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Bond Banter 1 November (some rugby news to start the week)

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Evening updates: Black Ferns Sevens captain Sarah Hirini, with the Hurricanes announcing today that Hirini has put pen to paper committing to the Hurricanes Women’s squad for the upcoming 2022 Super Rugby Aupiki competition.  One of the leading Sevens players in the world, Sarah Hirini has an impressive list of accolades to her name including captaining the Black Ferns Sevens team to a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Sevens World Champion in 2013 and 2018, Commonwealth Games gold medallist, and six-time World Series winner. In 2019 she became the first female player to bring up 200 matches on the World Series. The Hurricanes Women’s full squad and draw will be announced in the coming days. Hurricanes Membership will be on sale in November which includes a Hurricanes Women’s home match.

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Let’s Get Wellington Moving (LGWM) has failed sport in Wellington. On Monday they released four options for the public to consult on for their solutions to Wellington’s transport woes, that all incorporate the east-west corridor. None of the four involve more lanes/tunnels for private transport, meaning it’s status quo private transport options for east-west travel in Wellington for the foreseeable decades to come. Aside from there also being an international airport to get to and from, this is a tough blow for the thousands of Wellingtonians who play sport, both on weekends and during the week. This website’s bias is obviously rugby, and there are three colleges and four rugby clubs in the eastern suburbs. But the city’s major indoor sporting and recreation venue is in this area, with several prominent sports and thousands of people attending the ASB Centre weekly. For practical reasons, most eastern suburbs sports users will not be walking, cycling or catching light rail to their game or event, they will be using private transport. Read more HERE 

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Otago beat Wellington 33-28 in a non-competition, first class match in Dunedin on Sunday. Peter Umaga-Jensen continued his eye-catching form for Wellington, but the Lions pack lacked spine against the Southerners, reduced to 14 for 20 minutes after a high, no-arms tackle. Disturbingly, replacement prop and former Wallaby Pek Cowan became a magnet for penalties. He looked well-short of a run.

First-five Cameron Millar looked very sharp for Otago. The youngster scored 18 points with a faultless goal-kicking record and generally sound stewardship. The Gore High School product transferred to Otago BHS in his final year of college and plays his club footy for Taieri where this year he kicked six penalties to help seal a 21-17 win over Green Island in the Dunedin Premier final. Millar’s six penalties were the most in a final since Hayden Parker banged over six for Taieri in its 51-6 win over University in 2014. Green Island became the first team since Southern in 1997 to lose the final despite scoring a try and keeping its line intact.

Otago fullback Vilimoni Koroi and Wellington hooker James O’Reilly played their 50th matches for their provinces. Furthermore O’Reilly captained Wellington for the first time.

Fabian Holland scored a key try for Otago against Wellington, striding 25-metres clean when his side was only ahead by two and reduced to 14 players. Fabian is from Holland and the 19-year-old is a startling at 2.04m tall (6 ft 8 in) and weighs in at 116 kg.

Alex Fidow has really rediscovered his running game in the last three games, and he is scrummaging well. Although he went off with an arm injury two minutes into the second half. Xavier Numia was really good in the scrum and around the park.

Taine Plumtree played well at lock, but is blindside flanker his position? Wellington’s scrum worked better with him at 6, and with a big strong lock like Dominic Bird in the second row this suits. A solid outing from Caleb Delany as well.

Pepesana Patafilo and Wes Goosen both very classy in the backs again. Goosen took a cheap shot, a shoulder to the head from Otago opensider, Sean Withy, and Withy got red carded (as noted above). Goosen departed the field off for an HIA and did not return. Patafilo replaced Julian Savea early after the latter appeared to pull a groin muscle in the warm-ups.

Otago retained the Mike Gibson Trophy. Gibson played 26 games for Otago between 1984 and 1986 and 16 for Wellington in 1987 and 1988. He completed a physical education degree at the University of Otago before moving to Wellington. He died of leukaemia, aged 27. The trophy was first played for in 1989.

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Four teams are vying for three spots still up for grabs in the NPC Premiership semi-finals heading into this weekend’s final round set of matches.

Hawke’s Bay (36) have already qualified top and will host the major semi-final. Below them, one of Waikato (26), Wellington (23), Tasman (23) and Canterbury (23) will miss out.

This weekend, Wellington plays Tasman in Blenheim in what amounts to a virtual quarter-final clash, while Waikato hosts Championship side Otago and Canterbury play Bay of Plenty (17) who are already out of contention.

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The Black Ferns 100th test didn’t exactly go according to plan, suffering a record 43-12 defeat to England at Sandy Park in Exeter, aptly nicknamed, “Windy Park.”

England extended their win streak to 15 consecutive games, the Black Ferns well short of a gallop in their first test in 806 days.

England’s starting XV shared a combined tally of 442 caps. Lock Abbie Ward scored the first two tries, her first international five-pointers in 48 tests. First-Five Zoey Harrison had the last say and was named player of the match. England’s pack bullied the visitors with the Black Ferns lineout a disaster, conceding seven against the throw. Fullback Renee Holmes on debut defended bravely, captain and openside Les Elder toiled away gamely and wing Ayesha Leti-Iiga looked threatening. New reserve forwards Grace Houpapa-Barrett and prop Krystal Murray added impact from the bench in an otherwise bleak display. Alana Bremner scored a try on test debut and was then yellow carded. Has that happened before?

The Black Ferns had ten scheduled test matches cancelled because of Covid. England have won 23 consecutive home tests.

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The Hawke’s Bay Magpies entered their bye week ahead of a home semi-final (possibly against Wellington) with a come-from-behind 40-31 win over the Manawatu Turbos for the  Kel Tremain Memorial Trophy on Saturday. The Magpies fought back from 24-12 down to win. A trio of former Wellington club rugby players featured on the scoresheet. Ollie Sapsford (former Wellington Axemen) scored a hat-trick for the Magpies, Kienan Higgins (Norths) scored a brace for the Magpies and Shamus Hurley-Langton (OBU) scored one try for Manawatu.

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The All Blacks have now racked up 89 tries in their 12 outings in 2021, already eclipsing their 81 from 2003. Argentina with 92 tries in 2003 holds the record for the most tries in a calendar year. The All Blacks have yet to play Italy, Ireland and France.

The All Blacks cracked 50 points for the fifth time in 36 tests against Wales. Welsh captain Alyn Wynn-Jones has played 13 of those 36 tests and lost every time.

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Ronan O’Gara (130), Daniel Carter (112), Stephen Jones (110), Stephen Larkham (102) – all first-fives who have played 100 games. Coastal’s Beauden Barrett joined them on Sunday. He has appeared as a substitute 36 times, scored 39 tries and has won 86 internationals. England’s Owen Farrell is on 99 tests, so the next 10 to join this club.

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Is Sam Cane (75 tests) living on borrowed time following yet another outstanding performance by the All Black loose forwards Ethan Blackadder, Ardie Savea and Dalton Papalii? Sure he’s on tour and will likely get a run but can he last until 2023 with his battered body?

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If all scheduled matches go ahead, Argentina would have played 21 consecutive away tests by the end of 2021. Since 2018 they would have played 25 of 26 tests on the road. The record for most consecutive tests on the road is the British and Irish Lions with 103 from 1891 to 2001. Wales played 17 matches away from home between 1997 and 1999 while the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff was built. Argentina from 1938 to 1956 and South Africa between 1982 and 1992 played 14 successive home tests. (Brian Newth, Historian).

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One more week of the regular season in this year’s Heartland Championship, where South Canterbury and Thames Valley have already wrapped up the top two spots and will contest the straight final for the Meads Cup on 13 November.

Third versus fourth contest the Lochore Cup on the same day in a straight final Whanganui sit in third place, two points ahead of Horowhenua Kapiti who moved ahead of North Otago and Mid Canterbury to sit fourth, after their 37-14 win over Hurricanes rivals Wairarapa-Bush in Levin. The Butcher Boys play Thames Valley and H-K meet Poverty Bay in Gisborne.

There will also be a straight fifth versus sixth final in a fortnight for the inaugural Bill Osborne Cup, which will then be turned into the Heartland Championship Ranfurly Shield from next year – so it is all on in the mid-table.

Heartland Championship standings at a glance with one round to play are: 1. 35 – South Canterbury 2. 33 – Thames Valley 3. 25 – Whanganui 4. 23 – Horowhenua Kapiti 5. 20 – North Otago 6. 20 – Mid Canterbury 7. 19 – Poverty Bay 8. 16 – West Coast 9. 15 – East Coast 10. 10 – Wairarapa Bush 11. 2 – Buller 12. 1 – King Country.

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Former University and Wellington representative wing Brian Battell passed away in Taupo on 19 October.

Battell went to Whanganui Collegiate and moved down to Wellington for study. He joined University and made the reps and had a particularly memorable season in 1953. Not only did Varsity win the Jubilee Cup that year – the second year of three wins in a row – but he was also in the Wellington A reps when they lifted the Ranfurly Shield off Waikato in Hamilton. Then Brian played on the wing with his Varsity clubmate and All Black Rob Jarden in the reps too as the other winger in all five defences and was also in the team which lost to Canterbury later in the same 1953 season.

Battell had a couple more games for Wellington in 1954-55 before returning to Whanganui. Brian took up refereeing and was prominent in Whanganui with the whistle and controlled several first-class games in 1967 and 1968.

Four members of the University team of 1953 went on the 1953-54 All Black tour of the world (Brian Fitzpatrick, Jim Fitzgerald, Ron Jarden and Bill Clark).

Also in the 1953 University team photo above is Peter Osborne, staunch Old Boys University supporter whose 90th birthday is coming up.
Peter was a four times Jubilee Cup winning University player, in their 1952-53-54-58 champion teams. He was a fullback and sometimes a centre. He gained fame as the New Universities fullback, was an All Black trialist. He played a handful of matches for the Wellington A team but spent a decade playing for Wellington B. We did a story with Peter a few years ago HERE  – Club Rugby wishes him a happy birthday.

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Old Boys University’s Luke Campbell has departed for France from the Bay of Plenty Steamers.

Campbell heads off to Europe where he has signed with the Racing Club Narbonne in the South of France, to play the rest of the 2021-22 ProD2 season.

“I absolutely loved my 6 years with the Bay of Plenty Steamers. Every year was enjoyable, and I couldn’t have asked for a better group of teammates, coaches and management to experience playing NPC rugby with,” said Campbell. “I plan to be in France until the end of June playing for Narbonne and will wait to see what happens in the future.”

He is one of four Steamers players who have departed before the end of the NPC, because of the late finishing season. The others being Otere Black (Japan), Whetukamokamo Douglas (Japan) and Onisi Ratave (Fiji Drua).

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On October 29, 2021, Huriana Manuel-Carpenter joined Anna Richards and Farah Palmer (2014 class) as the third Black Fern to be installed into the World Rugby Hall of Fame. Huriana was the first skipper of the Black Ferns Sevens as a professional team, an all-conquering unit that won Olympic silver in 2016 and gold in 2021. Auckland born Cheryl McAfee who helped Australia win the first World Cup women’s sevens title in 2009 and Olympic gold in 2016 joined Huriana as the other new women inducted into the Hall of Fame. Osea Kolinisau (Fiji), Humphrey Kayange (Kenya), Cheryl McAfee (Australia), Will Carling (England) and Jim Telfer (Scotland).

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Black Ferns captains by school:

  • Helen Mahon – Villa Maria College
  • Helen Littleworth – Wairarapa College (Brian Lochore, All Black Captain)
  • Lenadeen Simpson-Brown – Gisborne Girls’ High School
  • Farah Palmer – Pio Pio College
  • Rochelle Martin – Taradale High School
  • Anna Richards – Craighead Diocesan School
  • Melissa Russcoe – Inglewood High School (Dave Loveridge, All Black Captain)
  • Casey Robertson – Southland Girls’ High School
  • Fiao’o Fa’amausili- Aorere College (Keven Mealamu, All Black Captain)
  • Victoria Blackhedge (Putaruru High School) – (Wayne Smith, coached the All Blacks)
  • Amire Rule – Avonside Girls’ High School
  • Kendra Cocksedge – New Plymouth Girls’ High School
  • Les Elder – Taumarunui High School

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The new Moana Pasifika  Super Rugby franchise continues its signing spree, with several more players added to its books for 2022.

Manawatu hookers Ray Niuia and Luteru Tolai have been announced as new Moana Pasifika players, along with recent announcements fellow front rowers Isi Tu’ungafasi and Tau Koloamatangi, Tasman wing Timoci Tavatavanawai, North Harbour backs and brothers Fine and Lotu Inisi and Hawke’s Bay’s Lincoln McClutchie (just last week we were asking why the Hurricanes have overlooked him), Lolagi Visinia and Danny Toala, Southland’s Mike McKee and former Old Boys University and Welington Axemen lock and Manawatu player Veikoso [James] Poloniati.

Plus last week, Hutt Old Boys Marist outside back Tomasi Alosio. This what they have to say about Alosio:

The Upper-Hutt bred player is a stalwart of Samoan Sevens rugby having notched up a huge 201 matches and 47 tries for Samoa on the World Rugby Sevens circuit.  After making the decision to switch to focus to Sevens in 2015, Alosio pursued his world stage dreams going on to play in the Commonwealth Games in 2018. Listed in the top 15 all-time points scorers, for Samoa in World Rugby sevens, with 391 points, Alosio brings another level of experience to the playing group. This year he returned to his home-town Wellington Lions team donning the black and yellow colours again for the first time since 2015.

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Community sport participants and National Sports Organisations are still waiting on guidance on what vaccination certificates mean for summer sport.

While vaccines are mandated for fans entering sports venues this summer, questions still remain about the situation for those on the field and on the sidelines at community games.

Sport New Zealand is still waiting on more information from the Government before it can offer more guidance to sport bodies.

Sport NZ will also develop guidelines for national sport and recreation bodies that may want to develop their own vaccination policies.

Read more HERE

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Kyle Steyn became the first Scottish player since Gavin Hastings against the Ivory Coast in 1995 to score four tries in an international for Scotland in their 60-14 win over Tonga this weekend. Scotland play Australia this coming weekend.

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Imagine seeing this in New Zealand domestic sport:

This column is a collaborative effort – to contribute or to feed us news and information please email editor@clubrugby.co.nz 

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