With Steelform Whanganui guaranteed of a Meads Cup home semifinal, there are concerns about the substandard playing conditions at Cooks Gardens.
The complex may have a reputation of being the best all-round facility within the 12 unions that comprise the Heartland competition but the playing surface has been a real worry for home fixtures this season.
Granted, it has been a particularly wet winter but the surface has turned muddy very quickly during the 2022 campaign which affects the ability of all players to engage in free running open rugby and ball handling.
It is a particular handicap for teams like Whanganui which traditionally favours a free-flowing style of rugby — crowd-pleasing tactics which have won the union six Meads and two Lochore Cups since 2006.
Quick ball handling and snap decision changes of pace are not suited in slippery conditions.
It is not only match days that are affected with the squad not able to practise on a home playing field leading up to some important games, being forced to switch to the suburban Kaierau Country Club in Springvale.
There have been occasional problems with Cooks Gardens in past years but not as bad as this season with a lack of sufficient aeration of the ground a possible issue.
It was amazing to see the difference in the Levin Domain field last Saturday — a ground that had been rolled and rolled for days before the game.
Cooks Gardens is almost certainly the most expensive Heartland complex to hire and the District Council has been advised of the Whanganui Rugby Football Union's concern at the state of the playing field being presented by the ground contractors.
The state of Cooks Gardens will be seen on national TV this Saturday because the match against Mid Canterbury is being shown live on TV Sport.
And should Whanganui somehow finish top qualifier for the Meads Cup final at Labour Weekend that would be screened live from Cooks Gardens.
Note - The Butcher Boys would host the final if they win their local semifinal on Saturday week and if South Canterbury unexpectedly loses the other semifinal (probably v North Otago).
Game to spare
Whanganui is fortunate that it is assured of a Meads semifinal regardless of the result of Saturday's local fixture against Mid Canterbury.
Going into Saturday's eighth and final qualifying round of the Bunnings Warehouse championship the Top Four teams are unbeaten South Canterbury on 34 points, Whanganui 31, Thames Valley 25 and North Otago 23.
Current leaders in the Lochore Cup are King Country 20, East Coast and Mid Canterbury 18 and Buller 16.
Then come Horowhenua Kapiti 15, Poverty Bay 11, Wairarapa Bush 8 and West Coast 7.
The major surprise last weekend was Poverty Bay collecting a 29-27 home win over Thames Valley.
This means that the Swamp Foxes will need points off Horowhenua at Te Aroha to be assured of coming to Whanganui for the semis because defeat and a win for North Otago against King Country in Taupo will see the Oamaru union coming here.
South Canterbury should beat East Coast at Geraldine this weekend to finish top qualifier and seeking to retain the Meads Cup.
King Country, winners over Mid Canterbury, East Coast and Buller in the past three weeks, has a chance of qualifying for a semi against South Canterbury with a home win over North Otago.
Mid Canterbury is in the Lochore Cup mixing bowl and badly needs at least a point at Cooks Gardens to reach the play-offs.
The Hammers were sixth last year, improving from a worst ever 11th.
Whanganui close
There is only a single point between the Butcher Boys and top of the table South Canterbury in average game scores this season.
Current average match scores — South Canterbury 44-17, Whanganui 44-18, North Otago 44-20, Thames Valley 29-21, Mid Canterbury 29-all, King Country 25-26, Horowhenua Kapiti 25-36, Buller 25-47, West Coast 24-37, East Coast 21-26, Wairarapa Bush 21-37, Poverty Bay 20-32.
PREVIOUS RESULTS
WANGANUI v MID-CANTERBURY
1939 — Wanganui won 14-11* Home
1956 — Wanganui lost 9-16 Away
1958 — Wanganui lost 14-16 Home
1960 — Wanganui lost 10-11 Away
1978 — Wanganui won 23-6 Home
1983 — Wanganui lost 10-19 Home
1985 — Wanganui won 12-9 Away NPC Div 2
1986 — Wanganui won 10-9 Home NPC Div 2
1987 — Wanganui lost 12-23 Away NPC Div 2
1990 — Wanganui won 42-16 Home NPC Div 2
1992 — Wanganui won 22-6 Away NPC Div 3
1993 — Wanganui won 36-24 Home NPC Div 3
1994 — Wanganui won 24-19 Away NPC Div 3
Wanganui lost 13-22 Home NPC Div 3 SF
1996 — Wanganui won 47-10 Home NPC Div 3
1999 — Wanganui lost 13-19 Away NPC Div 2
2000 — Wanganui won 22-19 Home NPC Div 2
2001 — Wanganui lost 20-21 Away NPC Div 2
2006 — Wanganui Won 46-8 Home Heartland
Wanganui Won 30-17 Home Meads Cup SF
2007 — Wanganui Lost 19-21 Away Heartland
Wanganui Won 18-12 Away Meads Cup SF
2008 — Wanganui Won 43-12 Home Meads Cup
Wanganui Won 27-12 Home Meads Cup Final
2009 — Wanganui Lost 14-23 Away Heartland
Wanganui Won 34-13 Away (Chch) Meads Cup Final
2010 — Wanganui Won 29-3 Home Heartland
2011 — Wanganui Lost 23-26 Home Heartland
Wanganui Won 32-22 Home Meads Cup SF
2012 — Wanganui Won 24-23 Away Heartland
2014 — Wanganui Lost 14-30 Away Heartland
2015 — Wanganui Lost 28-30 Home Heartland
Wanganui Won 26-11 Away Meads Cup SF
2017 — Wanganui Lost 39-40 Away Heartland
2018 — Wanganui Won 30-12 Home Heartland
2021 — Whanganui Lost 17-24 Away Heartland
Games played 36
Wanganui won 21, lost 15, Pts for 846, Pts Ag 625. Average score: 24-17.
Heartland Fixtures —
P 18 Wanganui won 11, lost 7. Pts for 493, Ag 339. Average score 27-19.
* Match was against Ashburton County
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