They miss matches with bottom ranked East and West Coast, who they defeated by over 70-point scorelines last year.
"Unfortunately that wasn't the original draw, the original was a bit more favourable," said Wanganui coach Jason Caskey.
"We lost West Coast and gained South Canterbury.
"Not ideal to have two tough games in a row.
"We had Buller as a home game as well, but picked up Poverty Bay."
Caskey said the changes arose when Poverty Bay and East Coast objected to both having a home match in Gisborne and Ruatoria on the same weekend, stating that their two unions share match-day sponsors and supporters.
"They get want they want, whenever they want it," said Caskey.
"As far as Wanganui is concerned, you don't get a say in anything.
"It doesn't matter if we get punished."
Caskey felt the NZRFU complied with the request because it made it a more even keel competiton for back-to-back Meads Cup winners Wanganui to have a tougher row to hoe.
Last time Wanganui played both Canterbury teams at home in seven days was the 2015 Meads Cup playoffs where they defeated Mid Canterbury in the semifinal and returned to beat South Canterbury in Timaru the following week.
The side is looking to make history this season as the first team in the 12-year history of the competition to three-peat as Meads Cup champions.
This draw adds to the already complicated schedule where Wanganui will challenge Canterbury for the Ranfurly Shield in Christchurch in June.
Making their plans, the coaching staff will select their first squad to prepare for the mid-season Shield match, with two warmup matches organised.
"We try to keep too much away with midweek, but one game on Queen's Birthday weekend and probably one game midweek [the week] before the Shield game, with the Manawatu Evergreens coming over," said Caskey.
Therefore, the annual Town vs Country trial match will be moved to the week after the Premier club rugby final, with a Wanganui Heartland team chosen to play two more warmup matches before the Wairarapa Bush opener.
Again, Caskey will mix and match talent amongst the two trial squads.
"We get guys fitter and so on for both teams.
"Keep everybody interested right up to the club final, give guys not involved in the last weeks something to train for."
Of key players from last season's "Invincibles", the 2016 Heartland Player of the Year Te Rangatira Waitokia will play for Whanganui Maori at the Te Tini A Maui tournament this weekend, but is then returning to Manawatu club rugby with the Varsity club.
Legendary captain Peter Rowe may or may not be retired, while Ngamatapouri's Malakai Volau and Michael Nabuliwaqa could no longer be available due to visa issues.
Still, Caskey is aware that Premier champions Border have brought in some new talent, as have Ruapehu and Marist, while Ratana could be competitive again under their new coach, and last year's runnersup Taihape have had a good preseason.
Caskey also welcomes Senior champions Ngamatapouri coming up to Premier, as he was frustrated they would bring in star players who were not getting much of a physical test in the lower tier competition, which he felt played a role in the injuries to those who made the Heartland team last year.
"It's going to be a lot better for us, primarily for last year having 3-4 players in the B competition wasn't great."
