One of the main aims of the union over recent successful seasons has been to remain financially viable over the long term and that positive policy has certainly come in handy to help assist the 2500-plus players this year.
Wiping fees for the season will save each club an annual $100 affiliation fee, $700 (plus GST) for each premier team and $500 (plus GST) for senior sides. In the case of three-team Marist it amounts to a saving of $1800 (plus GST).
The WRFU is also offering struggling clubs, and there are a few of them around the union, other financial assistance and advice. In addition there are grants available through Sport Whanganui.
Wanganui, like other unions in the country including the NZRU, which has laid off half of its 180-strong staff, is tightening up on expenses for what will be a very challenging year.
The WRFU has been one of the top performing Heartland unions, both from a playing and finance point of view. The union is fortunate to have a very experienced former banking official, Bridget Belsham, as its chief executive since 2015.
The NZRU has reduced its annual payments to all unions and warned there are further restraints ahead.
With all businesses struggling, and with fewer gaming machine grant application funds available, it will be much harder for unions to obtain sponsorship finance. The same applies to clubs.
The WRFU has received excellent financial support from a wide range of firms and companies over the years, spear-headed by long-time sponsors Steelform Wanganui (Heartland rep team) and Tasman Tanning (club rugby). The small but vital financial nest egg now comes in handy, enabling the union to come to the aid of its clubs and players in this testing and unexpected crisis season.
The welcome relaxing of the Covid-19 assembly rules will thankfully enable supporters to attend fixtures and clubs to raise much-needed funds from after-match club room functions, helping to finance the ever present multitude of expense.
The extensive Kaierau Country Club, for example, discovered black beetle infestation in its Devon Rd fields during lock-down. The result was an unexpected and costly re-sow and fertilise of the two playing grounds.
Premier player Josh Lane helped out with the ground work and sowing of the fields which will be ready for pre-season home games against Kia Toa (PN) this Saturday and Martinborough on June 20.
Kaierau was fortunate to be able to undertake a brief two-match visit to Western Samoa with a large contingent of players, officials and supporters before Covid-19 struck.
All clubs have been busy in recent weeks building-up and preparing their squads for the 12-week campaign. The late start (July 4) and finish (Sept 19) has posed problems for some country clubs because of a clash with farming duties for some members.
The WRFU $3000 hardship loan is repayable by qualifying clubs, without interest, over a two-year period.
If clubs comply with all Covid-19 guidelines and protocols, ensure that all coaches attend compulsory RugbySmart courses and ensure all players are registered (free) on the NZRU register they will each receive the $500 compliance payment.
In addition to financial assistance from the WRFU struggling clubs are able to access $1000 grants from the Sport NZ Community Resilience Fund.
Marist and Pirates have already successfully applied for grants which apply to clubs affected during the April-June period.
College 1st XV's have grading games in the Manawatu-Wanganui competitions, which starts on July 25, local college boys' and girls' grades start on Wednesday, July 22 and primary competitions run from July 25 until September 19.
Challenge Trophies
A feature of local club rugby since the turn of the century has been the weekly premier and senior Challenge Shield fixtures.
Waverley Harvesting Border is defending the Grand Hotel Premier Shield this season and Bennett's Taihape holds the Stihl Shop Wanganui Senior Challenge Shield.
Border hosts McCarthy Transport Ruapehu on July 4 in the premiers but the senior challenge trophy format is in doubt because of the current proposed split six team two division format.
If the split competition goes ahead – and this will depend on the number of confirmed entries – there may not be a senior challenge shield contest in 2020.
Under the proposed regional senior grade home and away split half of the 12 teams – Border, Counties, Kaierau, Pirates and Marist Buffalos and Celtic – would not have a challenge.
Taihape would defend the Stihl Shield against neighbours Utiku OB on July 4 and then meet Hunterville, Marton, Ratana and Ruapehu.
The challenge shields are at stake only during qualifying rounds.
Extending that rule to take in the play-offs in the senior grade this year, however, would give the top two Metro group teams an opportunity of a shield challenge provided the trophy holders qualify from the Country zone.
It is very likely, however, that the senior grade challenge series is abolished for 2020.
This would be a shame because the shield games have added extra weekly excitement to the grade.
Last year Taihape dominated the challenge fixtures, restricted to the first round matches only because of a split format for the second round.
Taihape went through unbeaten with nine shield victories last season with the closest challenges away against Buffalos (26-25 at Kaierau), Counties (25-21) on opening day and Marton (19-12).
By contrast the Stihl Shield changed hands nine times during 2018 – Border lifting it 15-13 off the hosts at Marton Park on opening day. Kaierau winning 27-26 at home off Border, Buffalos winning 23-18 a week later in a visit to the Country Club, Marton regaining the shield 44-5 at home, Hunterville lifting it 32-9 at home against Marton, Counties scoring an upset 18-17 home victory, Celtic winning 31-7 on Spriggens Park, Border winning 23-20 on a visit to Wanganui the next Saturday and Counties beating Border 23-11 at McNab Domain.
Counties defended the shield 43-24 at Memorial Park in Taihape to win the trophy for the first time but lost it to Taihape on the same field in the opening 2019 challenge.
Hunterville's long tenure of the shield was broken in 2016 when Ngamatapouri won the trophy which was won by Marton in 2017 and Counties and Taihape during the past two seasons.
