Rugby: Wanganui Past Players to play King Country Past Players

Asaeli Tikoirotuma will play for Wanganui Past Players in Te Kuiti on Saturday.

They've got a Fijian test player, Wanganui first class centenarians, former NZ Heartland XV representatives and multiple Meads Cup winners.

But it remains to be seen if father time has dulled some of the old boys skills as Wanganui 'Past Players' will take on their King Country counterparts in the curtain raiser match to the Mite 10 Heartland Championship game in Te Kuiti on Saturday.

With recently retired Steelform Wanganui captain Cole Baldwin behind the team, the squad is made up of players over 30-years-old who have had their blazer game for Wanganui or a relevant equivalent.

The goal posts got shifted a little on the age and representative appearances criteria while raising the squad.

The match will be played in 20 minute quarters with rolling substitutions allowed.

Asaeli Tikoirotuma is the really noteworthy name – the former Collegiate schoolboy and 2006 Wanganui player who went onto a major international career with the Chiefs, Harlequins, London Irish and 24 test matches for Fiji.

Former Wanganui skipper and 2017 NZ Provincial Barbarians vice captain Peter Rowe will pull on the boots, as will players who were in the Heartland squad scene in recent seasons like Brett Turner, Fraser Hammond, Karl Parker and Jon Smyth.

Having just won the RDO Shield with the Wanganui Toyota Development XV, Samu Kubunavanua will play and along with a likewise still-active Aaron Paranihi will likely provide the much-needed pace to a festive backline with notable names like playmakers Mark Davis, Steelie Koro and even Guy Lennox – the oldest player by about seven years.

Kickoff for the Past Players game is at 12.30pm in Te Kuiti.

The team is
(Age in brackets) with first class games

Forwards: Lance Devane (39) 28; Sheldon O'Hagan (41) 54; Brett Turner (37) 24; Karl Parker (38) 9; Kim McNaught (38) 8; David Gower (42) 29; Andrew Slight (37) 22; Nemia Adrole (35); Todd Wise (46) 7; Fraser Hammond (34) 60; Peter Rowe (36) 120; Temoci Ului (37) 10; Andrew Evans (36) 54; Cole Baldwin (35) 105.

Backs: Mark Davis (36) 31; Pehira Huwyler (32) 9; Logan Vaughan (41) 18; Dennis Tucker (36) 0; Guy Lennox (49) 110; Aaron Paranihi (29) 7; Samu Kubunavanua (29) 32; Asaeli Tikoirotuma (32) 38; Steelie Koro (33) 52.