Border vs Ruapehu should be a big match to kickoff the 2020 WRFU Premier club rugby season on March 28. Photo / Merrilyn George
Border vs Ruapehu should be a big match to kickoff the 2020 WRFU Premier club rugby season on March 28. Photo / Merrilyn George
Wanganui RFU's Premier competition will be a full three rounds this season after the provisional draw for 2020 was finally confirmed by club development officer Paul Kenny yesterday.
Kenny had to scramble to confirm a four month competition for the six remaining Premier squads, after depleted clubs Pirates and Ratanarelegated themselves to the Senior competition, which will be an even 12 teams.
As a result, Premier will lead off the season on March 28, compared to the last few years when Senior would usually start one or two weekends ahead.
There is nearly a month's gap, as Premier will play three weekends, taking a rest for Easter on April 11, while all club rugby will be played on Anzac Day, as April 25 is the Senior's kickoff.
In Premier, the six teams will play each other three times each, alternating home and away, with the Top 4 then going on to the semifinals on July 18.
Senior teams will play each other once, 11 rounds, before quarterfinals will be held on July 11, with the four eliminated sides at that point starting a three week round-robin for the consolation trophy.
All roads lead to Grand Final day at Cooks Gardens on July 25 for the Premier and Senior titles.
Kenny said he had done his best with the draw for the larger clubs, who have both a Premier and Senior team, to allow both squads to play at the same venue, although that was not always possible.
In Senior this year, the 11 rounds meant half of the teams had to take a 5-6 disadvantage for home games.
"In some cases it works OK, when teams do not have to travel but still have an 'away' game at their home venue," said Kenny.
"I do not think any sides are disadvantaged too much."
Pirates and the two Marist teams in Senior – Celtic and Buffalos – share Spriggens Park and the racecourse grounds, while Taihape and Utiku are Memorial Park neighbours.
"In a couple cases, there may be a few 'away' games in a row, but they are in vicinity or at the home venue anyway," said Kenny.
Premier will also have at least two Friday night fixtures this season.
Border will play their annual "duck shooting" match against South Taranaki neighbours Ngamatapouri on May 1 at Dallison Park, with Border being undefeated in the fixture against the likes of Ngamatapouri, Marist, Kaierau and Marton RFC when they were still a Premier club.
Also, on the Queens Birthday weekend, Marist and Border will play another Friday night fixture on May 29, with the venue still to be confirmed.
In the opening Premier round on March 28, Kaierau will host defending champions Taihape at the Country Club, Marist will make the long trek up the valley to meet Ngamatapouri, and power clubs Border and Ruapehu will clash in Waverley.
Taihape and Kaierau meet in the opening weekend of Premier at the Kaierau Country Club.
