So it begins.  First hit out THIS TUESDAY against Tairua.  Kicks off at Whanga's home ground, 6:30.  Bring your cheering shoes and get set to enjoy another season supporting the 'red and white dynamite'.

Junior rugby also gearing up for another big year, stay tuned, we'll try and get more information from the Junior grades this season to keep the world informed!

Yes, it's that time of year again, rugby is again on the agenda of Whangamata.  Trainings at 6:00pm, Tuesday and Thursday nights.

Get in touch with coach Richard Laurenson on 027 499 9090 if you're interested in playing for last seasons semi finalists.  If you're past playing, helping hands at the club are always welcome, coaching, managing, painting the lines on the field, the club is always looking for good keen men, and women to lighten the load for the club stalwarts who slave away year after year!

The squad at this early stage is looking good, with a few of last seasons veterans handing in their boots, but enough hard core regulars staying on board to raise hopes of another good year.

Semi Final bound.

Five from five.  Five wins in the last five weeks, with each being a virtual sudden death match.  That is what it has taken for Whangamata to earn themselves a semi finals spot this Saturday.

This latest win, over table leaders Tairua was built on defence as much as anything else, with the Whangamata boys keeping their line intact for 75 minutes of the game, before conceding a late try to bring the score to 13-18, where it sat until the full time whistle.

With Saturday's 20-9 win over Waihi, Whangamata have kept their semi final hopes alive.  It'll be via the hard track though, thanks to Thames battling to an away 7-3 win over our next match up, Tairua.  So no favours offered here by Thames!

Saturday though, saw Whangamata post their 4th win on the trot, and with each game in the last month basically being a "win and we're still in with a chance of semi  final, lose and we're gone', the equation remains the same next week.

The first game of the season where the coaching staff could almost relax before the 80th minute.  With most every game this season going down to the wire, one way or the other, Whangamata comfortably dispatched cellar dwellers Waihou on Saturday.

While comfortable on the scoreboard 38-21, it was a little tougher than that wide margin would suggest, with Waihou closing to 9-16 shortly after the halftime break.  However, Whangamata was always in control, Waihou never really looked like scoring a try while the game was in the balance, with Whangamata's solid defence being impregnable.