# Wairarapa Bush Rugby Football Union

The Wairarapa Bush Rugby Football Union is the body that regulates rugby union in Masterton, New Zealand. It was formed in 1971 with the amalgamation of the Wairapapa and Bush Unions.
The Wairarapa Bush team play in the Heartland Championship from Memorial Park, Masterton. They were the inaugural winners of the Meads Cup after beating Wanganui 16–14 on 21 October 2006.

## Championships

Wairarapa Bush won the 2nd division North Island in 1981, 3rd division in 2005 and the Heartland Championship Meads Cup in 2006 and Lochore Cup in 2010.

### Heartland Championship placings

Heartland Championship results :
| Year | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | BP | Pts | Place | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Year | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | BP | Pts | Place | Qual | Semi-final | Final |
| 2006 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 211 | 130 | +81 | 3 | 31 | 2nd | Meads Cup | Won 25–19 against North Otago | Won 16–14 against Wanganui |
| 2007 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 196 | 131 | +65 | 3 | 23 | 4th | Meads Cup | Lost 13–30 to North Otago | — |
| 2008 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 202 | 194 | +8 | 7 | 19 | 3rd | Lochore Cup | Lost 17–37 to Horowhenua-Kapiti | — |
| 2009 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 155 | 142 | +13 | 5 | 17 | 6th | No | — | — |
| 2010 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 129 | 186 | −57 | 3 | 11 | 2nd | Lochore Cup | Won 21–17 against King Country | Won 15–9 against Buller |
| 2011 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 156 | 231 | −75 | 4 | 8 | 10th | No | — | — |
| 2012 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 219 | 130 | +89 | 4 | 28 | 3rd | Meads Cup | Lost 20–23 against Wanganui | — |
| 2013 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 203 | 144 | +59 | 4 | 28 | 3rd | Meads Cup | Lost 34–48 to North Otago | — |
| 2014 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 151 | 238 | −87 | 3 | 9 | 11th | No | — | — |
| 2015 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 238 | 192 | +46 | 7 | 23 | 4th | Meads Cup | Lost 21–25 to South Canterbury | — |
| 2016 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 240 | 174 | +66 | 6 | 30 | 4th | Meads Cup | Lost 26–58 to Wanganui | — |
| 2017 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 174 | 313 | -139 | 6 | 10 | 11th | No | — | — |
| 2018 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 212 | 195 | +17 | 5 | 21 | 6th | Lochore Cup | Won 30-21 against North Otago | Lost 23-26 against Horowhenua-Kapiti |
| 2019 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 209 | 181 | +28 | 5 | 29 | 3rd | Meads Cup | Lost 25-27 to North Otago | — |
| 2021 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 139 | 254 | -115 | 2 | 10 | 10th | No | — | — |
| 2022 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 199 | 297 | -98 | 5 | 13 | 11th | No | — | — |
| 2023 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 190 | 246 | -56 | 6 | 22 | 6th | Lochore Cup | Lost 27-33 to West Coast | — |
| 2024 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 246 | 393 | -147 | 5 | 13 | 10th | No | — | — |

## Ranfurly Shield

Wairarapa Bush have never held the Ranfurly Shield but Wairarapa held the shield in 1927, 1928 and 1950. Wairarapa Bush were beaten 96–10 by Canterbury in a Ranfurly Shield challenge in July 2006. In July 2015 Wairarapa Bush challenged Hawke's Bay for the Shield but were defeated 58–7.
* 9 July 2015 14:35 (NZST)
| Hawke's Bay | 58–7 | Wairarapa Bush |
| Try: Zac Guildford (2) Jarvy Aoake Shannan Chase Billy Ropiha Tyrone Elkington-MacDonald Brendon O'Connor Jonah Lowe Con: Tyrone Elkington-MacDonald (5) Ihaia West Pen: Tyrone Elkington-MacDonald (2) | Report | Try: Brock Price Con: Tim Priest (1/1) |
* McLean Park, Napier Referee: Jamie Nutbrown

## Wairarapa Bush in Super Rugby

Wairarapa Bush along with Wellington, Horowhenua-Kapiti, Poverty Bay, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu and Wanganui make up the Hurricanes Super Rugby franchise.

## All Blacks

There have been 29 players selected for the All Blacks from the Wairarapa Bush (from 1971) and when the Union was separated as Wairarapa and Bush Unions.
Wairarapa Bush (from 1971)
* Brian Lochore 1963,65,66,67,68,69,70,71
* Mike McCool 1979
* Brent Anderson 1986,87
* Marty Berry 1986 and 1993
* Brett Harvey 1986
* Robbie McLean 1987
* Zac Guildford 2009-2012
Pre 1971 {Wairarapa & Bush Unions}
* Hart Udy 1884
* Archie D'Arcy 1893,1894
* Rod Gray 1893
* William (Mac) McKenzie 1893-97
* Billy Watson 1893,1896
* Dan Udy 1901-1903
* Loftus Armstrong 1903
* Archie McMinn 1903,1905
* Edgar Wrigley 1905
* Jim Donald 1920,21,22,25
* Quentin Donald 1923,26,28
* Ian Harvey 1924,26,28
* Albert Edward Cooke 1928
* Stanley Willoughby 1928
* Rawi Cundy 1929
* Atholstan Mahoney 1929,34,35
* Keith Reid 1929
* Walter Reside 1929
* Clinton Stringfellow 1929
* William (Bull) Irvine 1929
* Jimmy Mill 1923-1926, 1930
* Ben Couch 1947-49
* Alan Blake 1949

## Clubs

Wairarapa Bush Rugby Football Union is made up of 14 clubs, from north to south:
* Puketoi
* Eketahuna
* East Coast
* Pioneer
* Marist
* Wairarapa Wahine Toa - Womens Rugby
* Masterton Red Star
* Carterton
* Gladstone
* Greytown
* Featherston
* Martinborough
* Tuhirangi