Whanganui club rugby: Marist bring new ethos to senior season

The AGC Training Whanganui Under 16s are off to the Hurricanes Youth Rugby Council tournament next week.

Brought to you by Whanganui Rugby

The Whanganui Marist RFC’s third team haven’t just undergone a cosmetic change, but are embracing a new ethos with young men who will be the future of the club and perhaps the union.

The Whanganui Rugby Football Union’s largest club with three adult men’s teams, and this year an inaugural women’s squad, Marist RFC’s 3rd XV - the Buffalos - was always an eclectic squad.

With a strong and somewhat insulated Ali Arc Logistics Marist Celtic team above them, and the Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist Premier team as the flagship, the Buffalos were at times a feeder team, but often also a more social/casual squad led by older players.

They could be competitive when called upon - Senior Consolation grade silverware in the 2010s being proof of that - but usually most Tasman Tanning Senior teams would be banking on five competition points when they headed to Spriggens Park or the Racecourse fields.

However, with the sabbatical of the Whanganui Metro team from the Manawatu Colts competition this season, the landing place for a lot of Metro regulars and rookies has been Marist.

Therefore under new coach Sean Fergusson, a recent Premier referee, and club stalwart Tom Nepia, who played his 100th Premier game in 2021, the former Buffalos have a new name and for the first time even a sponsor - AGC Marist Knights.

“The ‘Buffs’, as I understand, had a really strong start,” said Fergusson.

“Since then, they’ve become a place you go when you didn’t want to train seriously.

“The big part [of the name change] was trying to get away from that connotation.

“Most of our guys would be younger than 24. Basically, there’s only a couple of Buffs guys in the team.”

Fergusson feels with so many rookie players they could use a coach with an older head than his, but everyone will be learning together - a work in progress which will see them one day, ideally, settle into a gameplan that will suit young players of their size.

But there are encouraging signs - while it was a tough 29-10 away loss to 2022′s Division 2 champions Bennett’s Taihape in the opening match, the team appear to have unearthed a real find in impact player Jeffree Bars, 18.

Last weekend, they went toe-to-toe at the Racecourse with 2020-21 Senior finalists Tāmata Hauhā Rātana, who really had to grind in their 15-0 win.

“If these boys, if they keep playing, there’s no doubt they’ll develop into a good team,” said Fergusson.

The team will have their next test against another Senior heavyweight in Kelso Hunterville on Saturday.

The Senior draw - April 29, 1pm kickoffs unless noted (times subject to change):

Mustangs v Kaierau, Spriggens Park; Marton v Celtic, Marton Park; Rātana v Utiku Old Boys, Rātana Pā; Knights v Hunterville, Racecourse; Border v Taihape, Dallison Park; Counties v Pirates, MacNab Domain (2pm).