In preparing for the bright lights in Napier for the big Ranfurly Shield challenge to Hawke’s Bay on Saturday, one can acknowledge the retirement and departure of two Steelform Whanganui legends.

Synonymous with Whanganui’s Shield challenges in the modern era have been former hooker Roman Tutauha, who formally retired from all rugby this year, and incumbent halfback Lindsay Horrocks, who is stepping away for at least this representative season due to farm commitments.

Tutauha’s First Class rugby debut was off the bench in the 2012 Shield challenge to Taranaki in New Plymouth, while he would also play in the 2016 (Waikato) and 2017 (Canterbury) challenges.

Making his First Class debut in 2013, Horrocks played in those latter two Shield games as well as the most recent challenge to Taranaki in Hawera in 2018.

Along with Shield matches, the 38-year-old Tutauha played in 98 Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship games for a total of 101 First Class appearances for Whanganui.

“It’s special for me, it’s bought the best out in me, made me want to better myself as a player, because you never know when your last game is, and I just want to keep that fight going,” he said last year upon playing his 100th match in the victorious Meads Cup semifinal over Thames Valley.

Showing incredible longevity to never suffer a game-missing injury, as well as Shield rugby the 34-year-old Horrocks played in 96 Heartland games, plus three other First Class games in the 2020 ‘Covid’ season for 102 matches total.

“There’s been a few of them [moments], mate, but really nothing too outstanding ,” Horrocks modestly said last season following his 100th game against Horowhenua-Kapiti.

“It’s mainly the people I meet along the way – that’s the big one for me.”

Together, the pair won three Meads Cups (2015-17) and two Lochore Cups (2014, 2021), while Horrocks was the 2015 NZ Heartland player of the year.

They both went to the highest amateur level – Horrocks playing nine games for the NZ Heartland XV (2015-16, 2019, 2021-22), with Tutauha getting the callup for the 2022 match.

By Jared Smith