Domestic rugby season preparations across the Heartland Rugby Unions are in full swing with the 2023 season draw announced for the Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship. Following a competitive season in 2022, which saw Ngāti Porou East Coast win the Lochore Cup, the team kick off round one playing Wairarapa-Bush in in Masterton. While defending Meads Cup Champions South Canterbury will play Horowhenua Kapiti at home in Waimate. To view the full Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship 2023 draw click here New Zealand Rugby General Manager Community Rugby Steve Lancaster is looking forwar ..read more

Wairarapa Bush RIPPA MANAGER Job Title: WBRU RIPPA Manager Organisation/Department/Unit: Wairarapa Bush Rugby Union Location: WBRU Masterton Reports to: Game Development Manager Internal Relationships JAB Manager WBRU Operations Manager Chief Executive Purpose of the RIPPA Manager Role: Wairarapa Bush Rugby Union has seen significant growth in our junior rugby and RIPPA tournaments. With the increased appeal of rugby and RIPPA for both boys and girls, the WBRU is well placed to grow our enjoyable RIPPA format and link the young players to our rugby clubs. The RIPPA Manager primary role ..read more

Wairarapa Bush Club Relationship Manager “What About You” Job Title: Club Relationship Manager Part-time, fixed contracted position Organisation/Department/Unit: Wairarapa Bush Rugby Union Location: WBRU Masterton Reports to: Chief Executive Purpose of the Club Relationship Manager Wairarapa Bush Rugby Union in partnership with the Te Hiringa Hauora and Tu Ora Health and been providing services and support for all our members and clubs regarding alcohol awareness and mental well-being. The What About You campaign and services have been fully embraced by our members so this role is abou ..read more

Wairarapa Bush Rugby Union Announcement of Heartland Coach Reece Robinson It is with great pleasure to announce Reece Robinson as the new Wairarapa Bush Heartland Coach. Reece Robinson was originally from Eketahuna and went to Tararua College where he was a Wairarapa Bush Under 16s, Under 18s and a Central and New Zealand Secondary Schools representative. Reece continued his playing career with, Manawatu, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, Chiefs and played 6 games for the Maori All Blacks (2000 to 2003). Reece has been the Palmerston North Old Boys Marist Premier coach, winning the championship in 2017 an ..read more

Stacey Fluhler boasts a smile that could melt margarine. A try she scored to help the Black Ferns Sevens win the Olympic final against France in Tokyo last year became an iconic image. Unfortunately, nobody was inside the stadium to see it. A year later in front of a world record crowd for a women’s rugby international of 42,379 at Eden Park, Fluhler grinned gloriously again. In the 73rd minute she threw an improbable offload from the ground to wing Ayesha Leti-I’iga to put the Black Ferns ahead 34-31 in the pulsating Rugby World Cup decider. It was a try that required such rare skill and cou ..read more

Reduced tackle height the focus of community rugby game innovations Three game innovations confirmed for the 2023 community rugby season Significant tackle height reduction across all community rugby Player safety, faster game and ball in play more the focus of changes Changes supported by the 26 Provincial Unions New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has today announced three game innovations that will be trialled for the 2023 community rugby season, designed to improve player safety, flow of the game and keep the ball in play more. The changes are supported by the 26 Provincial Unions and include a sign ..read more

DOWNLOAD 2022 50th Anniversary Programme CLICK HERE CHAIRMAN WBRU JASON CARRUTHERS On behalf of the WBRU I would like to make a special welcome to you all on our Anniversary weekend celebrating 50 years of Wairarapa Bush Rugby. A special welcome to Max Spence (NZRU President), Ian Kirkpatrick (NZRU Patron), Bill Osborne (Past NZRU President), Bob Francis and Glynn Meads who will be part of our 50th Dinner celebration and the Launch of the Brian Lochore Rugby Trust. They will be joined at the dinner with former Heartland player, captain and coach, Joe Harwood and Dave Galvin, WBRU Life Member a ..read more

WAIRARAPA BUSH  Coaches 1971 – 2022 J.H.Lawson (2 years, 1971-72) I.A. Aitkenhead (3 Years, 1971-72-73) Richard Francis (1 year, 1974-75) Rod McKenzie (4 years, 1976-77-78-79) Sir Brian Lochore (3 years, 1980-81-82) Lance Penn (4 years, 1983-84-85-86) Roger Dee (3 years, 1987-91-92) Alan Cornelius (3 years, 1988-89-90) Ritchie Robertson (2 years, 1993-94) Graeme Anderson (2 years, 1995-96) Paul Pottinger (2 years, 1997-98) Mark Benton (1 year, 1999) Roger Walker (3 year ..read more

Pasifika o Wairarapa Trust with Immigration New Zealand – Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Immigration 101 Seminar – 9.30 am to 3.15 pm Thursday 4 August 2022 23 Intermediate Street, Masterton. Item No Start Time  Subject Responsibility 1 09.30 am Doors open – Coffee and tea available Host 2 09.45 am Seated and opening prayer Host 3 09.50 am Welcome Health and Safety General  overview and purpose Facilitator 4 09.55 am Overview of Immigration New Zealand settings… · Work visas · Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE)  scheme · Residency pathways · Immigrati ..read more

Getty Images  For the first time in the history of the Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship, one match per week will be broadcast live on Sky and available free-to-air on Prime for the 2022 season. With the Meads and Lochore Cup finals broadcast previously, Sky has been working towards increasing the coverage of provincial rugby. Last year, the entire 2021 season of Farah Palmer Cup presented by Bunnings Warehouse was available live and on demand on Sky. The Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship had a great 2021, with a selection of high-profile players taking the field and Sky b ..read more