Mid Canterbury Hammers rugby players Adam Williamson, Declan McCormack, Hugh Mitchell Cameron, Jackson Lewis Donlan, Manasa Samo, Thomas Reekie, and Toetu Touli have been named in the New Zealand Heartland XV squad selected to tour Samoa next month.
Raitube Vasurakuta was unavailable due to injury.
National head coach David Harrison said the squad featured some standout performers from the 2025 Heartland Championship season, selected for their skill, commitment, and leadership.
He said the 27-man squad is made up of the best players from across the Bunnings Heartland Championship, with several of those playing over the weekend in the Meads Cup and Lochore Cup finals.
The Mid Canterbury players’ selection is the icing on the cake and the end to a perfect season for the Hammers side who lifted the Meads Cup in the Bunnings Heartland Championship and beat defending champions Thames Valley 21-18 at Ashburton on Saturday.
It was a victory celebrated by hundreds of Mid Cantabrians across the district who rallied behind their unbeaten team.
In the lead up to the game, people were decked out in the green and gold colours of Mid Canterbury, had decorated shop frontages and sent messages of support to the team, coached by Matt Winter, and led on-field by co-captains Adam Williamson and Declan McCormack.
Rugby dignitaries at the game included New Zealand Rugby Union president Matt Cooper, board member Grant Jarrold, Crusaders chief executive Colin Mansbridge, Thames Valley Rugby Union president Ross Cooper and Mid Canterbury Rugby Union president Jock Ross.
Mid Canterbury Rugby Union chief executive Kenny Addison said supporters had been unbelievable all season and culminated in the weekend’s estimated 3000-strong crowd.
‘‘Wherever we have played this year there have been Mid Canterbury supporters in numbers and to end the season with a big crowd at a showcase final was the perfect scenario.
‘‘They certainly made a difference, and the boys have all commented that they could hear the support.
‘‘It spurred them on at times and they were delighted to win for the supporters and the wider community.
‘‘I think in the end, the boys showed their class to come through and win the game.
‘‘Credit to Thames Valley they really put us under pressure, but I thought the team handled it well and the end of the game summed up how the boys could take control of the last minute or so and close the game out to end a perfect season.’’
Addison was also singing the praises of the 2025 coaching side following their teams Meads Cup win on Saturday.
‘‘I couldn’t speak highly enough of the work that Matt (Winter), Jimmy (McLeod) and Tom (Kearney) did along with Jason Tennant, the team manager, who is a bit of an unsung hero.
‘‘The support team around the coaches worked really well and it really was a team effort on and off the field.
‘‘A great way to finish off what was a very special season indeed.’’
Mid Canterbury co-captain Adam Williamson spoke to Sport Nation’s Scotty Stevenson after Saturday’s game.
“We’ve been chasing this cup for a long time, it really brought out some emotions on Saturday once that final whistle went,” Williamson said.
“To get so far last year and then to get so close, it seems like every time we play them it’s just a full-on battle and Saturday was no different.
“It was a bittersweet feeling, because they were a tough side and it just felt like they were never ending, throwing everything they had at us.”
Williamson said that emotions were on display in Ashburton on Saturday after the final whistle blew.
“Personally, I had a lot of emotions come out, 10 years I’ve been on this team, and I did shed tear.
“The fellas just wanted to soak up the emotion, soak it all in and just take in the moment, we all went out after the after function and that and sat down on the field again and just sort of soaked it all in.”
The key to the Hammer’s season this year was the relationships that were built throughout the year, he said.
“It’s the players on the team, it’s the guys that you get to spend 10 weeks with, bonding, travelling, you spend a lot of time with them, and you can actually call them your brother at the end of the day because that’s what they are.”
MEADS CUP FINALS ACTION
By Stu Piddington
The Mid Canterbury Hammers are Meads Cup champions after beating Thames Valley Swamp Foxes 21-18 in an exciting finale in the Bunnings Heartland Championship at Ashburton.
The Hammers were unbeaten throughout the season going into the finals, with a perfect eight wins from eight games, to face the defending champion Swamp Foxes, in what was a replay of the 2024 final.
The Mid Canterbury fans were ecstatic at the result as it had been over a decade since they had been crowned champions after back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014.
Mid Canterbury were first on the scoreboard after 10 minutes after open side and co-captain Declan McCormack stretched out to score after a good build-up, after a snipe from halfback Kieran McClea.
Second five Tom Reekie landed a handy conversion.
Thames Valley fullback Quinn Collard closed the gap with a penalty midway through the half.
Mid Canterbury then got their second try after a good move, with a break from No.8 Seta Koroitamana found McCormack, who passed lock McGregor Best, who sprinted to the line.
Reekie landed the conversion and the best Thames Valley could do was land a second penalty to Collard with halftime showing to make it 14-6, after some great defence from the hosts.
A great turnover by McCormack set up Mid Canterbury’s third try, with fullback Hugh Cameron breaking through and finding McClea who sprinted in for the try. Reekie’s conversion gave them a 21-6 lead with 30 minutes left.
Thames Valley showed why they were finalists and dug deep to score two quick tries, to first five Logan Allen and centre Harry Lafituanai, but ultimately came up short.
With five minutes left Thames Valley lost a man to the bin, and Reekie missed the ensuing penalty but in the end no-one could argue the best side lifted the silverware.
Cameron was a former member of the Timaru Boys’ High School First XV for three years.
The New Zealand Heartland XV has been named this week for a tour of Samoa next month.
Meads Cup: Mid Canterbury 21 (Declan McCormack, McGregor Best, Kieran McClea tries; Tom Reekie 3 con); Thames Valley 18 (Logan Allen, Harry Lafituanai tries; Quinn Collard con, 2 pen).
Half time: Mid Canterbury 14-6.
