew Abraham, Raikabula Momoedonu, Finn Duffus, Samuel McNamara, Saimoni Uluinakauvadra, Mark McClure, Popoai Finau, Sam Bean, Waikauri Hetaraka, Nick Murray, Daniel Keay, Duncan Rhind.
Western Sharks: Denver Pataua, Willis Lama, Mitchell Pattinson, Darryn Jeffery, Michael Frood, Matthew Harrison, Brayden Nicols, Geoffery Conn, Matthew Harrison, Salesi Lavemai, Aseri Vatunavuku, Barry Welsh, Peniasi Malimali, Manasa Delana, Josiah Povey, Hawaiki Tohu Gregory, Herman Schwenke, Leighton Pomare, Jone Mateiwai, Kalani Snooks.
Hikurangi: Mark Lawson, Jonathon Lawson, Craven Martin, Cambell Matthews, Javahn Repia, Kelly Haora, Brad Christensen, Haami Phillips, Dixie Harris, Kurt Davies, Shae Currie, James Whitehira, Charles Newman, Kane Turketo, Terrence Riini, Iwi Hauraki, Liam-Shae Harding, Mikael-Jones Daniella, Peti Paraone, Eroni Biukoto.
UK/Moerewa: Justin Davies, Johnny Hickey, Caelin Wilson, Teraleigh Schultz, Recce Dephoff, Axel Goodhue, Jesse Chapman, Rhys TeNana, Samuel Lemon, Troy Hona, Chaz Watene, Samuel Henare, Maurice Cooper, Warren Dunn, Mark Watene, Jaimie Anderson, Quin Butler, Kane Vlaardingerbroeks.
Kamo: Todd McDowell, Mason Hohaia, Jack Straker, Luke Boylan, Lyrik Joyce, Kane Jacobson, Todd Scotland, Jackson Sparksman-Brott, Hayden Sloper, Raymond Morunga, Jayden Bentley Hape, Jayden Leupepe, Kurt Benney, Ethan Benney, Jonathon Annandale, Matt Burns, Grayson Thyne, Kalib McDonald, Jacob Monaghan, Jake Strang, Chase Killeen.
Awanui: TJ Waita, George Steed, Tyler Kearns, Tatoko Matthews, Shiloh Heta, Mana Taylor, Oliver Hilton Jones, Frank Roberts, Ilai Arona, Peter Kernan, Jerome Levi, Denny Windelborn, Hayden Lloyd, Hama Brown, Matty Tuatagaloa, David Barker, Meli Taqea, Tane Tahana, Nathan Waipouri, Rueben Adams.
Team lists for Mahurangi and Southern were unavailable before deadline.
