Todd Doolan in action for Leamington against Ōhaupō at Ōhaupō Memorial Park during 2023. Photo / Jesse Wood
Every year a gold mine of talent is unearthed in Waikato club rugby but there are also a lot of legendary, familiar and random faces to show up on the scene - whether they’re new to the region, returning or have been playing for several decades.
Some of these players have been playing regularly while others have made cameo appearances.
The likes of former All Black loose forwards Marty Holah and Adam Thomson headlined last year’s club season in the Waikato - with Thomson continuing to turn out for Hamilton Old Boys in 2023.
A few weeks ago, he started as a blindside flanker in the semi-final clash with Hautapu in Cambridge.
Plenty of former international, Super Rugby and NPC players are spread throughout the senior grades as well as current Chiefs players who turn out for a different province in the Bunnings Warehouse NPC.
Several Heartland Championship players also feature in the competition – predominantly King Country players for Ōtorohanga.
A range of experienced coaches headed up and assisted this year’s squads along with a few player/coaches like Thomson.
Below is a “Waikato Club Rugby XV”. Some of the players have represented the club at B level but are just listed by their club, not their specific team.
Please note, the names below are not all of the representative/former representative players in 2023 Waikato Club Rugby.
1. DENNIS ANDREWS-PETERS – Melville
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: King Country 2022
TRANSFERRED FROM: Taumarunui Districts Rugby Football Club
2. PITA ANAE-AH SUE – Hautapu
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: South Canterbury 2018, Waikato 2022-2023, Moana Pasifika Training Squad 2023
TRANSFERRED FROM: Southern United Rugby Football Club
3. VILIAME SEUSEU – Ōtorohanga
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Fiji 2008-2009
4. ANTHONY WISE – Ōtorohanga
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Waikato 2012, King Country 2013-2017, Fiji 2009-2010
5. NORMAN WISE – Fraser Tech
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Fiji Schoolboys Under-18 2022
TRANSFERRED FROM: St John’s College
6. STAR FETU SASALU – Suburbs
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Samoan Sevens Barbarians 2007, Samoan Sevens 2008
TRANSFERRED FROM: Te Awamutu Sports
7. ADAM THOMSON – Hamilton Old Boys
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: South Canterbury 2017, Thames Valley 2021
8. HAME FAIVA – University
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Waikato 2013-2017, Chiefs Development 2013, Blues 2017, Hurricanes 2023, NZ Under 20 2013-2014, Italy 2022-2023
TRANSFERRED FROM: Italy
9. ISAAC BOSS – Southern United
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Waikato 1999, 2001- 2005, 2016, Chiefs 2001, 2003-2004, Hurricanes 2005, New Zealand Under 19 1999, Ireland Wolfhounds 2008-2015, Ireland 2006-2015
10. TODD DOOLAN - Leamington
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Ngāti Porou East Coast 2016, North Harbour 2017, Thames Valley 2021-2022, New Zealand Heartland XV 2022
TRANSFERRED FROM: Waihou Rugby & Sports Club
11. LEROY VAN DAM – Hamilton Marist
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Manawatū 2013, Bay of Plenty 2014- 2015, Otago 2017, New Zealand Under 20 2013
TRANSFERRED FROM: Taupiri Rugby Football Club
12. SANI RAMUWAI – Pirongia
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Fiji Sevens 2014, South Canterbury 2021
TRANSFERRED FROM: Mackenzie Rugby Football Club (South Canterbury)
13. NGANE PUNIVAI - Ōhaupō/University
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Canterbury 2017-2022, Crusaders 2019, Highlanders 2020-2022, Chiefs 2023, NZ Under 20 2018
14. ARMYN SANDERS – Pirongia
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Waikato 2007, Counties Manukau 2010, Thames Valley 2012, Wairarapa Bush 2017, New Zealand Under 19 2006
15. BRENDON MCCULLUM – United Matamata Sports
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: South Island Secondary Schools 2000, Black Caps 2002-2016 (Cricket)
16. VANCE ELLIOT – Hamilton Old Boys
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Waikato 2011-2013, Chiefs Development 2012
17. ATU MOLI – University
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Waikato 2015-2017, Tasman 2019, 2021-2023, Chiefs 2016-2023, NZ Under 20 2014-2015, All Blacks 2017-2019
18. SIOSIUA “JOSH” KAHO – Hamilton Old Boys
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Waikato Under 19 2017, Thames Valley 2021
19. JACK KINGSFORD – University
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: South Canterbury 2017, Thames Valley 2021
20. MATTHEW TOWERS – Te Awamutu Sports
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: King Country 2016
21. TAUTAU KAPEA – United Matamata Sports
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Horowhenua Kāpiti 2021-2022
22. JOSH IOANE – United Matamata Sports
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Otago 2017-2022, Waikato 2023, Moana Pasifika 2020, Highlanders 2018-2021, Chiefs 2022-2023, Māori All Blacks 2018, 2021-2022, South Island 2020, New Zealand XV 2022, All Blacks 2019
TRANSFERRED FROM: Southern Rugby Football Club (Otago)
23. SAM TOA – Te Awamutu Sports
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: New Zealand Schools Barbarians 2015, Waikato Under 19 2016, North Harbour Development 2022
TRANSFERRED FROM: North Shore Rugby Football Club (North Harbour)