Unionname: | Wairarapa Bush Rugby Football Union |
Logosize: | 150px |
Region: | Masterton |
President: | Bryan Weatherstone |
Leadertitle: | CEO |
Leadername: | Tony Hargood |
Coach: | Joe Harwood |
Url: | http://waibush.co.nz/ |
The Wairarapa Bush Rugby Football Union is the body that regulates rugby union in Masterton, New Zealand. It was formed in 1971 with the amalgamation of the Wairapapa and Bush Unions.
The Wairarapa Bush team play in the Heartland Championship from Memorial Park, Masterton. They were the inaugural winners of the Meads Cup after beating Wanganui 16–14 on 21 October 2006.
Wairarapa Bush won the 2nd division North Island in 1981, 3rd division in 2005 and the Heartland Championship Meads Cup in 2006 and Lochore Cup in 2010.
Heartland Championship results[1] [2] [3] [4] | ||||||||||||||
Year | Place | Playoffs | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Semi-final | Final | |||||||||||||
2006 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 211 | 130 | +81 | 3 | 31 | 2nd | Won 16–14 against Wanganui | |||
2007 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 196 | 131 | +65 | 3 | 23 | 4th | Lost 13–30 to North Otago | — | ||
2008 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 202 | 194 | +8 | 7 | 19 | 3rd | — | |||
2009 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 155 | 142 | +13 | 5 | 17 | 6th | No | — | ||
2010 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 129 | 186 | −57 | 3 | 11 | 2nd | Won 15–9 against Buller | |||
2011 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 156 | 231 | −75 | 4 | 8 | 10th | No | — | ||
2012 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 219 | 130 | +89 | 4 | 28 | 3rd | Lost 20–23 against Wanganui | — | ||
2013 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 203 | 144 | +59 | 4 | 28 | 3rd | — | |||
2014 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 151 | 238 | −87 | 3 | 9 | 11th | No | — | ||
2015 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 238 | 192 | +46 | 7 | 23 | 4th | — | |||
2016 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 240 | 174 | +66 | 6 | 30 | 4th | — | |||
2017 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 174 | 313 | -139 | 6 | 10 | 11th | No | — | ||
2018 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 212 | 195 | +17 | 5 | 21 | 6th | Lost 23-26 against Horowhenua-Kapiti |
Wairarapa Bush have never held the Ranfurly Shield but Wairarapa held the shield in 1927, 1928 and 1950. Wairarapa Bush were beaten 96–10 by Canterbury in a Ranfurly Shield challenge in July 2006. In July 2015 Wairarapa Bush challenged Hawke's Bay for the Shield but were defeated 58–7.[5]
Wairarapa Bush along with Wellington, Horowhenua-Kapiti, East Coast, Poverty Bay, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu and Wanganui make up the Hurricanes Super Rugby franchise.
There have been 29 players selected for the All Blacks from the Wairarapa Bush (from 1971) and when the Union was separated as Wairarapa and Bush Unions.
Wairarapa Bush (from 1971)
Pre 1971
Wairarapa Bush Rugby Football Union is made up of 14 clubs, from north to south: