Contents. Wellington Rugby Football Union (Incorporated) Annual Report 2012

Transcription

1 ANNUAL REPORT & STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS 2012

2

3 Contents List of Officers Honours and Awards Balanced Scoreboard Chairman s Report Rugby Board Report Hertz Sevens Report Team Reports Hurricanes Ricoh Wellington Lions Wellington Pride Wellington Development 19 Wellington U20 Wellington U18 Wellington U16 22 Wellington U16 Development Wellington Maori Wellington Sevens 23 Wellington Secondary Schools Rugby Junior Rugby Zone Executive Greater Wellington Primary Schools Rugby Wellington Rugby Referees Association Club Competitions: 2012 Grade Winners WRFU Premier Mens and Womens Club Champions 2012 Obituaries Financial Report 33 1

4 Wellington Rugby Football Union (INC.) OFFICE BEARERS 2012 President: Mr W. Guppy Vice Presidents: Messrs D.Latham, M.Robbers, R.Keown, K.Phelan Immediate Past President: Mr J. Wootton Life Members: G.W.J. Atkin (1991), B.T. Frederikson (2005), A.P. (Bill) Freeman (2005)(deceased 20 February 2013), A.R. Leslie (2008), J. Oldershaw (1993), E.J. Tonks (1991), Dr W.J. Treadwell (1998)(deceased 19 October 2012), G.C. Williams (2008), M.J. Usmar (2012), N.W. Hughes (2012), P.B. Quinn (2012). BOARD OF DIRECTORS A.M. Duffin (Chairman), G.K. Poole (Deputy Chairman), P.D. Collins, K. Laban, K.R. Pulley, P.R. Scott, K.W.Smiler, I.Potter RUGBY BOARD P.R. Scott (Chairman), K.R. Pulley (Deputy Chairman, Tawa), G.R. Gosper (Avalon), J. Sumner (College Old Boys-Victoria University), M. Blackham (Eastbourne), J. Sheehan (Hutt Old Boys Marist), M. J. Usmar (Johnsonville), A. Woods (Marist St. Pat s), R. Wood (Northern United), G. Waugh (Oriental- Rongotai), J. Gray (Paremata-Plimmerton), M. Blandford (Petone), J. Davies (Poneke), S. Kotuhi (Rimutaka), K. Eastwood (Stokes Valley), G. Brown (Upper Hutt), P. R. McCoy (Wainuiomata), N.W. Hughes (Wellington), G.W. Stephen (Western Suburbs), M. Leggett (GWPSRU), D. Forster (JRZE), M.J.Dilnott (WRRA), M. Isberg (WSSRU) STAFF J.M.D.Te Puni (Chief Executive Officer), K. Austin (Event Executive resigned February 2012), C. Boyd (Wellington Lions Head Coach), D. Boyd (Marketing), N. Bramley (Club Rugby Administrator as at November 2012), K. Brown (PA to CEO as at April 2012), W.R. Caccia-Birch (Manager Amateur Rugby), J. Coles (Sponsorship Manager, Hertz Sevens), E. Crawford (Wellington Lions Team Manager/High Performance Manager), D. Cron (Video Analyst/Scrum Coach), B. Crossley (Club Rugby Administrator resigned May 2012), A. Dallas (Ticketing Manager resigned November 2012 ), T. Donaldson (Ticketing part time), P. Downes (Strength & Conditioning Coach), F. Duffin (Rugby Services Administrator as at November 2012), M. Evans (Corporate Services Manager), R. Gordon (Club Rugby Support), L.V. Grace (Manager Events), L. A. Hamerton (PA to CEO resigned April 2012), R. Henderson (Accountant), P. Hobbs (Commercial Executive, Hertz Sevens as at November 2012), A. Jackson (Rugby Services Support resigned February 2012), D. King (Rugby Development Co-ordinator), P. Latham (Club Liaison Officer as at July 2012), T. Mannix (Taskforce Rugby Development Officer), R. Martelli (Commercial Executive), J. McKee (Assistant Accountant), P. Minehan (Baggageman/Masseur), L. Morgan (Sales Executive), I. Murphy (Wellington Lions Team Doctor resigned August 2012), C. Reddin (Suppliership Manager Hertz Sevens), L. Santos (Wellington Lions Physiotherapist), C. Shaw (Wellington Lions Head Physiotherapist), M. Stote-Blandy (Receptionist), S. Symonds (Professional Development Manager), C. Te Haara (Hertz Sevens part time), C. Tye (Caretaker, Training Centre), D. Walsh (Referee Education Officer), S.M. Walters (General Manager, Hertz Sevens), K. Wanden (Rugby Services Administrator resigned October 2012), R. Watt (Wellington Lions Assistant Coach), R. Whatarau (Assistant Rugby Development Co-ordinator), D. Wildash (Wellington Lions Strength & Conditioning Coach), B. Williams (Communications Executive). 2

5 Honours and Awards REPRESENTATIVE TEAM HEAD COACHES WELLINGTON LIONS: C Boyd MEN S SEVENS: E Va'a WELLINGTON PRIDE: D Rapira-Davies WOMEN'S SEVENS: D Larsen DEVELOPMENT: P Proctor U20: F Rees U18: T Mannix U16A: E Va a U16 DEV: O Moananu MAORI: H Davies TUI AWARDS Club Coach Of The Year: Clayton McMillan and Murray Tocker (Marist St Pats Premiers) Club Team Of The Year: Marist St Pats Premiers Best And Fairest Club Rugby Player: Liu Taituave (Marist St Pats) Wellington Rugby Supporters Club Award: Jeremy Thrush Billy Wallace Memorial Trophy: Joint winners - Shahn Eru (Wainuiomata) and Ardie Savea (Oriental-Rongotai) AUDITORS ERNST & YOUNG HONOURS NEW ZEALAND: Dane Coles, Hosea Gear, Cory Jane, Ma'a Nonu, Julian Savea, Conrad Smith, Victor Vito NEW ZEALAND MAORI: Tim Bateman, Ross Filipo, Charlie Ngatai, Frae Wilson NEW ZEALAND SEVENS: Joe Hill, Lote Raikabula, Belgium Tuatagaloa BLACK FERNS: Jackie Patea NEW ZEALAND UNDER 20: Ambrose Curtis, Joe Latta, Christian Lloyd, Ope Peleseuma, Matt Proctor, Eric Sione NEW ZEALAND SECONDARY SCHOOLS: Jackson Garden- Bachop, Vincent Sakaria, Etimani Sului Al Keown Memorial Cup: Matt Proctor (Oriental-Rongotai) Ken Comber Memorial Cup: Donald Brighouse (Marist St Pats) Most Promising Player Of The Year: Ardie Savea (Oriental-Rongotai) Women s Player Of The Year: Kiri Mei (Wainuiomata) The Dominion Post WRFU Club Volunteer Of The Year: Mary Ann Spillane (Marist St Pats) Referee Of The Year: Ben O'Keeffe Representative Coach Of The Year: Earl Va'a (Wellington Under 16A) Representative Team Of The Year: Wellington Under 16A Tui Player Of The Year: Jeffery Toomaga-Allen (Marist St Pats) NEW ZEALAND BARBARIANS: Nelson Asofa-Solomoana, Ezekiel Sopoaga 3

6 Balanced Scoreboard Game development 25% Result Goal Players Increase the number of registered players in: Juniors (0-12) - Increase registered junior players by 8% Age group Increase registered players by 5% - Retain 80% of 2011 junior registered players now at secondary school Senior Increase registered players by 3% - Retain 60% of registered senior players - Retain 55% of 2011 registered secondary school leavers Overall - Increase total registered players by 5% Coaches Ensure there are twice as many registered coaches as there are teams 80% of coaches on targeted coach listing (Premier, Senior B, Age Grade & 1st XV) attended minimum of upskill sessions DRC (Developing Rugby Coaches) course completion = minimum x4 coaches Acceptance onto 2012/2013 Advanced course = minimum x4 coaches Referees Increase the number of active referees by 5% Club Scoreboard All clubs to have completed 2012 Scoreboard goals by 31 March, with average target score of 80% 50% of clubs to have formalised volunteer plan 6% 8% 6% 8% 5% 5% 2% 4% 19% 25% Representative (High Performance) Teams 38% The Ricoh Wellington Lions will win the ITM Cup in 2012 If they win final (8%) If they make semi-final (5%) Ricoh Wellington Lions qualify for 2013 Premiership or equivalent compeititon (4%) All other Provincial teams meet WRFU minimum standards of proficient management and achieve their agreed performance targets (i.e): Under 20 Team U20 Development goals achieved (2%); team wins 70% of matches (2%) Under 18 Team - Wins Hurricanes Region U18 Competition (2%); team meets Talent ID and player Development goals (1%) Under 16 Team - Achieves Talent and ID and Player Development goals (1%); wins tournament (1%) Sevens Makes Cup semi finals National Sevens (3%); wins National Sevens (1%) this relates to January 2013 tournament. There will be no fewer than 20 players from WRFU represented in higher level teams. (All Blacks, NZ Maori, NZU20, NZ Sevens, NZ Schools, NZU17) 75% of the current Wellington Lions squad have been, or are members of the Wellington Academy Talented coaches programme achieves stated goals Implement the Go4Gold Women s Sevens programme. 10 coach modules completed Result 9% 17% 7% 13% 2% 3% 0% 1% Goal 2% 3% 2% 1% 22% 38% Competitions 5% Governance and Financial 32% Result Goal Result Goal Wellington Rugby will run competitions that address health and safety by ensuring minimum standards are adhered to in all club facilities and that those hosting premier fixtures abide by the minimum standards for playing fields. This will include adherence to the technical zone requirements on all club number one grounds and newly introduced requirements as follows: Finals Format system (teams finishing outside of semi final positions) Age grade eligibility criteria (premier grade only) 1% 2% The operating result for 2012 (excluding income from Hertz Sevens, Hurricanes and Test) will match or exceed the budget. WRFU will continue to enhance its expertise and reputation as an event manager by: Managing the Hurricanes franchise efficiently and effectively by achieving budget and meeting KPI s 15% 18% 5% 5% Wellington Rugby will ensure they manage credible competitions by providing accurate draws and points tables, enforcing all WRFU by-laws and providing referees to 90% of games under their jurisdiction. Wellington Rugby will analyse the number of teams, games and evenness of each competition it operates, and then consider the appropriateness of the findings before developing and implementing plans to address any concerns for the following season. This will include reviewing the current competition structure, and consultation with all relevant stakeholders, with a view to recommending any proposed changes to the Rugby Board by the end of the year. 2% 2% 1% 1% Managing the 2012 Hertz Sevens efficiently and effectively and achieving the budget net surplus for the event Managing the test in 2012 efficiently and effectively to achieve a KPI rating of at least 90% 6% 2% 6% 3% 4% 5% 28% 32% 2011 = 71% Total 73/100% 4

7 Chairman s Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Our goal is to deliver great rugby experiences for all involved in Wellington Rugby and in the past 12 months that can be seen at many levels. Whether it was the hosting of a semi-final for the Ricoh Wellington Lions, to the rise in player numbers, results show positive progress towards our goal. The economic climate for provincial unions remains tough, but it is pleasing to note, for the second consecutive year, a positive financial result has been achieved. Wellington Rugby has ended the year with a profit of $366,819 before tax and depreciation, and a final figure of $26,895 after these items are taken into account. This profit has more than doubled from the year previously. That represents a strong turnaround, as posting two consecutive profits has not been achieved for a long time. The increase in profit also shows the commitment made to meet financial targets and reflects Wellington Rugby s strong focus on sustainability. A highlight from the year was Wellington Rugby s successful bid for the Hurricanes licence. Late in 2011, New Zealand Rugby issued a public invitation for expressions of interest to bid for the Super Rugby licence of four New Zealand franchises including the Hurricanes. Becoming the cornerstone shareholder of the Hurricanes Investment Limited Partnership, who will manage and operate the Hurricanes, offers the community and grass roots rugby in Wellington and throughout the region a strong future. The Hurricanes had a year where the public and media set low expectations, but within the changing rooms, found a team driven to put the previous year behind them, by working hard to deliver solid performances and restore pride for their fans. After a season of excitement, the Canes were within a chance of the playoffs, but narrowly missed out in the last round, despite a 25,000 strong crowd cheering the team on to a three point thriller over the eventual champions, the Chiefs. The run of good form carried on to the Lions, who secured a home semi-final against Auckland for the first time since Under the guidance of new head coach Chris Boyd, the team performed strongly to be front runners throughout the competition and show positive signs for the seasons ahead. Wellington Rugby continues to act as a world class event manager with both the Hertz Sevens and the All Blacks versus Argentina successfully delivered during the year. Sadly in 2012 Wellington Rugby lost a number of influential people to our game. Life Member, Dr Bill Treadwell, former NZRU CEO Jock Hobbs, and John Watt, father of Richard were a few of those who were lost to us. Just prior to the time of writing WRFU Vice President Russell Keown and former Wellington coach Bill Freeman also sadly passed away. These men will all be missed and we recognise their commitment to our game and support of Wellington Rugby. Many clubs also lost important members over the past 12 months. We also remember them at this time and thank them for their part in Wellington Rugby via their club. Looking at the coming year, we have exciting new opportunities to develop and teams on the rise. This provides enthusiasm and anticipation to continue to strive to be the best provincial union and deliver on our strategic priorities, to ensure all involved in our game get the best possible experience. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES Our focus over the 2012 year was to look at improvement through our seven strategic priorities in Wellington Rugby to deliver great rugby experiences on and off the field. The seven priority areas for 2012 were as follows: 1. Governance and Organisation Wellington Rugby participated in a review through using a Sport New Zealand organisational development tool to review our governance. The results classified the Union as high performing and made six recommendations. There have been significant gains by incorporating these recommendations and work continues in this space. The report concluded that our board maintains a strong governance focus and is strategically orientated. 2. Financial Sustainability Posting a second successive profit for Wellington Rugby highlights the sustainability of the Union to meet its current financial targets. Whilst a modest profit of $26,895, it represents a significant results for the union in these constrained times. Ensuring financial sustainability was a key driver in retaining the Hurricanes licence. The licence secured a long term tenant for our Hall Street training facility as well as guaranteeing our participation through the management agreement. A leading role with the Hurricanes is consistent with the objectives of the union and a worthwhile vehicle for the assets and skills we have always possessed. Our thanks go to the clubs for their involvement in considering and engaging with us during the licence process. Notwithstanding the significant financial investment in the Hurricanes, we finished the financial year with in excess of $2 million in cash which is a pleasing result. Significant challenges remain, with leadership required from NZRU in providing a context in which prudent Unions will be rewarded. 5

8 3. High Performance The Ricoh Wellington Lions hosted an ITM Cup Premiership Semi-Final, and although the team did not claim a finals spot, the improvement in performance and team development over the last 12 months indicates positive signs for the high performance department. The focus on developing Wellington s home-grown talent continues. 4. Club and Game Development Player numbers in Wellington reached the highest figures recorded since 2002, a fantastic result for all the hard work our amateur rugby team, CCO s and clubs have undertaken over the past season. With an 8% increase in registered players, a total of 11,400 were actively taking part in rugby competitions in the Capital, from junior rugby through secondary schools to club competitions. This was an area identified at the end of 2011 to improve on which has certainly been the case. 5. Customer Focus Significant work has been done to improve the value for fans and our communications with all stakeholders. Continuous work is devoted to working with the Stadium to ensure we generate a world class home for our premier teams and great rugby experience for our fans. There is room for improvement in this sphere. 6. Sevens The 2012 Hertz Sevens, staged in early February 2012, was a success on many fronts. Hertz was successfully introduced as the new naming rights sponsor; Wellington Rugby, as the event manager, pro-actively managed the relationship between alcohol consumption and the tournament resulting in the lowest number of arrests at the tournament, and the New Zealand Sevens team won the tournament much to the fans delight. Unusually for Wellington at this time of year the weather was not optimal, with rain and mist over both days impacting on fan arrival times. Despite a pitch invasion impacting on the New Zealand v Samoa match late on the first day, the tournament was generally well hosted on and off the field, with the city continuing to whole-heartedly embrace this unique celebration of rugby sevens. 7. Hurricanes Wellington Rugby successfully developed and pitched a governance model with the Union as a 50% shareholder to obtain the Hurricanes licence for the next eight years. Wellington Rugby had held the role of long-time manager of the Hurricanes and as the guardian of all rugby in Wellington, it was crucial for Super Rugby to remain an important part of the game in this region. This was the first of the Super Rugby licences to be granted, further adding to the credibility of the work happening off field, to ensure rugby is alive and well in Wellington. ON-FIELD PERFORMANCE 2012 Ricoh Wellington Lions Under the recent appointment of new head coach Chris Boyd, the Ricoh Wellington Lions were determined to lift their performance from the previous year. The Lions season kicked off with three games in ten days, a crucial time in their campaign, of which the Lions triumphed three from three over Manawatu, Hawke s Bay and Southland. All three matches were convincing wins and started the season off on the right foot. However, with the subsequent results that followed including a loss to Canterbury, a win over Waikato then a loss to Auckland, the team knew they had to finish well to make the semi-finals. That they did, pulling together four consecutive wins, including a convincing performance over rivals Taranaki. The match was the annual Old Timers Day and in the last round of regular play, a convincing win, confirmed a home semi-final the following week. Unfortunately that was where the good run ended. The Lions hosted Auckland in the second semi-final, with the visitors snatching a win to proceed to the ITM Cup Final. Despite falling at the final hurdle, there were plenty of individual highlights showing encouraging signs for the future of the Lions. The return of veteran lock Ross Filipo, who played his 50th match for Wellington in his first game back after last appearing for the province in the 2008 NPC Final, provided experience and leadership to help the young side fulfil their potential. After missing his first provincial season, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen had a superb debut season up front and was rewarded with the honour of Tui Player of the Year. Another front rower, Dane Coles, was deservedly recognised for his hard work, with a call up to the All Blacks for the end of year tour. At the end of the season, we said farewell to two players that have sought an opportunity to play Super Rugby in Australia. Scott Fuglistaller and Jason Woodward have joined the Rebels and will be unable to return to Wellington next season we wish them good luck in the progression of their rugby careers. Thank you to Chris Boyd, Richard Watt and the management team for all your hard work with the team this season. Installing a sense of pride for the city and recognising the honour of representing Wellington is inspiring for the next generation. The Lions are proudly Wellington, the highest echelon for our local talent that those playing club and representative rugby in the Capital can aspire to. Wellington Representative Rugby Our representative rugby programme once again performed strongly within their individual competitions. The Under 18 side remained unbeaten throughout the season, and along with the Under 16A team took their respective Hurricanes region titles. The latter delivered a dominant performance winning the Hurricanes Under 16 Tournament, successfully hosted by Wellington, without conceding a try throughout the competition. Also winning their competition was the Wellington Maori team who collected the RDO Cup with a 72% winning record saw the rejuvenation of the Wellington Samoan Rugby programme and our thanks go to those who have helped drive that process. While the Pride and Under 20 teams struggled at times, Wellington Rugby maintained a high level of national representation across the board in

9 Six Wellington representatives were selected for the NZ Under 20 team that travelled to South Africa for the Junior Rugby Championship and five players were chosen for the two NZ Secondary Schools teams. The on-going work to develop age-grade, local talent through our academy programme and representative programmes is essential to building the next generation of Lions and Pride players. This is a key focus for the union in both fifteens and sevens rugby, to ensure we remain the biggest producer of rugby talent in the country. Club Rugby Hutt Old Boys Marist took the first round honours by collecting the Swindale Shield for the first time since The team struggled in the second half of the competition and were forced from a semi-finals berth due to other results in the final weekend of regular play. Oriental-Rongotai made a strong run through the Jubilee Cup round-robin, aiming to capture an elusive repeat of the title, finishing as the top ranked qualifier for the semi-finals and claiming the Andy Leslie Trophy as regular season champions. They proceeded to the semi-finals stage alongside Marist St Pats, Norths and, for the first time, Wainuiomata. The defending champions were too strong for Wainuiomata and Marist St Pats powered over Norths to clinch a spot in the final. The Jubilee Cup was contested at the Hutt Recreation Ground during a weekend of finals football. In wet and tough conditions, Marist St Pats, were declared 2012 Champions, claiming their fifth victory in 12 years, with a 14-8 win over defending champions, Oriental-Rongotai. It is fantastic to see that the Ricoh Wellington Lions coaches understand the importance of club rugby in their plans and made all representative players available for the showpiece weekend. This was once again televised live on the Rugby Channel in conjunction with Sky Sport, which is a fantastic opportunity for our premier competitions. The curtain raiser match, also televised, was a repeat of the NZ Uniforms Secondary Schools Premier 1 Final the year prior, between Wellington College and St Patrick s Silverstream. However, the result was reversed. The underdogs, St Patrick s, fought out a 6-3 win over their counterparts to claim the title, setting up a highly awaited re-match next season. To be able to operate in the current environment we rely on sponsors to provide support to our competitions and teams. We are fortunate to have a fantastic team on board with Wellington Rugby, who are as passionate about supporting our national game as we are. Long-standing supporters, Ricoh, increased their association by becoming our naming rights sponsors for the Lions in Such commitment is vital, as rugby in Wellington would not be possible without such backing. A special thanks also to our other Wellington Rugby family of sponsors Tui, Interislander, Capital City Ford and Canterbury, your support is greatly appreciated. Our long association with Canterbury Clothing has recently come to an end. This 20 year partnership was a special one, as we worked together to ensure our teams took the field proudly wearing their Wellington jersey, designed and produced by Canterbury Clothing. We sincerely thank Ross Munro, Colin Gibson and the Canterbury Clothing Team for the support and contribution you have made to our game. We have on board a new partner, BLK for the 2013 Wellington Lions season, and we are excited by the potential with new ranges for players and fans alike. We must also acknowledge the wonderful contribution of our trust funders, in particular NZCT and Infinity Foundation for their significant support of community rugby in Wellington. A number of passionate delegates sit on our Rugby Board and our Board of Directors, and I would like to thank them for their commitment to Wellington Rugby and driving the vision for rugby in the region. A special mention must be made for Wayne Guppy (President), John Wootton (Immediate Past President) and Mick Robbers (Vice President) who will be standing down at the AGM thank you for your substantial contribution to Wellington Rugby. Garry Poole has also retired from the Wellington Rugby Board after years of service. We thank Garry for his invaluable impact he has made during this time. Wellington Rugby s vision is to ensure great rugby experiences and I would like to thank the team behind the scenes who strive to achieve that. The staff of Wellington Rugby have worked hard to achieve our goals over the past 12 months and continue to lift the bar. I would also like to express my gratitude to our CEO James Te Puni who has led that group and worked extremely hard to make sure Wellington Rugby is in good spirits. The Board and I appreciate the hard work and effort that is being delivered. The day before at Petone Rec, Poneke were crowned Hardham Cup winners with a close win over Old Boys University. After being behind at halftime, Poneke bounced back to take their first Hardham Cup title since In the Victoria Tavern Women s Trophy Final, Wainuiomata Clive s Chemist took out the title over Northern United Carrus Corporation with a 13-8 scoreline. Old Boys University Green won the BNZ Age Grade Division 1 Final for the John E Kelly Cup. In the final against Wellington, they took out the trophy with a win. This finals weekend was a fabulous end to a club season full of thrilling matches, upsets and victories. Congratulations to all the winners and clubs involved. Tony Duffin Chairman Wellington Rugby Football Union 7

10 Rugby Board Report The Rugby Board s role is to provide the network that allows rugby to survive and thrive in our communities. We challenge ourselves to be proactive and innovative while maintaining the values and success of the past. We have a strategic plan and continually review ourselves against this. In fact we completed one of the far more reaching plans - that of the Junior Rugby Review. Club rugby in 2012 resulted in the Marist Quinella with Hutt Old Boys Marist winning the Swindale Shield and Marist St Pats winning the Jubilee Cup. The Rugby Board replicated the 2011 finals format in setting the U21 final as curtain raiser to the Hardham Cup final on Saturday. These were respectively won by OBU and Poneke. Sunday saw a close tussle between long time secondary school rivals St Pats Silverstream and Wellington College which was won by St Pats. Both this game and the Jubilee Cup final were live on the Rugby Channel on SKY TV. The upgrading of several fields with artificial turf is allowing increased levels of rugby to be played. Not only is this providing match day venues, but also those tournaments continue to be played at both Junior and Senior level. I was very proud to drive the process that identified and nominated three gentlemen for Life Membership of the Union. Through their individual outstanding efforts Nigel Hughes, Murray Usmar and Paul Quinn were inducted as life members of the Union at the 2012 AGM. Post World Cup 2011, player registrations show an overall increase of 8% in numbers, with 800 more players registered than last year. The final tally of players in Wellington is the highest recorded figure since the NZRU Player Database was installed in Junior player levels have also reached the 5000 mark for the first time in a decade, with over 14% growth. The CCO scheme has ongoing support from the Board of Directors. This attempts to manage the number and quality of coaches, player numbers and build a bridge from school to club rugby. CCO personnel have become integral parts of the clubs they are associated with. Wayne Guppy and the Vice-Presidents - Mike Robbers, Denys Latham, Kevin (Butch) Phelan and Russell Keown plus immediate past President John Wootton,have all made a fine contribution in the past 12 months. This involved not only attending Board Meetings but countless hours spent in visiting and promoting the game to the clubs in Wellington. The Junior Rugby Review s vision was having more kids playing rugby and enjoying the rugby experience The purpose of this review was to lead, support and inspire the delivery of Junior Rugby. The review recommended a best practice governance structure with the initial formation of a Junior Advisory Team. They would deliver a Junior Rugby Roadshow to workshop this structure, outlining timelines for its implementation. Special thanks to Kevin Wilson of Sport Wellington for his work on this project. Wellington referee numbers rose 5% to 160 in the past year, which is its highest total in more than a decade. They have always supported the game week after week,at every level, giving freely of their time, often officiating in multiple games each weekend. Without them we do not have a game and the rugby family must take a more active role in regards to stamping out Referee Abuse. Thanks to Mike Dilnott and the WRRA team for their fine work and dedication. My thanks to the Rugby Board who multi task in their functions on behalf of Wellington Rugby. Special thanks to Alan Woods and his sub-committee who handle most of the everyday governance issues to do with club rugby. Thanks also to my deputy, Kevin Pulley, as he is heavily involved with Representative Coach and Manager appointments. The Rugby Board is well served with the delegates from GWPSRU, JRZE, WRRA and WSSRU. They deliver well-structured and organised competitions. Will Caccia-Birch continues to support and help us drive our directives. Will was heavily involved in the Junior Rugby Review and will be in its implementation. He has a wealth of knowledge and his passion never wavers. Once again thanks to all club volunteers who combine to facilitate the game as we know it in Wellington. I am confident that we can continue to work with them, to build on the strong base and success Wellington has enjoyed in the past, and our game will flourish in the years ahead. Peter Scott Chairman 8

11 Hertz Sevens Report Wellington Rugby has been the event manager of New Zealand s international rugby sevens tournament since its inception in The Tournament has been a great success from the start, with Wellington now being recognised as the Sevens Capital of the World. Wellington Rugby s obligation is to oversee and manage all aspects of delivering the tournament to a world-class standard. This involves flying fifteen teams in from around the world to compete with the New Zealand team, accommodating and feeding them for a week, providing a wide array of requirements to 200 athletes and 50 management staff. In addition, delivering a world-class tournament broadcast live to New Zealand as well as being broadcast to an international audience of tens of millions in over 150 countries. Once the tournament is complete the hosting obligation is to send the teams onto the USA to compete in the next leg of the series the following week. The task only gets bigger each year as higher standards are required by teams and the tournament management team take on more activities in and around the city. The 2012 Hertz Sevens continued Wellington Rugby s history of delivering great sevens tournaments. Feedback received across the wide range of stakeholders was again positive, with the Cup Final won by the New Zealand Sevens team, beating Fiji 24-7, much to the delight of the fans. This was the sixth time the New Zealand team had won the tournament, backing up their win in To make this success possible Wellington Rugby benefits from the support of many stakeholders and volunteers, including the Wellington City Council and the New Zealand Defence Force. By the time of the tournament over 350 staff are involved, under the management of Wellington Rugby. The tournament would not be possible without this support and for this Wellington Rugby and NZRU are truly grateful. In 2012 increased efforts were made in communicating the need for fans to manage their alcohol consumption, resulting in the overall improvement in crowd behaviour and a low arrest count of disorderly fans. Unfortunately at the end of Friday night an intoxicated fan invaded the pitch and tackled a Samoan player; a major blight on the tournament. Tournament management will continue the increased focus on the worldclass nature of rugby being played in Wellington s backyard as rugby sevens approaches the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, and continue to educate fans around alcohol consumption. The tournament successfully secured Hertz as the new naming rights sponsor on a two-year term and successfully sold out in October 2011, despite the Rugby World Cup being played in New Zealand at that time. Sevens weekend is normally a great weekend to plan a wedding in Wellington. Despite some grumpy fans missing out on the tournament, the weather is usually glorious. Alas this was not the case in February mist and rain were consistent over both days, keeping fans away until late in the afternoon both days. Given the slow economic conditions New Zealand has experienced since 2008 and the ongoing decline in live attendance at sporting events, the 2012 tournament, which produced a good financial result and saw the city swell to full capacity in early February, continues to endorse the success of hosting the international tournament in Wellington. Steve Walters General Manager Hertz Sevens 9

12 Hurricanes Played: 16 Won: 10 Lost: 6 Drawn: 10 Points For: 489 Points Against: 429 Head Coach: Mark Hammett Assistant Coach: Alama Ieremia Technical Assistant: Richard Watt Skills Coach: Jonathan Phillips Manager: Tony Ward Doctor: Ian Murphy Nutritionist: Kath Fouhy Physiotherapist: Cameron Shaw Assistant Physiotherapist: LeeVan Santos Head Strength and Conditioning Coach: David Gray Strength and Conditioning Coach: Paul Downes Technical Analyst: Dan Cron Baggage Man / Masseur: Paul Minehan Professional Development Manager: Steve Symonds TEAM RECORD 25th February v Stormers In Cape Town: Loss Tries: Tim Bateman, Beauden Barrett Conversions: Beauden Barrett (2) Penalties: Beauden Barrett (4) 2nd March v Lions In Johannesburg: Won Tries: Andre Taylor, Cory Jane, Dane Coles Penalties: Beauden Barrett (5) 9th March v Force In Perth: Won Tries: TJ Perenara (3), Jason Eaton, Charlie Ngatai, Andre Taylor Conversions: Beauden Barrett (3), Daniel Kirkpatrick (2) Penalties: Beauden Barrett, Daniel Kirkpatrick Hurricanes Player Appearances 2012 Caps Total Caps Beauden Barrett Tim Bateman Michael Bent 6 11 James Broadhurst Richard Buckman 1 3 Dane Coles Mike Coman 1 1 Chris Eaton Jason Eaton Reggie Goodes 8 8 David Hall - - Jayden Hayward 4 15 Cory Jane Daniel Kirkpatrick 3 15 Jack Lam Alapati Leiua 8 20 Faifili Levave Karl Lowe 7 30 Motu Matu'u Ben May Tristan Moran 3 3 Charlie Ngatai 8 11 TJ Perenara Tusi Pisi 7 7 Mark Reddish 4 14 Julian Savea Brad Shields Conrad Smith Chris Smylie - 7 Andre Taylor Jeremy Thrush Jeffery Toomaga-Allen Victor Vito th March v Highlanders In Wellington: Loss Tries: Cory Jane Penalties: Beauden Barrett (4) 23rd March v Blues In Auckland: Won Tries: Conrad Smith (2), Andre Taylor, Cory Jane Conversions: Beauden Barrett (3) 31st March v Cheetahs In Wellington: Loss Tries: Dane Coles, Beauden Barrett, Andre Taylor, TJ Perenara Conversions: Beauden Barrett (3) Penalties: Beauden Barrett (4) 10

13 TEAM RECORD contd. 6th April v Sharks In New Plymouth: Won Tries: Andre Taylor, Jack Lam, Julian Savea, Conrad Smith, Tim Bateman, Jeremy Thrush Conversion: Beauden Barrett (3) Penalties: Beauden Barrett (2) 21st April v Crusaders In Wellington: Loss Tries: Andre Taylor, Victor Vito Conversion: Beauden Barrett (2) 28th April v Chiefs In Hamilton: Loss Tries: Andre Taylor Penalties: Beauden Barrett (3) 4th May v Blues In Wellington: Won Tries: Conrad Smith, Andre Taylor, Julian Savea, TJ Perenara, Jason Eaton Conversion: Beauden Barrett (2) Penalties: Beauden Barrett (2) 12th May v Highlanders In Dunedin: Won Tries: Faifili Levave, Julian Savea Conversions: Beauden Barrett (2) Penalties: Beauden Barrett (4) 18th May v Brumbies In Wellington: Loss Tries: TJ Perenara (2), Victor Vito, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen Conversion: Andre Taylor Penalties: Andre Taylor 26th May v Rebels In Wellington: Won Tries: Julian Savea (3), Andre Taylor (2), Alapati Leiua (2), Jack Lam, Chris Eaton Conversion: Beauden Barrett (9) Penalties: Beauden Barrett 2nd June v Waratahs In Sydney: Won Tries: Julian Savea, Motu Matu'u, Conrad Smith, Chris Eaton Conversions: Beauden Barrett (2) Penalties: Beauden Barrett (3) 30th June v Crusaders In Christchurch: Won Tries: Conrad Smith (2) Conversions: Beauden Barrett (2) Penalties: Beauden Barrett (3) 13th July v Chiefs In Wellington: Won Tries: Julian Savea (2), Dane Coles Conversions: Beauden Barrett (2) Penalties: Beauden Barrett (3) 11

14 2012 Hurricanes Manager s Report The 2012 Hurricanes Squad welcomed in a mixture of experience and youth and a new start for the Franchise. We welcomed in fourteen new players that were full time Hurricanes for the first time. Five players from our 2011 Wider Training Group - Richard Buckman, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, Reg Goodes and Jayden Hayward were rewarded with full time contracts. New Rookies included young and upcoming players Brad Shields, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen and Motu Matu u. This youth was blended in with the experience of Tim Bateman, Ben May, David Hall, Tristan Moran, Tusi Pisi and Chris Smylie. One of the team s key focuses for 2012 was about Winning Respect. Off field there was a desire to increase our interaction with the fans, the community and sponsors as we sought to reconnect with them not only locally but throughout the region. Public training sessions were held in Palmerston North, Masterton, Levin, Otaki, Paraparaumu, Porirua, and Lower Hutt. We played games against the Blues (Whangarei), Crusaders (Mangatainoka) and the Chiefs (Taupo). Our final game against the Chiefs saw Chris Smylie (season ending) and Reg Goodes (unavailable to round 10) suffer shoulder injuries. In addition Mark Reddish and Karl Lowe were unavailable till round five, due to injury. Whilst named in the Squad, Serge Lilo was unable to come back from a serious knee injury sustained in One of the cornerstones of the season was our foundation camp where the squad agreed on our behaviours and protocols for the year. It was from this camp that the motto of Winning Respect was derived and proved a strong foundation block for the squad. Steve Symonds, the Hurricanes Professional Development Manager proved to be an excellent facilitator over the course of the two days. Mr Symonds was assisted by Mike Hedges, an Academy Award winning member of the Park Road Productions team, who illustrated what winning teams look like, how they operate and what behaviours are acceptable. The players, amongst a number of community engagements, participated in worthy events such as Kids Kai Time in Masterton and Porirua and the Hurricanes Lend a Helping Hand in Porirua. On field the squad wanted to prove they were worthy of wearing the Hurricanes jersey, to demonstrate a never give up attitude that would not only gain the respect of the fans but would continue to bring them back to the stadium. Through our Winning Respect motto throughout the season and our desire to bring fans back to the stadium we saw this clearly reflected in a continuing increase of fans attending each home game. We started off with our first game against the Highlanders attracting 14,000 fans but by the end of the season our final game against the Chiefs saw 26,000 fans come to see the team play. The leadership group of Conrad Smith, Victor Vito, Cory Jane, Jeremy Thrush and Jason Eaton were voted in by the players. Following this a team song was also adopted and sung after every game. Three weeks on the road to start the season, with two games in South Africa and a game on the way home against the Western Force, allowed the squad the benefit of living and training together every day. Returning home from South Africa and Perth with two wins and a loss to start the season was acceptable. To beat the Lions at altitude in Johannesburg in the last minute was testament to the hard work the players had put in during the preseason, but more importantly, they believed in and followed the game plan. For the first time since the game went professional we were able to secure the players for a six week window prior to Christmas (with the exception of the All Blacks who returned post-christmas). This allowed us to provide the players with a well-structured and intensive strength and conditioning programme. This hard work complimented the type of game the coaches were looking to play. With an extended preseason window, the coaches were also able to incorporate more coaching content which was important given we had a number of new players. Our pre-season games involved the full squad and Wider Training Group as we slowly introduced the All Black players over the course of the three games. We returned to Westpac and narrowly lost to the Highlanders. This was followed by one of the highlights of the season when we beat the Blues at Eden Park with the last play of the game. Not all games went to plan and certainly games against the Cheetahs and the Brumbies were ones we should have won. They were also games we learnt from as well, especially in and around our decision making. Towards the later part of the season there were away wins against the Highlanders, Waratahs and Crusaders which again revealed the fighting spirit of the team. 12

15 The final game against the Chiefs at Westpac Stadium summarised the season well, with the biggest home crowd since 2008 and still in playoff contention, a winning try in injury time illustrated the belief this team had in themselves. A number of fans and pundits had written off the Hurricanes in 2012 with the view we would finish at the bottom of the ladder. If you looked purely at results and our position on the ladder with an eighth place finish, despite being in playoff contention up until our last game, a game we won in four minutes of extra time, there is disappointment. Whilst ultimately not achieving a play-off position, in reviewing the season there are a number of satisfying achievements the franchise can reflect on. We would also like to thank the staff at Adelaide Road, who are our biggest supporters and provide a lot of the work that goes unnoticed but is integral to the success of the team. To our sponsors who have continued to support the team and come up to training base regularly to watch training, regardless of the weather, we are indebted to your continuing support, not only as a sponsor, but also as part of the Hurricanes Family. At the Teams end of season function, Julian Savea was voted Players Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year was TJ Perenara and Ben May picked up the Team Man of the Year Award. The players reconnected with their fans, the community and sponsors working hard throughout the year undertaking a number of activities Reviews from the media showed the players were more engaging and always available for media commitments. The leadership group lead by example, lived our guiding principles, made the young players feel part of the team and made valuable contributions to the game plan and then driving this within the squad. A number of rookie players experienced the intensity of Super Rugby and will be better players next year. The team had an outstanding leader in Conrad Smith, who provided inspiration to his players not only on the field. He helped set the standards for the team and drove those with the leadership group. We had a number of players reach higher honours in 2012 from the Hurricanes, with six All Blacks, including three debutants - Beauden Barrett, Dane Coles, Cory Jane, Julian Savea, Conrad Smith, Victor Vito, and six Maori All Blacks - Tim Bateman, Jason Eaton, Karl Lowe, Ben May, Charlie Ngatai and Andre Taylor. The Board, CEO, Players and Team Management know that we need to continue to work hard both on and off the field. Winning Respect, on-going engagement with fans, the community and the sponsors are a continual work on and we need to challenge ourselves to be better. To demand the best of ourselves in working towards winning our first Championship. Certainly the hard work in getting the culture and environment right and everyone buying into this was a major factor in the overall success of the Hurricanes. Tony Ward Hurricanes Team Manager The coaching staff led by Mark Hammett and assisted by Alama Ieremia, Richard Watt and Dan Cron worked hard with the players on getting game strategies accurate, whilst also dedicating a lot of time with the players collectively and individually to increase their skill level and game understanding. They were ably supported by the rest of the management team. The team could not have performed like they have without the support of the Hurricanes Board and CEO. To Paul Collins, James Te Puni and the board we thank you. 13

16 Ricoh Wellington Lions Played: 11 Won: 8 L ost: 3 Drawn: 0 Points For: 345 Points Against: 236 Head Coach: Chris Boyd Assistant Coach: Richard Watt Manager: Evan Crawford Scrum Coach / Technical Analyst: Dan Cron Strength and Conditioning Coach: Dave Wildash Doctor: Theo Dorfling Physiotherapist: Cameron Shaw Assistant Physiotherapist: LeeVan Santos Baggage Man / Masseur: Paul Minehan Professional Development Manager: Steve Symonds RICOH WELLINGTON LIONS PLAYER APPEARANCES Club 2012 Caps Total Caps Tim Bateman Old Boys University Dane Coles Poneke Ambrose Curtis Oriental Rongotai 5 5 Arden David-Perrot Marist St Pats 4 16 Ross Filipo Petone 8 57 Scott Fuglistaller Western Suburbs 9 59 Kaipati Gaualofa Tawa 5 7 Reggie Goodes Poneke 4 19 Pau Halafihi Oriental Rongotai 1 1 Kayne Hammington Upper Hutt 7 7 Whetu Henry Oriental Rongotai 5 10 Joe Latta Poneke 1 2 Alapati Leiua Northern United Serge Lilo Northern United 1 48 Lua Lokotui Marist St Pats 9 9 Genesis Mamea Wainuiomata Motu Matu u Oriental Rongotai Charlie Ngatai Poneke Ope Peleseuma Hutt Old Boys Marist 2 2 Matt Proctor Oriental Rongotai Mark Reddish Oriental Rongotai Solomona Sakalia Marist St Pats 7 7 Ardie Savea Oriental Rongotai Julian Savea Oriental Rongotai 1 22 Parataiso Silafai-Leaana Hutt Old Boys Marist 1 43 Eric Sione Northern United 5 5 Lima Sopoaga Old Boys University 6 25 Jeremy Thrush Hutt Old Boys Marist Jeffery Toomaga-Allen Marist St Pats Shaun Treeby Tawa Victor Vito Marist St Pats 1 45 Frae Wilson Wainuiomata Jason Woodward Upper Hutt TEAM RECORD 24th August v Manawatu in Palmerston North: Won Tries: Ardie Savea, Shaun Treeby, Jeremy Thrush Conversions: Jason Woodward (3) Penalties: Jason Woodward (3) 28th August v Hawke's Bay in Wellington: Won Tries: Victor Vito, Dane Coles, Arden David-Perrot, Jason Woodward Conversions: Jason Woodward (2) Penalties: Jason Woodward (2) 2nd September v Southland in Wellington: Won 40-8 Tries: Alapati Leiua (2), Ardie Savea (2), Dane Coles Conversions: Jason Woodward (3) Penalties: Jason Woodward (3) 8th September v Canterbury in Christchurch: Loss Tries: Matt Proctor, Scott Fuglistaller Conversions: Jason Woodward 15th September v Waikato in Wellington: Won Tries: Eric Sione, Ardie Savea, Shaun Treeby, Jason Woodward Conversions: Jason Woodward (3) Penalties: Jason Woodward 22nd September v Auckland in Auckland: Loss Tries: Alapati Leiua (2), Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Charlie Ngatai Conversions: Jason Woodward (2) Penalties: Jason Woodward (2) 25th September v Bay of Plenty in Mt Mauganui: Won Tries: Ross Filipo, Alapati Leiua, Shaun Treeby Conversions: Lima Sopoaga (3) Penalties: Lima Sopoaga (5) 29th September v North Harbour in Wellington: Won Tries: Ardie Savea, Ross Filipo, Lima Sopoaga, Kaipati Gaualofa, Shaun Treeby Conversions: Lima Sopoaga (3) Penalties: Lima Sopoaga 6th October v Otago in Dunedin: Won Tries: Matt Proctor (3), Ardie Savea, Jeremy Thrush, Frae Wilson, Jason Woodward Conversions: Jason Woodward (7) 14th October v Taranaki in Wellington: Won Tries: Jason Woodward (2), Tim Bateman, Scott Fuglistaller Conversions: Jason Woodward (2) Penalties: Jason Woodward (3) SEMI-FINAL 20th October v Auckland in Wellington: Loss Tries: Ross Filipo, Mark Reddish, Ardie Savea Conversions: Jason Woodward (2) Penalties: Jason Woodward 14

17 Back Row: Kayne Hammington, Ope Peleseuma, Matt Proctor, Parataiso Silafai-Leaana, Motu Matu u, Reggie Goodes, Ardie Savea, Solomona Sakalia, Julian Savea, Arden David-Perrot, Whetu Henry, Eric Sione, Tim Bateman, Frae Wilson Middle Row: Duncan Pearce (Intern Strength and Conditioning Coach), Dave Wildash (Strength and Conditioning Coach), Evan Crawford (Team Manager), Jason Woodward, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Ambrose Curtis, Brad Shields, Joe Latta, Lua Lokotui, Kapati Gaualofa, Genesis Mamea, Paul Minehan (Baggage Man / Masseur), Cam Shaw (Head Physiotherapist), LeeVan Santos (Assistant Physiotherapist) Front Row: Absent: Lima Sopoaga, Charlie Ngatai, Alapati Leiua, Ross Filipo, Richard Watt (Assistant Coach), Chris Boyd (Head Coach), Dane Coles, Jeremy Thrush, Scott Fuglistaller, Wayne Guppy (WRFU President), James Te Puni (WRFU CEO), Serge Lilo, Victor Vito, Mark Reddish, Shaun Treeby Dan Cron (Technical Analyst / Scrum Coach), Theo Dorfling (Team Doctor), Hosea Gear, Pau Halafihi, Cory Jane, Ma a Nonu, TJ Perenara, Conrad Smith Photo: Dave Lintott Team Manager's Report The 2012 season format was a demanding one, however the coaches and management team rose to the challenge and prepared the team in such a way that they were physically, tactically and mentally well prepared for each match. The head coach and manager worked hard to ensure that everyone in the management team were aligned and that communication with the leaders group was open and transparent. Planning and Preparation Evan Crawford, High Performance Manager completed all planning leading up to and including the competition. He also took on the role as team manager for All logistical and competition requirements were fulfilled without any problems. Pre-Season Due to the Hurricanes not making the Super Rugby play-offs our full complement of contracted players plus some wider training group players were available for our pre -season programme. The team camp was held at a camping ground in Otaki, with 32 players invited to attend. The local community took us into their care with the new gym facility being first class. We were also welcomed into the local primary school with an official powhiri which was followed by the players taking an afternoon of sports activities with the children. The coaches were meticulous in their planning and the laying down of simple playing patterns and strategies. We were hosted by the Rahui club and used their excellent field for training. The team was captained by Jeremy Thrush who was well supported by a leadership group consisting of Dane Coles, Tim Bateman, Ross Filipo and Alapati Lieua. 15

18 Two pre- season games were arranged. The first match against Manawatu at Hutt Recreation ground was largely made up of wider training group players. The match was won comfortably. Our second pre- season match saw the return of our Super Rugby players against Canterbury in Christchurch. We travelled down and back on the same day, losing the match narrowly. The 2012 Ricoh Wellington Lions team was officially announced on Monday 20th August at the sponsor s breakfast at Capital City Ford. Unfortunately for the players and the team TJ Perenara and Brad Shields were ruled out of the campaign though injury. Lima Sopoaga was not available due to injury until week 6 of the competition. In Season The 2012 ITM Cup competition was very hard to predict early with a number of upsets each week. We started well with three very good victories over two Championship teams and a Premiership team. Our first real challenge was against Canterbury in Christchurch. We were beaten with analysis of our performance indicating we were beaten at the breakdown by a very clinical Canterbury side. The team continued to perform well with the only other defeat in round robin coming at the hands of Auckland. Once again our loss was attributed to being beaten at the break down. However the coaches were positive and believed that we had the team and the game plan to defeat both Auckland and Canterbury in the semi. Due to the compact nature of the competition the opportunity for the team and their families to enjoy each other s company outside of rugby was limited. The player s partner s lounge was well patronized with a happy family environment enjoyed by all. The team held one players and partners function together mid-season. Mandatory alcohol ban or curfews were not imposed on the players, the leaders group set the example and we had no off field issues of note. External Relationships The Ricoh Wellington Lions continue to over deliver in the sponsors relations, community interactions and marketing obligations. The regular school and hospital visits were extremely well reported and received in the community. Conclusion The Ricoh Wellington Lions worked extremely hard both on and off the field. Every player made a significant contribution to the teams performances and to a man were extremely disappointed in not making the final which we all knew we were capable of winning. There is a real resolve in this current group of players to reach the ultimate goal of winning an ITM Cup. The team was well lead by a totally committed captain in Jeremy Thrush. He was well supported by Tim Bateman, Ross Filipo, Dane Coles and Alapati Leiua. A For Wellington culture has been established and will continue to grow next season. We qualified second and gained a home semi-final against Auckland on the back of some excellent performances against Otago and Taranaki. Unfortunately we did not perform to our potential in the semi-final making crucial mistakes under pressure. Evan Crawford Ricoh Wellington Lions Team Manager Of the 33 players used during the 2012 ITM Cup the following milestones were celebrated by the team: 13 players debuted for Wellington at ITM Cup 2 players gained their blazer (12 games) Ross Filipo played his 50th match for the Ricoh Wellington Lions Team Environment /Culture The management team and senior players continued to promote the traditions and pride in representing Wellington. We all strove to live a For Wellington environment. The Training base was themed with Wellington city and rugby imagery. 16

19 Wellington Pride Played: 6 Won: 1 Lost: 5 Points For: 97 Points Against: 188 Head Coach: Damian Rapira-Davies Assistant Coach: Terence Fraser Assistant Coach: Gary Hilsdon Manager: Rebecca Liua ana Assistant Manager: Emma Savesi Physio: Sarah Bailey TEAM RECORD 25th August v Manawatu (PS) won th September v Otago lost 7 8 Try: Katarina Simpkins Conversion: Katarina Simpkins 15th September v Hawkes Bay won Tries: Helen Collins (4), Kiri Mei (2), Claire Rowat Conversions: Katarina Simpkins (2) 22nd September v Waikato lost Tries: Kiri Mei (2), Muteremoana Aiatu, Rebecca Liua'ana 29th September v Auckland lost th October v Canterbury lost 0-30 WELLINGTON PRIDE PLAYER APPEARANCES 2012 M Aiatu Norths 6 A Claridge Wainuiomata 5 B Collins Norths 4 H Collins Norths 4 M Collins Wainuiomata 5 L Conley Norths 1 G Daals Old Boys University 4 A Dean Norths 6 M Fa aifo Wainuiomata 4 S Fagalilo Old Boys University 5 K Feaunati-Tuia Oriental Rongotai 5 R Finau Stokes Valley 6 E Goulden Oriental Rongotai 6 M Leota Oriental Rongotai 5 R Liua ana Oriental Rongotai 4 S McIntosh Norths 6 F Makisi Oriental Rongotai 5 M Maligi-Leota Norths 3 K Mei Wainuiomata 6 J Patea Wainuiomata 5 C Rowat Old Boys University 4 M Roewen Norths 4 P Schwalger Norths 3 K Simpkins Stokes Valley 5 R Uluinayau Oriental Rongotai 2 G Webber Stokes Valley 5 G Williamson Old Boys University 6 13th October v Manawatu lost Tries: Muteremoana Aiatu (2), Kiri Mei, Maryann Collins, Sharlene Fagalilo Conversions: Elizabeth Goulden (3) Back Row: Claire Rowat, Elizabeth Goulden, Agnes Dean, Acacia Claridge, Ruby Finau, Georgia Daals, Vaine Marsters, Rejieli Uluinayau, Molly Maligi-Leota Middle Row: Sarah Bailey (Physio), Damian Rapira-Davies (Coach), Terence Fraser (Assistant Coach), Moni Fa aifo, Kiri Mei, Muteremoana Aiatu, Helen Collins, Kelly Feaunati-Tuia, Patsy Schwalger, Gary Hilsdon (Assistant Coach), Rebecca Liua ana (Manager), Emma Savesi (Assistant Manager) Front Row: Gina Williamson, Fa asua Makisi, Katarina Simpkins, Geneva Webber, Maryann Collins (Vc), Jackie Patea (C), Maryanne Leota, Samantha Mcintosh, Mel Roewen, Sharlene Fagalilo, Brenda Collins 17

20 Team Manager's Report Looking back this season, the Pride was a completly different team from last year. We had some very young and talented players mixed in with some very experienced players. Our primary playing objective was to better our position from last year to make the finals again and win it, unfortunately we were unsuccessful. However, we were successful in bringing through some very young, skilful and talented players. The 2012 season started later than usual with a traditional pre-season game against Manawatu at Waikanae Park. The game was used for coaches to finalise the team for the season as there were still some key positions to consider. Our other traditional fixture against Hawkes Bay did not eventuate. Our first game was against Otago at Porirua Park. The weather was atrocious with very strong wind and heavy rain. We didn t start very well and let the visitors lead 8 0 at half time. With the weather not improving, the second half didn t start well again and we finally put points on the board in the 78min. However, it was too late for the Pride to put more points on the board to take a victory. Hawkes Bay followed in superb conditions at the Petone Rec and a superb performance by the team winning We travelled next to Hamilton to face Waikato at Cambridge. Waikato having returned to the competition this season. Waikato started off very strong and lead at half time. Our forwards and backs could not connect and many mistakes were made which Waikato took advantage of and turned into points. The Pride started the second half much better, with the players communicating and the forwards taking charge and leading from the front. Unfortunately, it was too late to score more points to take the win. A late comeback in the next game against Waikato fell just short whilst successive heavy losses to Auckland and Canterbury extinguished any finals hopes. The season finished with a high scoring affair against Manawatu. Congratulations to Jackie Patea, our captain who made the Black Ferns tour to England. On behalf of the Pride and management, I would like to thank WRFU for their support throughout the season. To the players for your patience, dedication and commitment throughout the season. You were a great team to manage. Finally, I would like to thank Damian, Terry, Gary, Emma and Sarah for the time and effort they put into the team and their assistance they gave me throughout the season. Without your dedication in the way you carried out your duties, my job as a manager would not have been as easy. Thank you! Rebecca Liua ana Wellington Pride Manager 18

21 Wellington Development Played: 6 Won: 3 Lost: 3 Points For: 200 Points Against: 198 Head Coach: Phil Proctor Assistant Coach: Ray Mac Donald Manager: Dan Keith Physio: Jen Sweeting TEAM RECORD 1st September v Taranaki Development lost th September v Wellington U20 won th September v Taranaki Development lost th October v Wellington Samoan won th October v Tasman Development won th October v Canterbury Metro lost Back Row: Clayton Masina, Paulo Aukuso, Tupeni Kamakorewa, Kalepi Halafihi, Presley Tufuga, Kaipati Gaualofa, Faatonu Fili, Greg Lealofi, Taniela Raikabula Middle Row: Phil Proctor (Head Coach), Faatau Mamea, Chris Eves, Pau Halafihi, Donal Mcnamara, Nuu Lene, Deon Carney, James Wall, Dan Keith (Manager), Jen Sweeting (Physio) Front Row: Ryan Setefano, Seminar Manu, Sean Hay, Hayden Whelan, Jef Makapelu-Neru, Eugene Smith (C), Shan Eru, Taiso Silafai-Leaana, Liu Taituave, Peter Sciascia, Ray Macdonald (Assistant Coach) Absent: Stu Simonson, Andrew Mcwhirter, Brian Burridge, Athun Masun, James Solele, Joe Hill, Belgium Tuatagaloa, Andrew Smith, Afa Faatau 19

22 Wellington Under 20 Played: 9 Won: 4 Lost: 5 Points For: 316 Points Against: 225 Head Coach: Frank Rees Assistant Coach: Tom Martin Manager: David King Physio: Emma Lattey Trainers: Paul Downes Analyst: David Pollock TEAM RECORD 26th August v Tasman U20 won st September v Wellington Samoan won th September v Wellington Development lost th September v Waikato U20 lost th September v Taranaki U20 won nd September v Hawkes Bay U20 lost th September v Manawatu U20 won th October v Hawke's Bay U20 lost (Final) 13th October v Auckland U20 lost Back Row: Emma Lattey (Physio), Aviata Silago, Philip Finau, George Bower, Andrew Ellis, Dion Lealofi, Haamea Ahio, Andrew Quinlivan, Mitchell Markov, Sam Sturgiss, Nick Grigg Middle Row: Regan Hunt, Timoci Seravalu, Chris Walker, Vaea Fifita, Wiremu Adds, Joketani Koroi, Zac Power, Luca Rees, Dave Pollock (Video Analyst), Frank Rees (Head Coach) Front Row: Tom Martin (Assistant Coach), Paul Downes (Trainer), Tuipulotu Nuku, Ambrose Curtis, Tomasi Alosio, Joe Latta (C), Clinton Dysart, Donald Brighouse, Tuakana Metuarau, Andrew Wells, David King (Manager) Absent: Eric Sione, Cameron Ross, Hilton Mexted, Ope Peleseuma, Te Whei Wright 20

23 Wellington Under 18 Played: 5 Won: 5 Lost: 0 Points For: 198 Points Against: 69 Head Coach: Tim Mannix Assistant Coach: John Duignan Manager: Michael Taylor Physio: Kylie Milne TEAM RECORD 22nd September v Centurions won th September v Manawatu won th October v Taranaki won th October v Manawatu won (Final) 20th October v Tasman U18 won Back Row: Jordan Mellars, Jacob Taituave, Sam Chamberlain, Henry Stowers, John Tufele, Andrew Mamea, Anthony Mamea Middle Row: Kylie Milne (Physio), Tim Mannix (Coach), Saio Salevao, Elijah Williams-Stewart, Eduan Struwig, Dylan Hayes, Mike Taylor (Manager), John Duignan (Coach) Front Row: Isaac Marriner, Micah Barber, Luke Campbell, Wesley Goosen, Sam Dawson (C), Falelima Siinei, James O'Reilly, Aukuso Tuitama, Liam Berry Absent: Siaosi Finau-Lealiifano, Ivan Vaisagote Unavailable Due To NZ Schools Selection: Etimani Sului, Vincent Sakaria, Jackson Garden-Bachop Unavailable Due To NZ Barbarians Schools Selection: Ezekiel Sopoaga 21

24 Wellington Under 16A Played: 3 Won: 3 Lost: 0 Points For: 117 Points Against: 10 Head Coach: Earl Va a Assistant Coach: Justin Gray Manager: Dean Simpson TEAM RECORD 1st October v Taranaki won nd October v Manawatu won th October v Hawkes Bay won 29-0 (Final) Back Row: Arthur Seumanutafa, Nic Mannix, Jared Adams, Lester Maulolo, Josh Robertson-Weepu, Eli Vole, Faraimo Nofoaigia-Tusa, Peter Pili Middle Row: Malo Tuitama, Alex Fidow, Victor Knight, Quaid Martin-Laumatia, Anthony Pettett, Lui Okeamoa-Luamanu, George Taeiloa, Bradd Forster, Delano Morkel Front Row: Dean Simpson (Manager), Patrick Fenika, Aleks Noble-Campbell, Earl Va a (Coach), Leni Apisai (C), Justin Gray (Assistant Coach), Tj Va a, Kemara Hauiti-Parapara, Mike Kenworthy (Trainer) Absent: Jack Mccormack, Jordan Leuluai, Isaako Sopoaga, Teresa Rogers (Physiotherapist) Under 16 Development Played: 5 Won: 2 Lost: 3 Points For: 136 Points Against: 89 Head Coach: Okasene Moananu Assistant Coach: Phillipe Rayasi Manager: Mila Poutoa TEAM RECORD 15th September v Norths Invitational XV lost (Pre-Season) 22nd September v Horowhenua-Kapiti won st October v Wanganui won nd October v Poverty Bay lost (Non competition game) 4th October v Poverty Bay lost (Tournament Final) 22 Back Row: Mila Poutoa (Manager), Okesene Moananu (Coach), Bernard Nickel, Jack Higgins, Vern Sosefo, Jack Green, Rhys Magele, Filipe Rayasi (Asst Coach) Front Row: Philip Cunningham, Mathieson Carlyle, Lennox McMahon, Tamati Hauraki ( C ), William Sila, Tau -Roi Lupo, Paul Bickle, Henry Merritt Absent: Fraser Mclaren, Joel Hintz, Jacob Walmsley, Zac Donaldson, Lewis Ngatai, Andrew Seuala, Hezron Neru, Ale Peni, Kerrod Foaese, Curtis Pedersen Line, Chanlaq'por Paku, Brett Manaia.

25 Wellington Maori Played: 7 Won: 5 Lost: 2 Points For: 220 Points Against: 202 Coach: Hiko Davies Assistant Coach: Errol Weston Assistant Coach: Dennis Ngatai Manager: Gina Mitchell-Pita and Willie McMahon TEAM RECORD 1st September v Wairarapa Bush B won th September v Wanganui B won th September v Horowhenua-Kapiti B won nd September v Wairarapa Bush B lost th September v Horowhenua-Kapiti B won th October v Wanganui B won th October v Wellington Samoan lost Squad: Kenny Anderson, Judd Baker, Zac Bradley-Fox, Rawin Davis, Jesse Dolman, Apanui Heemi, Dylan Hemop, Mykel Herewini, Joey Hopkins, Matt Jacobs, Louis Karl, Jason Love, Raakai Maxwell, Ainsley Mei, James Mei, Deina Morete, Ryan Nepia, Jamie Pita, Tawera Rameka-Styles, Matene Te Whetu, Jayden Watene, Clint Whiu, Michael Williams, Campbell Woodmass Wellington Sevens Played: 5 Ln: 2 Lost: 3 Points For: 94 Points Against: 93 Coach: Earl Va'a Assistant Coach: Allan Bunting Manager: Greg Waugh Physio: Glen Ward Trainer: Mark Bradshaw TEAM RECORD National Sevens (Queenstown) Day 1 vs Waikato lost Day 1 vs Counties Manukau won Day 1 vs Northland won Day 2 vs Canterbury (Cup quater final) lost Day 2 vs Manawatu (Plate semi-final) lost Squad: Isireli Baleitavuki, Reuben Colquhoun, Shahn Eru, Marvin Karawana, Taulagi Lepupa, James Proctor, Matt Proctor, Ardie Savea (C), Julian Savea, Belgium Tuatagaloa, George Tilsley, Taleta Tupuola 23

26 Wellington Secondary Schools Rugby The 2012 season provided the best weather in recent memory in Wellington, with some grades experiencing a cancellation free season. As a result, a smooth lead up to the college rugby finals at Rongotai College was achieved, where 15 intense games were played in a showcase of College Rugby at the end of August. College rugby experienced growth in 2012 and provided quality pathways for school players; 19 grades were offered in 2012 ensuring rugby was accessible to all who wanted to play. The girls competition mirrored the boys and was played across 3 divisions with a finals evening at Petone Rec for all 3 grades. The concept of a combined finals format proved popular with a good number of supporters attending the games. The WRFU s investment in the Club Coaching Coordinators and the role of the NZRU-funded Rugby Administrator in Schools scheme [RAIS] continues to support the delivery of the game at a school level and assists to enhance relationships between clubs and schools. The model is great and we applaud and acknowledge all involved. The Boys Premier Final played at Hutt Rec demonstrated what a great drawcard quality College Rugby can provide with a significant crowd in attendance, despite the weather conditions. The final served as a curtain raiser to the Jubilee Cup and with exceptional event management by the team at WRFU, the event showcased quality Wellington rugby and outstanding community support. With a path to the NZ Schools top 4 at stake, St Patrick s College, Silverstream demonstrated great resolve and defence to hold out Wellington College in an intense final. In their journey to the NZ Schools top 4 St Patrick s Silverstream suffered a close loss at home to Gisborne Boys High School. In the girls final Naenae showed great intensity to overcome Taita. At the College Sport Awards, Jackson Garden-Bachop [Scots College] and Hilla Fukofuka (Queen Margaret) were named as Wellington Secondary School Rugby Players of the Year. Wellington Schools thank all Rugby Convenors and the RAIS s in particular, for their valued contribution to the promotion of the game within their school, and to the managers and coaches of the teams for their on-going commitment to youth Rugby. Additionally our special thanks go to the directors and personnel of the Wellington Rugby Football Union and in particular to Dave King, Rick Whatarau, Will Caccia-Birch, Kirsty Wanden, Paul Latham and the CCO s for their ongoing support of Youth Rugby. Dave Mackenzie Secretary Wellington Secondary Schools Rugby The national BNZ Condor 7 s were held on the 2nd December with Scots College and Wainuiomata High representing the Wellington region in the boys and girls events respectively. Scots College performed well going down to the eventual winners, Kelston BHS in the quarter finals (AET). Whilst Wainuiomata girls secured the Bowl division with a 19 7 win in the final over Onehunga. On behalf of all schools we again thank the Wellington Rugby Referees Association and WRFU s Benji Crossley/Nick Thorpe and Richard Gordon for being able to appoint to virtually every college game played this year - the contribution of this body is outstanding without them we have no game thank you all. In particular the young college referees coming through the system well done you are the future! 24

27 CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS 2012 WELLINGTON SCHOOLS EXECUTIVE: CHAIRMAN: Martin Isberg (Wainuiomata High School) SECRETARY: Dave Mackenzie (College Sport Wellington) TREASURER: Martin Isberg (Wainuiomata High School) EXECUTIVE: Darrell Harvey (Wellington College), David King (WRFU delegate), Ross Findlay (Rongotai College), Richard Anderton (Aotea College), James Rasmussen (Newlands College), John Hornal (College Sport Wellington) WELLINGTON DELEGATES TO HURRICANES YOUTH RUGBY COUNCIL: David King & John Hornal DELEGATES TO NZ SCHOOLS RUGBY COUNCIL: Martin Isberg (Treasurer) Premier 1 Premier 2 Premier 3 Premier 4 Premier 5 Premier 6 Under 15 Div 1 Under 15 Div 2 Under 15 Div 3 Under 15 Div 4 Under 14 Div 1 Under 14 Div 2 St Patrick s College, Silverstream Hutt Valley High School Tawa College Naenae College 2nd XV Scots College 2nd XV Aotea 3rd XV St Patrick s College, Wellington St Bernards College Newlands College Heretaunga College Mana College Bishop Viard College DELEGATE TO WRFU RUGBY BOARD: Martin Isberg SELECTED FOR 2012 NZ SCHOOLS BARBARIANS: Under 65 kg Div 1 St Patrick s College, Silverstream Under 65 kg Div 2 Hutt International Boys Ezekiel Sopoaga Nelson Asofa-Solomona Wellington College Wellington College Under 55 kg Div 1 St Patrick s College, Wellington Under 55 kg Div 2 Upper Hutt College SELECTED FOR 2012 NEW ZEALAND SCHOOLS: Vincent Sakaria Wellington College Etimani Sului Wellington College Jackson Garden-Bachop Scots College Girls Premier Girls Div 1 Girls Div 2 Naenae College Paraparaumu College Sacred Heart College Condor Regional Rugby 7's Boys Cup Boys Plate Boys Bowl Girls Cup Girls Plate Scots College Porirua College Taita College Wainuiomata High Wellington East 25

28 Junior Rugby Zone Executive Chairman: David Forster Executive: Adrian Middleton, Chairperson Western Bays Karen McCashin, Chairperson Hutt Valley Rachel Whitman, Chairperson Wellington City The 2012 season was a very successful year for Wellington Junior Rugby and the Zone Executive (JRZE) with player and team numbers up across the board. (See below tables) It is a testament to the commitment and enthusiasm of the WRFU RDOs and CCOs, our volunteer administrators, coaching staff and players who delivered a successful 2012 season. Other highlights of 2012 were: Introduction of a single Drawmaster across all 3 zones which brought the following benefits: - Use of the NZRU draw software by all zones - Consistent and timely delivery of draws onto the WRFU web site, to newspapers and to clubs. - An extremely low cancellation rate of approximately 1.5 cancellations per team. The growth of nursery grades in several clubs (for the 2-4 year olds); Petone, Wainui, HOBM, Upper Hutt, Rimutuka, Wests, MSP, and Pare-Plim). A couple of girls only teams being formed and playing in the Saturday competition which clearly demonstrates an appetite for Girls Rugby The continuation of the Ball for All programme sponsored by Leslie Rugby this is huge for Junior Rugby and our many thanks to Leslie Rugby for their support. The 10th year of Gareth Head Leadership clinic run by Ken Laban and team. This clinic runs for 4 Sunday mornings in March and takes 1-2 players from each team across the U11, U12 and U13 grades who are not necessarily the star players but have demonstrated leadership potential. Our sincere thanks to Ken and his team for this marvellous programme. Rugby Discovery Day at the Hutt Rec in March The JRZE 7 s tournament organised by Ken Laban and Steve Craig in early May. Again our sincere thanks to Ken and Craig for the outstanding job they do here and have done over many years. The Murray Sullivan U13 Development Week for approximately 100 U13 players from across Primary School and College. Thanks to Dale Wall, Geoff Owen and their U13 Regional Coaching team for running this event. The U13 programme who went through unbeaten in their programme games. Thanks again to Dale, Geoff and their U13 Regional Coaching team for running this programme. Inter-Zone Tournament was hosted by Western Bays Zone, and was held in good conditions at Ngati Toa. With three days of very competitive and committed rugby, Wellington City Zone come out on top in the U13 R grade and Western Bays won the U12 grade. Thank you to the Western Bays Zone committee and the Paremata- Plimmerton Rugby Club for again hosting an outstanding event. Mention must be made of the huge effort Will Caccia-Birch and his team (David King, Rick Whatarau, the CCOs) put into Junior Rugby. The continual seeking of ways to improve the delivery of rugby to our youth is outstanding and not enough can be said of the job they do to up skill both players and coaches at a junior level. A big thank you to everyone in the team. During the year a Strategic Review of junior rugby was undertaken by the WRFU and aided by Kevin Wilson from Sport Wellington. A huge amount of feedback was received from a wide range of individuals and groups involved in junior rugby. The findings were collated and summarised and the final report released in October. It was presented at the November Rugby Forum with further input gathered in several key areas will see the development of a Junior Strategy and implementation plan with some components likely to be introduced during the year and the remainder in It is exciting to see opportunities for growth and some of the ideas to introduce best practices into our governance and administration. Hutt Valley (8 clubs) Wellington City (8 clubs) Western Bays * (3 clubs) Players 2011 Players 2012 Change % % % Total % Teams 2011 Teams 2012 Change Hutt Valley % Wellington City % Western Bays* % Total % *excludes 420 players from Paraparaumu and Waikanae 26

29 Before closing, I would like to thank Gus McMillan (former HV Zone Chairman and former JRZE Chairman) and Grant McNamara (Hutt Valley Drawmaster for many years) for their many years of service. Gus is still involved on the Hutt Valley zone committee but it is appropriate to mention the contribution he has made to junior rugby and the many innovations he brought to Junior Rugby over the years. In closing on behalf of the Junior Rugby Executive, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to the WRFU Office Staff, our Volunteer Administrators and Coaches for their continued support and encouragement in our pursuit of new initiatives, this continues to allow the children of our region gain enjoyment and satisfaction from participating in Junior Rugby. David Forster Chairman Junior Rugby Zone Executive 27

30 Greater Wellington Primary Schools Rugby Chair/Treasurer: Mark Leggett Some of the highlights were: GWPSRU Executive Officers: Mark Leggett, David Milne, John Berryman, Michael Smith, Murray Sullivan and Kane Mokomoko Wellington: Nga Holmes and Glen Holbrook Mana: James Rangiawha, Clinton Whitikia, Ron Clarke, Grant Savell and Shirley Ngatuere Hutt Valley: David Robati, George Pamatatau and Seymour Harawira Mentor/Patron: John Berryman There were plenty of rugby opportunities for the many students during the school year as they took part in the Waterman s Intermediate and Rippa tournaments. The planned zone tackle/girl black tournaments were thwarted in the main by poor weather unfortunately. The rugby calendar started in February with a Year 3 and 4 Rippa tournament as part of Rugby Awareness Week, and in the late Term 3 school holiday break the annual Southern North Island Primary Schools Rugby Tournament, was held, hosted by the Mana sub-union. The 71st year of this tournament was played at the excellent Porirua Park facilities. Congratulations to the Hutt Valley team that won the tournament with a very well balanced and skilful team. I thank all coaching and management staff for their dedication in preparing these various representative teams over a very short space of time. Thanks also to Kane Mokomoko for his great work in organising this event. The Year 3 and 4 rippa tournament for girls and boys in Term 1 as part of Rugby Awareness Week Three zonal rippa rugby tournaments were held for boys and girls in Term1. The Waterman s sponsored intermediate schools tournament. Thank you to the intermediate schools for your support of this fine tournament. The Southern North Island Primary Schools Rugby Tournament, playing for the John Berryman Cup, with representative teams from Wellington, Hutt Valley, Mana, Horowhenua-Kapiti and Rangitikei taking part Finally I would like to acknowledge and thank the many schools, teachers, principals, coaches managers, administrators and parents who gave of their time during the year in support of our organisation. We could not have achieved what we did without your assistance. We need to continue building on the positives from the 2012 year and beyond to promote the game of rugby in the primary schools of the greater Wellington area. Making sure all school children get involved playing and supporting rugby is the ultimate success criteria! Also, to David Milne and Ged Eller-from Horowhenua Kapiti- Thank you both for your dedication in serving primary schools rugby in your capacity as you have done over the years. Your support is treasured as we continue our involvement in the great game of rugby! I wish to acknowledge the support we received from various organisations/groups that helped us in many ways over the year and during the Berryman Cup Tournament as well. Thank you. Mark Leggett Chairman Greater Wellington Primary Schools Rugby Union Thanks to Rick Whatarau, along with the team of CCO s, from the WRFU who provided personnel, coaching, advice and availability for the various zone tournaments, as well as for their school support programmes. Thank you to the Wellington Rugby Union for their financial support this is most appreciated as it goes a long way to providing funding/promotion for rugby in the schools from school administrative costs to tournament expenses. 28

31 Wellington Rugby Referees Association Post RWC we were concerned about the number of referees we would potentially require to cater for the expected surge in interest in playing the game as it panned out, with the number of referees transferring into Wellington and a great college referee development, only those grades that historically missed referee appointments from time to time, were affected again. Our on-going recruitment program, and specifically the You Make The Call programme in an increasing number of colleges, meant that we had a very successful recruitment year. The college programme particularly augurs well for the future with up to 20 young referees participating this past year and our expectation is that up to 50% of them may well transfer into our official training programme next season our thanks go to all those involved in the scheme. Retaining referees is obviously important and is an on-going challenge and as such I ask the rugby community to continue doing everything they can to support and show respect to the officials of our game because without that we all lose. As a voluntary organisation one of our greatest time consuming processes is the weekly appointment of referees and all the subsequent alterations before game time. This past season, through an additional sponsorship, we were able to subscribe to an international web based programme which proved tremendously successful in reducing time spent by the team and in the effectiveness of communication with referees. The success of Wellington referees continues from the very top levels where we were represented by Garratt Williamson and Mike Fraser at both ITM Cup and Super Rugby competitions, with special congratulations to Garratt for AR appointments to IRB Test matches. We also had James McPhail representing us again on the IRB 7 s circuit and Heartland Championship, and Ben O Keefe also at Heartland Championship. Ben has now been named in the National Referees Squad for the upcoming season. Bridgette Tyler was involved in the IRB women s 7 s tournaments in Dubai, Hong Kong and London and was reffing at Senior 1 level here in Wellington, but has now chosen to see how far she can go in the game as a player. We wish her well in her endeavours but our hopes are that she will return in the not too distant future as our top woman referee. This past season we also took into our association for three months, Akihisa Aso from Japan on an international development programme driven by NZRU. The success of this was reflected in his appointment and performance, in the ITM Cup. Our major sponsorship with AMI continues and their financial support has now been going for over 10 years. Their long term commitment to us is hugely appreciated and we ask everyone in the rugby community to return that support wherever they can. We are also supported by the WRFU, PWMC, DB Breweries and Gripfast and are thankful for the different ways in which they assist us and allow us to continue to provide a strong and professional like refereeing resource. To all members and their families, thank you for your continued commitment to our game, and to everyone else who assists and supports us, thank you. Ian Dallas Zone and Promising Squad representation by Ben O Keefe, Richard Gordon, Ross Barnett, Tim Baker, Bridgette Tyler, Nick Hogan and Vincent Ringrose also reflected the strength of Wellington refereeing and all the hard work put in by our coaching resource. Chairman Wellington Rugby Referees Association 29

32 Club Competitions: 2012 Grade Winners PREMIER GRADE Number of teams Division One 1 st round Swindale Shield 12 Hutt Old-Boys Marist 2 nd round Jubilee Cup 8 Marist St Pats 2 nd round (round robin) Andy Leslie Trophy 8 Oriental-Rongotai Division Two 2 nd round Hardham Cup 8 Poneke SENIOR GRADE Division One 1 st round Harper Lock Shield 12 Marist St Pats 2 nd round Ed Chaney Cup 10 Wellington Division Two 1 st round National Mutual Cup 12 Wellington 2 nd round H D Morgan Memorial Cup 10 Hutt Old-Boys Marist Division Three 1 st round JDR Cup 8 Wainuiomata 2 nd round Johnsonville Centennium Cup 8 Wainuiomata UNDER 21 GRADE Division One 1 st round Paris Memorial Trophy 10 Wellington 2 nd round John E Kelly Memorial Cup 6 OBU Green Division Two 1 st round JRD Cup 9 OBU Black 2 nd round Vic Calcinai Memorial Cup 7 Tawa Division Three 2 nd round 7 Johnsonville 85KG RESTRICTED GRADE Division One 1 st round JC Bowl 6 Marist St Pats Blues 2 nd round Paul Potiki Memorial Shield 10 Marist St Pats Blues Division Two 1 st round 6 Upper Hutt 2 nd round 8 Stokes Valley Division Three 1 st round 7 Johnsonville RESERVE GRADE Division One 1 st round 8 Poneke Ruffnuts 2 nd round 8 MSP Internationals Division Two 1 st round 9 Johnsonville Cripples 2 nd round 8 OBU Righteous Bros WOMEN S PREMIER 1 st round Fleurs Trophy 6 Northern United 2 nd round Victoria Tavern Trophy 6 Wainuiomata POST SEASON TOURNAMENTS American Ambassador s Trophy Sevens Series Mens American Ambassador s Trophy Sevens Series Colts American Ambassador s Trophy Sevens Series Womens Number of Teams 16 Tawa 8 Old Boys University 10 Oriental-Rongotai CLUB AWARDS DEWAR SHIELD (Total Points) SIR WILLIAM PERRY MEMORIAL TROPHY (Average Points Per Team) GRIFFITHS MEMORIAL TROPHY* (Team highest average points per team) JUNIOR MERIT AWARD 1 Old Boys University 2 Marist St Pats 3 Hutt Old Boys Marist 1 Wellington 2 Marist St Pats 3 Hutt Old Boys Marist 1 Johnsonville Senior 1 2 Paremata-Plimmerton Senior 1 3 Marist St Pats Senior 2 1 Petone 2 Johnsonville 3 Wainuiomata 30

33 WRFU Premier Division One Jubilee Cup Winners 2012 MARIST ST PATS RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB Back row (from left): Ryan Setefano, Donald Brighouse, Thomas Veitch, Rocky Leofo, Isaia Petelo Third row: Tevita Ah Wong, Hamish Shaw, Issac O Connor, Ben Nansett, Paul Tuia, Andrew Wells, Aviata Silago, Nick Wanden Second row: Zac Nichols (physio) Vanessa Beaumont (head physio) Steven Jensen (assistant manager) Michael Sood (assistant manager), Victor Vito, Sean Bridge, Lua Lokatui, Dan Turner, Charlie Graham, Jeff To omaga-allen, Solomona Sakalia, Matt Buck (manager), Neil Murphy (club captain), Terry Manion (President) Front row: Clayton McMillan (coach), Liu Taituave, Fa atonu Fili, Sio Tuia, Bernie Upton, Arden David-Perrot (captain), Kasiano Lealamanua (vice-captain), John Paul Tocker, Peter Sciascia, Murray Tocker (coach) Absent: Leif Johansson, Declan McKeefry, Declan Hay, Johnny Gbenda-Charles, Ano Kapeli WRFU Women s Premier Winners 2012 WAINUIOMATA RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB Back Row: Sieni Samau, Suzanne Yee, Althea Peleseuma, Roena Rogers, Acacia Claridge Middle Row: Peter White (Club President), Marama Tauroa (Coach/Player), Sisi Tuala-Leafa, Virginia Faitele, Marina Soloa, Loua Time, Gail Ah-Hi (Manager/Player), Mike Kenworthy (Club Coaching Co-ordinator) Front Row: Lauina Motu, Leah Uila, Alice Soper, Jean Oti (Captain), Jackie Patea (Vice Captain), Kiri Mei, Ulalei Tuisila Absent: Lesley McKenzie (Coach/Player), Darren Larsen (Technical Skills Coach), Alana McViker, Bayli Rapira, Caroline Martin, Chelsea Gates, Grace Uluiburotu, Jessica Packe, Juliana Newman, Kolotita Lemana, Lee Puepuemai, Maryann Collins, Mary-Lee Sa u, Miri Marino, Moni Faaifo, Nella Ngahuru, Sonya Tafatu, Soraya Umaga-Jensen, Tuese Lewis, Uaea Apu ula, Veronica Howell 31

34 Obituaries BILL BRIEN CUP Coming into the 2012 season Oriental-Rongotai held the Bill Brien Cup, after an unbeaten 2011 Jubilee Cup. They lost it on their second challenge of the season to Wainuiomata, however in a game of "hot potato", Wainui only held it for one challenge, losing to Marist St Pats in their second defence. Here the merry-go-round stopped as MSP were unbeaten in the Jubilee Cup repelling four challengers on the way to winning the 2012 Jubilee Cup final. DISCIPLINARY Unfortunately this year has seen an increase in judicial matters for the first time in a number of years with 44 being dealt with as opposed to 39 in The largest category of offence was punching/striking with 14 matters of this type being dealt with. Credit should go to Old Boys University and Eastbourne who were the only clubs to not receive a red card in Of concern to the Judicial Committee was the continued trend of incidents in the last 10 minutes of matches. Clubs should be aware of this and continue to work with their players in an attempt to control emotions right through to the final whistle. Graeme Brocklebank (Petone, WGTN Rep ) died 11 December 2012, aged 83. Edward Buddicom (Marist St Pats, WGTN Rep ) died 9 April 2012, aged 83. Frank Crist (Wellington, WGTN Rep ) - died 20 November 2012, aged 93. Paul Delaney (Onslow, WGTN Rep ) died 5 October 2012, aged 73. Nigel Gini (Marist Bros. Old Boys, WGTN Rep 1945) died 2 June 2012, aged 94. Dave Harker (Athletic, WGTN Rep ) died 6 July 2012, aged 78. Jock Hobbs (University, WGTN Rep 1987) died 13 March 2012, aged 52. Jim Kinvig (Onslow, WGTN Rep ) died 16 July Dr Bill Treadwell (Life Member) died 19 October 2012, aged 84. Raymond Watson (Marist, WGTN Rep 1955) died 4 June 2012, aged 81. John Watt (St Pats, WGTN Rep ) died 24 September 2012, aged

35 Wellington Rugby Football Union (Incorporated) Consolidated Financial Statements Year Ending 31 December 2012 Auditor s Report Statement of Comprehensive Income... Statement of Changes in Equity... Statement of Financial Position... Notes to the Financial Statements

36 34 Wellington Rugby Football Union (Incorporated) Annual Report 2012