New Whanganui head representative selector-coach Jason Hamlin has included 16 new caps in a 37-strong extended training squad to play Wairarapa-Bush on Monday afternoon.
Hamlin and fellow selector Marty McGrath have named 13 members, including nine forwards, from the unbeaten Taihape team for the non-first-class early season fixture to be played at the Kaierau Country Club starting at 2.30pm.
Eleven members of last year's Lochore Cup champion squad, including evergreen goal-kicking utility back Craig Clare and loose forward-skipper Campbell Hart, are missing.
Clare, who scored 337 points in his 40 rep games since 2016, is restricting his play to club rugby this year and 46-cap Hart is now teaching in Taumarunui.
Other 2021 reps missing are backs Timoci Seruwalu (21 games). Te Rangatira Waitokia (16) and Ezra Malo (3) and forwards Viki Tofa (53), Dylan Gallien (23), Hadlee Hay-Horton (13), Cade Robinson (13), Kieran Hussey (8) and Mathew Taula Fili (5).
The Whanganui training squad, with the number of games for the union and when last repped if prior to last year, are:
BACKS
Border (2) — Lindsay Horrocks (82), Alekesio Vakarorogo (13).
Kaierau (2) — Caleb Gray, Ethan Robinson (16).
Marist (2) — Rang Kui, Jack O'Leary.
Ngamatapouri (5) — Josaia Bogileka (13), Kameli Kuruyabaki (26), Peceli Malanicagi (6), Joeli Rauca (4), Brook Tremayne.
Ruapehu (2) — Troy Brown (15-2019), Kahl Elers-Green.
Taihape (4) — Tim Goodwin, Tiari Mumby, Tyler Rogers-Holden (20-2020), Dane Whale (58).
FORWARDS
Border (2) — Tobias Stark, Semi Vodosese (13).
Kaierau (3) — Joe Edwards (7-2020), Josh Lane (23), Jack van Bussel (4).
Marist (5) — Lake Ah Chong, Brad O'Leary, Mark Oueliet, Keightley Watson, Jack Yarrall (13-2020).
Ngamatapouri (1) — Samu Kubunavanua (38-2019).
Taihape (9) — Regan Collier, Gabriel Hakaraia (35), Jamie Hughes (51), Peter Travis Hay-Horton (15), Slade Hay-Horton, Isaac Roth, Lennox Shanks, Roman Tutauha (81). Ben Whale (6).
Whanganui, the Lochore Cup title-holders, will later play three lead-up matches before the start of the Bunnings Warehouse national Heartland championship — at home v Development XV's from Taranaki (July 30) and Wellington (August 13) and v Hawke's Bay Development XV at Napier (August 6).
There will be a Town v Country trial on July 23, a week after the Tasman Tanning club finals at Cooks Gardens.
The opening Heartland match for the Butcher Boys is against West Coast at Greymouth on August 20.
Then comes King Country at Cooks Gardens (August 27), East Coast at Ruatoria (September 3), Meads Cup holders South Canterbury here (September 10), Poverty Bay in Gisborne (September 17), Buller here (September 24), Horowhenua-Kapiti at Levin (October 1) and Mid Canterbury here (October 8).
The Meads and Lochore Cup semifinals are on October 15 and the finals on October 22-23 (Labour Weekend).
The first 2022 Steelform Whanganui squad includes 13 Taihape, seven Marist, six Ngamatapouri, five Kaierau, four Border and two Ruapehu players.
Stags are coming
Whanganui will have its first taste of Queen's Birthday representative rugby since 2017 when the Wairarapa-Bush Stags play at the Kaierau Country Club on Monday afternoon.
They will play the Steelform Whanganui Butcher Boys in a non-first-class fixture which will enable both unions to give potential Heartland championship squad members an early exposure to provincial rugby.
Because the national championship does not start until August 20, Monday's fixture will allow the selectors to play more than the allowable maximum 22 squad members stipulated for first-class games.
And coming so early in the season, the two unions have agreed that the Bruce Steel Memorial Cup, which Whanganui holds, will not be at stake.
Monday will be the fourth time the two unions have met in non-first-class rugby.
They drew 23-all at Cooks Gardens in 2003 with Whanganui winning the other three, at home 39-20 in 2013 and 40-22 in 2016 and at Masterton 61-14 in 2018.
Whanganui scored seven tries to two in 2013, six to three in 2016 and seven to two in 2018
Since Wairarapa and Bush merged in 1971 Whanganui have won 27 of 45 first-class fixtures, including the past eight home games, with the last success for the visiting Stags 16-14 in the inaugural Meads Cup final in 2006.
Whanganui struggled to hold off Wairarapa-Bush 22-18 in the Heartland qualifying series last year when the Butcher Boys finished third overall in the championship and the Stags 10th.
It will be the first Queen's Birthday Weekend rep match played in the River City since 2017, when the Hurricane's Development XV beat Whanganui 52-17 at Cooks Gardens on Monday, June 5.
Queen's Birthday Weekend, of course, hosted annual well-attended Whanganui v Taranaki Monday-morning clashes at Spriggens Park.
They started in 1910 (Taranaki won 11-0) with the last one played on Cooks Gardens in 2001 (Taranaki winning 38-15).
The previous season the amber and blacks had carved up the Butcher Boys by a record 88-5 when the fixture was held at Hicks Park, Hawera.
With Taranaki playing first division rugby and Whanganui in Div 2, actually dropping to Div 3 in 2002-03, the 2001 match was the last time a full-strength Ferdinand XV was fielded against Whanganui, apart from Ranfurly Shield challenges in 2012 (51-7) and 2018 (33-10).
Kaierau celebrates
There was every reason for the Kaiwhaka faithful to celebrate a welcome 27-24 victory over defending premier champions Border at the Devon Road Country Club last weekend.
A penalty goal from Brooklyn Herewini in the last few minutes set up only the second home win for Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau over Waverley Harvesting Border since the Southern Taranaki club returned to local rugby in 2011.
The only other previous success at the ground in 12 seasons was 19-12 in 2020.
Considering the team had gone seven matches over a full year without any victories, that Border had won the first round 2022 Tasman Tanning sponsored fixture 38-22 at Dallison Park back in April, and that the Waverley side had beaten Kaierau 23-18 in last year's final, Saturday's unexpected triumph led to a most enjoyable night on Old Timers' and Sponsor's Day.
It was a very even clash, with Kaierau ahead 19-12 at half-time, but Border regained the lead with Craig Clare, who scored 23 points in the first-round encounter, prominent.
He scored nine points to help Border level at 24-all before Herewini landed a gift-winning penalty.
Although Border collected 2 pts (four tries and losing within 7 pts) the champions are a massive 12 pts adrift of unbeaten Byford's Readimix Taihape, who comfortably beat Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist 39-17 at Memorial Park to retain the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield.
Border may currently hold second place, which would qualify for a home semifinal, but they face tough games against third-positioned Settlers Honey Ngamatapouri and Taihape, who have both beaten Border this season.
Ngamat won 14-0 in Waverley and Taihape bolted in 77-7 at home.
The loss at Kaierau is the first time in 10 years that Border have lost three games in a row in the same season.
In 2013 Ruapehu (25-22 at home), Marist (35-15 on Spriggens Park) and Pirates (22-15 in a Waverley semifinal) beat Border on successive Saturdays.
Ruapehu pipped Pirates 15-13 in the final after holding off Border by the same score in the final a year earlier.
Another draw for Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield holders J J Walters Marton and a first defeat for Gemini Pepper Construction Kaierau were features of the opening round of the senior championship last weekend.
Harvey Round Motors Ratana, the 2020 champions and runners-up last year, took advantage of hosts Kaierau being reduced to 14 players for most of their match to win 28-10.
After leading 19-10 at the turn Marton was held to 22-all by McCarthy Transport Ruapehu in Ōhakune.
It was Marton's third away draw of the year, following 17-all v Bennett's Taihape and 0-all v Ratana (an agreed result because of a funeral at the Pa).
Highest senior score on Saturday was 53-27 at Spriggens Park where Ali Arc Logistics-T D Brick & Blocks Marist Celtic beat Black Bull Liquor Pirates.
There is no local club rugby over Queen's Birthday Weekend.
The grade two trail would run from Taihape to Turakina Beach.