Whanganui rugby: Props Kamipeli Latu and Gabriel Hakaraia clock 50 games

Kamipeli Latu in action against Horowhenua-Kāpiti in 2020.

Brought to you by Whanganui Rugby

It is always special when Steelform Whanganui recognises the milestone of 50 First Class games for the province, but when both starting props achieve that distinction in the same game it is really unique.

Affable veteran loosehead Kamipeli Latu deferred to the younger tighthead Gabriel Hakaraia in letting him go first as the front-rowers led their team onto Cooks Gardens last Saturday to face Buller.

They would work for 50 and 55 minutes respectively before handing off to their replacements, having just gone efficiently about their jobs on a day where the backline was running riot in a record-shattering 91-7 victory.

Having joined the Border club in Waverley, the 34-year-old Latu debuted as a starting prop in the 2014 Bunnings Warehouse Heartland season opener against South Canterbury in Timaru, a tough 31-18 defeat.

Other than injury and then rejoining the side mid-campaign in 2017 after coming back from living overseas in 2016, Latu was a regular fixture of the squad through until the short 2020 Covid-affected season.

He then left the district again, but returned with a vengeance this year to swiftly get back into the Whanganui squad - coming off the bench in the Ranfurly Shield challenge to Hawke’s Bay and then reclaiming his starting spot for the Heartland campaign.

Having represented Whanganui from both the Ruapehu and Taihape clubs, the 27-year-old Hakaraia made his debut off the bench as a teenager in the 2016 season against Poverty Bay in Gisborne for a 52-30 victory.

That sole appearance was the selectors blooding Hakaraia for the future after three years playing for and captaining the Whanganui Under 20s, while also representing the NZ Heartland Under 19s in 2016.

He has been a regular in the squad since 2017, other than when injured, as both he and Latu have really stepped up this season after Whanganui lost several of their props from the 2023 campaign.

Their First Class stats are fairly similar – both have played 44 Heartland games, two Ranfurly Shield challenges, and the four “friendly” matches in 2020.

Latu has played 37 matches as a starting prop, 13 off the bench, and scored five tries, while Hakaraia started 31 games, with 19 off the bench, scoring four tries.

In addition, Latu won the 2014 Lochore Cup and the Meads Cup in 2015 and 2017.

Hakaraia was part of the 2016 and 2017 Meads Cup-winning campaigns, but did not play in either final, while he did win the 2021 Lochore Cup in another Covid-shortened season.