John B Phillips: Whanganui rugby's head coach goes out with a win

Semi Vodosese in action for Steelform Whanganui against North Otago. Whanganui beat North Otago 22-16 in the Lochore Cup final played in heavy rain and wind at Cooks Gardens on Sunday afternoon. Photo / Lewis Gardner

It was entirely appropriate that Steelform Whanganui should reward retiring head coach Jason Caskey with an eighth NZ Heartland championship title at wind-blown Cooks Gardens last Sunday.

The Butcher Boys, however, had to survive severe pressure from arch-rivals North Otago before winning a tense live televised Lochore Cup decider 22-16.

In contrast to a record 45-12 victory over the Old Golds on the same field a fortnight earlier, this time it was a real close battle, particularly into the rain squalls and strong wind during the second spell.

Whanganui led 12-3 after first use of the elements but it did not take long for the visitors to turn that into a 13-12 advantage and then 16-12, but the Butcher Boys snared two tries to lead 22-16.

The powerful North Otago forward pack, headed by three Otago loan players and strong Tongans, poured on pressure near the Whanganui line over the dying 5 min, needing a converted try to snatch the title.

With loud support from the worried local supporters, however, the Butcher Boys forwards were able to keep control of the ball until the welcome final whistle sounded.

It was the fifth time the two unions have contested a Heartland final but the first occasion at Cooks Gardens, Whanganui winning the same trophy 14-12 in 2014 and North Otago claiming Meads Cup finals in 2019 (33-19), 2010 (33-18) and 2007 (25-8) — all in Oamaru.

Whanganui, however, is now ahead 10 wins to six in Heartland fixtures with the opposition only winning once in seven visits — 39-16 in 2007.

For Jason Caskey it was a second Lochore title to go with six Meads Cup championships, six of the eight victories coming since he took over as head coach in 2011 with Jason Hamlin as his assistant.

Prior to 2011 Caskey was assistant to Guy Lennox between 2006-10, winning back to back Meads Cups in 2009-09 and assistant to Milton Haig when runners-up in 2006-07, the first two years of the 12-union Heartland championship.

Caskey and Hamlin, who claimed a hat-trick of Meads Cups in 2015-16-17, were not involved with the 2013 Whanganui reps.

Sunday was the 13th time in 15 years that Jason Caskey has been involved in a Heartland final with the only hiccup during his regime coming in 2018 when eventual Meads champions Thames Valley won a semifinal 17-7 at Cooks Gardens.

He has been involved in 138 Heartland fixtures as a coach. 88 in charge, with Whanganui winning 68 times, drawing once and losing 19 games since 2011.

During the Guy Lennox era there were 26 wins from 30 games and with Milton Haig 14 victories, a draw and five defeats.

In the 138 Heartland matches Whanganui has recorded 108 victories, two draws and 28 losses.

Add in six Ranfurly Shield challenges, nine NPC Div 2 games with Milton Haig in 2005 and a Whanganui v Canada A match in 2006.

There were also four rep matches last season in the absence of Heartland rugby with Jason Caskey's first class coaching tally now 158 fixtures.

He has also had 42 non-first-class pre-season matches, taking his involvement with Whanganui rep teams during the new millennium to 200.

Toss in the hundreds of training sessions and it is an outstanding Whanganui coaching record.

As a player with Tech COB and then Waverley Jason Caskey repped 75 times for Whanganui, mainly as a loose forward, between 1993-1999 and was in the 1996 team that beat Marlborough 22-17 in the NPC Div 3 final at Blenheim under coach Bruce Hodder.

Also in that champion side was 100-rep-cap Jason Hamlin.

The Wanganui RFU board is likely to advertise the 2022 rep coaching position(s).
One thing is certain — Jason Caskey will be a very hard act to follow.

36 NZ Heartland Reps

With five players named in the NZ Heartland squad to play NZ Barbarians in Taupo next month, Whanganui has increased its number of national representatives since 2006 to 36.

New local Heartland XV squad members for the December 5 televised game are Taihape prop Hadlee Hay-Horton and Ngamatapouri three quarter Timoci Seruwalu although the latter previously played for NZH while a loan player to Horowhenua-Kapiti.

Whanganui skipper Campbell Hart, who is off to teach in Taumarunui, retiring utility back Craig Clare and halfback Lindsay Horrocks are returning NZH representatives.

For Border backs Horrocks and Clare and Ruapehu flanker Campbell it will be the fourth time of selection.

The local record of nine-selections is held by astute Ruapehu loose forward Peter Rowe (2006-07-08-10-12-13-14-15-16 and captain since 2010).

Hooker Cole Baldwin and Marist winger Cameron Crowley were each chosen five times.
Whanganui's largest representation was eight players in 2009-10-11.

This year South Canterbury, who qualified for the Meads Cup final unbeaten, provides six players and two non-travelling reserves, Whanganui five and two and Mid Canterbury four and one.

Thames Valley and East Coast have three members each, North Otago two and Horowhenua-Kapiti and Poverty Bay one each with the bottom four unions — Buller, West Coast, Wairarapa-Bush and King Country — not represented.

A reliance on loan players from larger unions, who are not eligible for NZH selection, is notable in Meads (Thames Valley) and Lochore (North Otago) finalists.

Wanganui's 36 NZ Heartland reps are —
2006 To Argentina (6) — Dan Aldworth, Leon Mason, Sheldon O'Hagan, Peter Rowe, Mike Thompson, Logan Vaughan.
2007 Team named — No games (3) — Steelie Koro, Peter Rowe, Mike Thompson.
2008 To America (5) — Cameron Crowley. Mike Fitzgerald, Matt Gilbert, Leon Mason, Asaeli Tikoirotuma. Asst coach: Guy Lenox.
2009 Domestic game v NZ Marist (8) — Cole Baldwin, Cameron Crowley, Matt Gilbert, David Gower, Fraser Hammond, Peter Rowe, Asaeli Tikoirotuma, Lasa Ulukuta. Coach: Guy Lennox. Manager: Chris Back.
2010 To Australia ((8) — Cole Baldwin, Cameron Crowley, Mark Davis, Fraser Hammond, Steelie Koro, Shaun McDonough, Peter Rowe, Jon Smyth. Coach: Guy Lennox. Manager: Chris Back.
2011 Local Game v NZ Marist (8) — Cole Baldwin, Simon Dibben, Steelie Koro, Darren Munro, Shaun McDonough, Jon Smyth, Sam Scown, Rusiate Vukula. Manager: Chris Back.
2012 To Samoa (7) — Mark Davis, Nick Cranston, Fraser Hammond, Matt Koubaridis (named but inured), Shaun McDonough, Darren Munro, Peter Rowe. Manager: Chris Back.
2013 Internal Games v NZ Defence Force and NZ Marist (4) — Nick Cranston, Shaun McDonough, Peter Rowe, Lasa Ulukuta. Manager: Chris Back.
2014 To Cook Islands (3) — Cole Baldwin, Peter Rowe, Lasa Ulukuta. Manager: Chris Back.
2015 Internal Games v NZ Marist and Australian Barbarins (6) — Cole Baldwin, Fraser Hammond, Lindsay Horrocks, Bryn Hudson, Stephen Perofeta, Peter Rowe. Manager: Chris Back.
2016 To Fiji (4) — Lindsay Horrocks, Peter Rowe, Viki Tofa, Te Rangatira Waitokia.
2017 Internal Game v NZ Marist (3) — Craig Clare, Cameron Crowley, Bryn Hudson.
2018 Internal Games v NZ Marist and Fijian Vanua XV (4) — Cameron Crowley, Craig Clare, Campbell Hart, Peni Nabainivalu.
2019 v Samoa in Auckland (4) — Campbell Hart, Craig Clare, Lindsay Horrocks, Peni Nabainivalu.
2019 To Fiji (2) — Campbell Hart, Peni Nabainivalu.
2021 Internal Game v NZ Barbarians (5) — Campbell Hart, Craig Clare, Lindsay Horrocks, Timoci Seruwalu, Hadlee Hay-Horton. Non-travelling reserves: Dane Whale, Josh Lane. Assistant coach: Jason Hamlin