Chief executive Lisa Kingi-Bon explained that whenever a player is reported seriously injured in an organised game in New Zealand, the Foundation will be immediately contacted at the same time as NZR, and will then get in touch with the player's contact person to offer support.
While life-changing moments are thankfully rare – out of an average of 150 spinal cord injuries nationally per year only one is likely to involve rugby – the Foundation is the only organisation of its kind for any sporting code in the country.
"It's rugby looking after their own," said Kingi-Bon.
There have been 66 "near-misses" in the game nationally this year, which included the WRFU's own development officer Lavenia Nauga-Grey, who was hurt in the Silks Audit Whanganui Women vs Thames Valley game on August 20.
The Foundation was contacted at the time, but thankfully Nauga-Grey is on the road to recovery.
While the Foundation is sustainable, Kingi-Bon said they are not only grateful for the fundraiser but also for the WRFU raising awareness of the group's existence - as many rugby players and their families have not heard of the support network as they do not like to think about the prospect of serious injury.
"[When we call] most of the people say, 'you're from where?'
"For the WRFU to put their hand up and offer to help us in this way, is [just as important] as much as them giving us a shout-out as to who we are.
"This is the first provincial union that is doing anything like this.
"It's pretty special, it really is, and the initiative came from them.
"Bridget [Belsham, CEO] has just pulled the whole thing together so beautifully."
Among the guests at Saturday's game will be two former players who received support from the Foundation after significant injuries, including former Marton man Phil Spring, who now lives in Feilding with family.
The charity jerseys have been created by the WRFU's apparel sponsor Dynasty Sport, and bids can be made on Trademe up until Sunday – search Whanganui Rugby.
In addition, a replica jersey will be auctioned at 5pm after the game in the Main Function Lounge at Cooks Gardens, while there will be a bucket collection at the ground.
Heartland wrap
Steelform Whanganui is locked into a home Meads Cup semifinal spot with a round left to play as rivals Thames Valley had their proverbial "banana skin" game in Gisborne on Saturday.
It has not been a happy 2022 Bunnings Heartland Championship season for Poverty Bay after a strong fifth place finish and inaugural Bill Osborne Taonga victory last year, but they delivered for their beleaguered home supporters with a 29-17 upset win.
Other results across the tight points table from fourth place down to ninth meant Thames Valley hung onto third spot, but they are now too far back from Whanganui to flip the likely 2nd vs 3rd semifinal location to Boyd Park in Te Aroha.
Poverty Bay had also given Whanganui a fright when they travelled to Gisborne in Week 5, but this time they completed the ambush after rocketing out to a 22-0 lead in 36 minutes.
Thames Valley came back in customary fashion, with centre Harry Lafituanai getting two tries, but the second of them only came on full-time, after Poverty Bay had got their fourth try – with veteran first-five Kelvin Smith taking over the kicking from centre Ethine Reeves and slotting three from four attempts.
While Whanganui were pleasantly surprised to get the news, they remain unlikely to secure top spot and two potential home playoffs, as unbeaten South Canterbury did what they had to do on their trip to Ashburton.
The Hanan Shield derby went to the visitors, with South Canterbury just too strong for neighbours Mid Canterbury, winning 36-13.
Desperate to hang onto fourth spot with a tough final two games, Mid Canterbury stayed with the Meads Cup holders for as long as they could - only trailing 8-6 at halftime and then 18-13 in the 53rd minute.
But as they have for 21 Heartland level games in a row since 2019, South Canterbury found a way – radar kicker Sam Briggs slotting two more penalties as part of a 16-point haul, while his team ran in two more tries.
Mid Canterbury's loss saw them fall back down to seventh on the tight table, as North Otago as expected regain their place in the Top 4, but only just after holding off cellar dwellers West Cost 26-19 in Oamaru.
Winless in 2022, West Coast has still managed seven bonus points in as many games, having been competitive against every opponent.
Early on, proceedings went as expected with North Otago leading 19-0 in 17 minutes, but the Coasters scored twice before halftime to close the gap.
North Otago extended their lead with a converted try right after the break, winger Ben McCarthy slotting his third conversion to go with scoring a five-pointer, but West Coast hit back again with a try seven minutes later.
Neither side would dot down again in the final quarter, with North Otago's victory setting up a virtual Meads Cup "quarterfinal' away against the resurgent King Country in Taupo.
After a scratchy first half of the competition, King Country racked up their third straight win by travelling to Westport and claiming a try-shootout against Buller, 44-30.
After a back-and-forth 60 minutes saw the hosts edge up to take the lead 30-24, King Country turned it on to score three more tries, plus a conversion and penalty, to get the win and move into fifth spot, three points behind North Otago.
Winger Zack Wickham-Darlington scored a hat-trick of tries, while fullback Jonathon Malo bagged a double.
Buller first-five Jack Parker finished with a 15-point haul from a try and four successful kicks.
Moving up into sixth spot were East Coast, who have locked the Bill Osborne Taonga away for the summer with a 20-16 win over a gutted Wairarapa Bush in Ruatoria.
Since its introduction last year, all five games played for the Taonga have been thrillers, Wairarapa Bush also coming up just four points short in Week 2 against previous holders Poverty Bay.
East Coast would ultimately get home on the steady boot of first-five Carlos Kemp after both teams scored two tries, with Kemp slotting both conversions plus two penalties.
The visitors scored their second try on fulltime but having missed both conversions they could not force extra time for the chance to take the Taonga back to Masterton.
