King Country Rugby announce teams for Heartland Championship

Girls Under 18 team captain Ella Wisnewski being lifted in line out by vice captain Mila Arnold and Amalia Bradley vs Taranaki. Photo / Chelsea Rawiri

It's history in the making. King Country Rugby Union has named a its first-ever girls' under-18 rugby team.

The team was named in July for a tournament in New Plymouth and will play in the interprovincial Heartland Championship.

King Country Rugby Union recently named the players for all their other teams: the King Country Rams coached by Craig Jeffries, the senior development team coached by Simon Bradley, the under-18s coached by Wayne Lather, the under-16s coached by Nick Hume, and the under-13s coached by Jono Sheean.

The under 18s girls' team is coached by Dominick Arnold and Sandy Maikuku. Dominick said the team was selected from players in this winter's seven aside and 10-aside tournaments and a squad of 20 players was formed from a pool of 40 to 50 players.

"Some players are quite new to the game, and it's quite a young team so they'll stay in the grade for the next two or three years."

The players are located all over the King Country, from Otorohanga, Taumarunui, and Taupō-nui-a-Tia College.

"The backbone of the team are senior players from Taupō-nui-a-Tia College, including captain Ella Wisnewski and vice-captain Mila Arnold."

Dominick says the team bonded when they played together in a tournament for the first time in New Plymouth.

"The girls work together really well."

He said training has been about catching, passing, tackling.

"Basic skills, and making it fun so we get more girls wanting to play.

"Hopefully, when the girls leave school, they will join a club and keep playing."

This Saturday the team is playing Thames Valley and on October 9 the team is playing Whanganui as a curtain raiser for the King Country Rams at Owen Delany Park.

"We beat Whanganui in July and expect them to come back fired up to redeem themselves," said Dominick.

King Country Rams No 8 Reeve Satherley (left). Photo / Sofia Wood

Apprentice heavy diesel mechanic Reeve Satherley, 19, who has played rugby since he was 5 years old is playing his second season for the King Country Rams.

Reeve attended Taupō Primary School, Taupō Intermediate School, and Taupō-nui-a-Tia College. He is the captain for club team Taupō Marist and this year is playing the No 8 position for the Rams. Last year he played lock.

"It's cool to see your name up there when they announce the team. Mum messaged me, a few of my mates got in touch."

Reeve is enjoying the Heartland Championship and hopes the Covid-19 alert level changes to level 1, so supporters can fill the stadiums again.

"At the moment, there is no other noise, I just focus on the rugby."

King Country Rams captain is Carl Carmichael, 36, a farmer from Mangakino, with Sisa Vosaki in vice-captain. Carl said player naming day is always exciting.

King Country Rams captain Carl Carmichael. Photo / King Country Rugby Union

"The players work hard for their club all season and aspire to get into the representative teams."

He says the Rams is a relatively young and inexperienced team, with just two players in the squad having played 25 games for the team to earn their King Country blazer. Carl has 35 caps for King Country and over 100 caps in first-class rugby and player Alex Thrupp has 31 caps.

So far the Rams have suffered two losses from two games, but Carl says they are excited about the Heartland Championship.

The first two games have been played at Covid-19 alert level 2 and Carl says only immediate family and officials are allowed in the stadium.

"It's disappointing for the fans.

"Especially as King County is such a large province and the games are few and far between in each town."

Team training is around development.

"We're going to build our team up in the next two or three years. We hope to have 15 blazers in the side by then.

"We've got to grow the team and there's hard work to be done.

"To get a win in front of them, that would be special."

Fan Info

You can follow King Country Rugby games on YouTube and Facebook @KingCountryRugby, other teams feature when the Rams are away.

On October 9 the King Country Rams play Whanganui with the girls' under-18 team opening also against Whanganui. At Covid-19 alert level 2 the game can be viewed online.