Every year a gold mine of talent is unearthed in Waikato club rugby but there are also a lot of legendary, familiar and random faces to show up on the scene - whether they’re new
A Waikato Club Rugby XV 2023 - surprising and well-known players
![Jesse Wood](https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/nzme/71aed132-a073-4a56-9eb9-d32dc4e6023f.png)
Jesse Wood
Todd Doolan in action for Leamington against Ōhaupō at Ōhaupō Memorial Park during 2023. Photo / Jesse Wood
Several Heartland Championship players also feature in the competition – predominantly King Country players for Ōtorohanga.
A range of experienced coaches headed up and assisted this year’s squads along with a few player/coaches like Thomson.
Below is a “Waikato Club Rugby XV”. Some of the players have represented the club at B level but are just listed by their club, not their specific team.
Please note, the names below are not all of the representative/former representative players in 2023 Waikato Club Rugby.
A WAIKATO CLUB RUGBY XV:
1. DENNIS ANDREWS-PETERS – Melville
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: King Country 2022
TRANSFERRED FROM: Taumarunui Districts Rugby Football Club
2. PITA ANAE-AH SUE – Hautapu
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: South Canterbury 2018, Waikato 2022-2023, Moana Pasifika Training Squad 2023
TRANSFERRED FROM: Southern United Rugby Football Club
![Ōtorohanga's Viliame Seuseu runs the ball up the field. Photo / Lorraine Fox](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/BSB2LJPWK7LIVSLEIVW5DGTLLI.jpg?auth=3a3c9bfe182022cf4861e670c9385cfda8ebf54daba2294ebde659a90cfeb21b&width=16&height=10&quality=70&smart=true)
3. VILIAME SEUSEU – Ōtorohanga
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Fiji 2008-2009
![Ōtorohanga's Anthony Wise runs at the Melville defence. Photo / Lorraine Fox](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/CUPVK67LYSKFYJRVW3XQZB3VEE.jpg?auth=f856036038383c334e926d8d83d1cc424dd80d8621684197a37ae90933fc9243&width=16&height=12&quality=70&smart=true)
4. ANTHONY WISE – Ōtorohanga
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Waikato 2012, King Country 2013-2017, Fiji 2009-2010
5. NORMAN WISE – Fraser Tech
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Fiji Schoolboys Under-18 2022
TRANSFERRED FROM: St John’s College
6. STAR FETU SASALU – Suburbs
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Samoan Sevens Barbarians 2007, Samoan Sevens 2008
TRANSFERRED FROM: Te Awamutu Sports
7. ADAM THOMSON – Hamilton Old Boys
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: South Canterbury 2017, Thames Valley 2021
8. HAME FAIVA – University
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Waikato 2013-2017, Chiefs Development 2013, Blues 2017, Hurricanes 2023, NZ Under 20 2013-2014, Italy 2022-2023
TRANSFERRED FROM: Italy
9. ISAAC BOSS – Southern United
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Waikato 1999, 2001- 2005, 2016, Chiefs 2001, 2003-2004, Hurricanes 2005, New Zealand Under 19 1999, Ireland Wolfhounds 2008-2015, Ireland 2006-2015
![Todd Doolan in action for Leamington against Ōhaupō at Ōhaupō Memorial Park during 2023. Photo / Jesse Wood](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/6HHYSPTGEBHN7G4HKIJEVYVWNM.jpg?auth=4444276b822155b515f9156e804161bd0f16ce33525d104b4ed18e8ef25e5d08&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
10. TODD DOOLAN - Leamington
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Ngāti Porou East Coast 2016, North Harbour 2017, Thames Valley 2021-2022, New Zealand Heartland XV 2022
TRANSFERRED FROM: Waihou Rugby & Sports Club
11. LEROY VAN DAM – Hamilton Marist
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Manawatū 2013, Bay of Plenty 2014- 2015, Otago 2017, New Zealand Under 20 2013
TRANSFERRED FROM: Taupiri Rugby Football Club
12. SANI RAMUWAI – Pirongia
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Fiji Sevens 2014, South Canterbury 2021
TRANSFERRED FROM: Mackenzie Rugby Football Club (South Canterbury)
![Ngane Punivai in action for Ōhaupō against Te Rapa at Ōhaupō Memorial Park during 2023. Photo / Jesse Wood](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/JB4J6JTDQFHSHEHPLTLD6L62HE.jpg?auth=cbd5bc09baf11800ab62322ca43f8f5070d38a08e8122f72dafd21110bfcb3c9&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
13. NGANE PUNIVAI - Ōhaupō/University
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Canterbury 2017-2022, Crusaders 2019, Highlanders 2020-2022, Chiefs 2023, NZ Under 20 2018
14. ARMYN SANDERS – Pirongia
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Waikato 2007, Counties Manukau 2010, Thames Valley 2012, Wairarapa Bush 2017, New Zealand Under 19 2006
![Former Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum started the season with United Matamata Sports. Photo / Jesse Wood](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/VYCK2YZ3RYZUACZBJJAZYSMVSM.jpg?auth=1823bfa910bf9d0ce10ceb13a353c6748f5ee9cf8916ba0d3316f09f349a28ca&width=16&height=9&quality=70&smart=true)
15. BRENDON MCCULLUM – United Matamata Sports
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: South Island Secondary Schools 2000, Black Caps 2002-2016 (Cricket)
IMPACT:
16. VANCE ELLIOT – Hamilton Old Boys
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Waikato 2011-2013, Chiefs Development 2012
17. ATU MOLI – University
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Waikato 2015-2017, Tasman 2019, 2021-2023, Chiefs 2016-2023, NZ Under 20 2014-2015, All Blacks 2017-2019
18. SIOSIUA “JOSH” KAHO – Hamilton Old Boys
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Waikato Under 19 2017, Thames Valley 2021
19. JACK KINGSFORD – University
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: South Canterbury 2017, Thames Valley 2021
20. MATTHEW TOWERS – Te Awamutu Sports
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: King Country 2016
21. TAUTAU KAPEA – United Matamata Sports
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Horowhenua Kāpiti 2021-2022
22. JOSH IOANE – United Matamata Sports
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: Otago 2017-2022, Waikato 2023, Moana Pasifika 2020, Highlanders 2018-2021, Chiefs 2022-2023, Māori All Blacks 2018, 2021-2022, South Island 2020, New Zealand XV 2022, All Blacks 2019
TRANSFERRED FROM: Southern Rugby Football Club (Otago)
23. SAM TOA – Te Awamutu Sports
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS: New Zealand Schools Barbarians 2015, Waikato Under 19 2016, North Harbour Development 2022
TRANSFERRED FROM: North Shore Rugby Football Club (North Harbour)