Club Rugby Awards of the Year

• By Club Rugby contributors 

In a semi-regular tradition, we look back at the club and college seasons, and a mix of the serious and not-quite-so

CLUB

Premier Match of the Year: Jubilee Cup semi-final, Pare-Plim vs OBU
Three weeks after meeting in the last round of the Swindale, the Hammerheads and Goats went at it again for a place in the championship decider; the upstarts in their first-ever Jubilee Cup semi against the most successful team of the past decade, and it didn’t disappoint.

Ngati Toa Domain was heaving, but OBU quietened the crowd with a couple of early tries. The two then went tit-for-tat with the scoring, leaving the students ahead 22-15 at the interval but turning into the northerly breeze. Pare-Plim would strike twice in quick succession through winger Knox Tuinasau, but OBU would come back when fullback Josh Morgan-Ranui glided through. When Luke Omeri barged over and Sam Clarke nailed the sideline conversion for an eight-point margin the tension seemed broken, but OBU responded once more; Louie Calvert scored, debutant Nic Mannix chipped the conversion over and bolted back to halfway…only for referee Dan Mangin to call time on a pulsating encounter.

Honourable Mentions: Johnsonville v Ories JC semifinal, MSP v Poneke Hardham semi, Pare-Plim v Johnsonville Swindale R7, Upper Hutt Rams v Johnsonville Swindale R10, Ories v Petone Swindale R4.

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Other grades Match of the Year: Under 85kg Paul Potiki Shield final, Tawa vs OBU
Any myths about the quality of weight-restricted rugby that might have existed were surely dispelled by a gripping encounter for this year’s championship decider at Lyndhurst. Both the Tawa Ducks and OBU Scallywags had lost just once each going in – to each other – and it did not disappoint.

Tawa leapt out to 12-0 and 24-7 leads before OBU’s Jack Green closed the margin in the shadow of halftime, before the resumption saw Kees Jansen pilfer an intercept for his second of the game, a red card for Tawa, and a Nic Mannix penalty locked it up at 24-apiece. Tawa edged ahead with a penalty of their own before some sleight of hand from OBU captain Matt Fowler and serious determination from Green for his second put OBU ahead for the first time in the match. Tawa then mounted a determined assault on the OBU line, only for a bloodied Matt Treeby to be held up in the in-goal.

Action from the Paul Potiki Shield final between the OBU Scallywags and Tawa Ducks 

Honourable Mentions: Ories v Tawa Harper Lock R7, HOBM-Wainuiomata v Pare-Plim women’s Izzy Ford Cup final.

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Tries of the Year: Two of our favourites from 2023 that we saw live and that we caught on video, but maybe not if you’re an OBU supporter.1) Finlay Sharp, Johnsonville vs OBU, Swindale Shield R6. A counterattack masterpiece

2) Louis Northcott, Paremata-Plimmerton vs OBU, Swindale Shield R13. The breakout that capped off a superb first half for the visitors as they wrapped up the Swindale.

Honourable mention (we got the photo – below –  not the video): Nash Fiso, HOBM v MSP Swindale Shield Round 7. When the burly Eagles left wing ran the ball back from his own side of halfway to score from the kick-off. Daniel Tafili, Ories v Petone Swindale R4, Pose Tuilaepa, Ories v Johnsonville, Jubilee Cup semi.

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Team of the Year: Tawa Premier 2
When the dust settled, only one team had gone through their competition season without defeat, Tawa’s all-conquering Premier 2 side who took their third consecutive Harper Lock Shield-Ed Chaney Cup double and ran their unbeaten streak to three complete seasons and 50 games. There might have been some hiccups – a 29-all draw without Ories and then nearly coming unstuck against then-bottom side Johnsonville – but come the end of the season they beat their main rivals Petone and Poneke for yet another championship.

Honourable Mentions: OBU 85s, Poneke Ruffnuts Reserves, MSP Women

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Men’s Player of the Year: Esi Komaisavai, Paremata-Plimmerton
There’s been little doubt about the talent the diminutive Fijian possesses, but his remarkable versatility – he’s started Premier matches at almost every backline position – has perhaps held him back. Not this year, as he was handed the halfback jersey and made it his own with insightful vision, clear decision-making, incisive running, crisp passing, and anything else you want from your on-field general. It seems remarkable he sits as low as he apparently does in the representative pecking order.

Honourable mentions: Toby Crosby (Upper Hutt Rams), Kyle Preston (OBU), Jacob Walmsley (Johnsonville), Dominic Ropeti (Ories)

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Women’s Player of the Year: Georgia Daals, Marist St Pat’s
The Super Rugby Aupiki comp might soon cast an ever-bigger shadow on the club game, but there’s no argument that those who make the cut for the four squads are furthering their own game. Daals has long been one of the fastest and most incisive runners in Wellington but has gone up another gear from two campaigns with the Chiefs Manawa side. A threat no matter where in the backline she lines up, and dangerous on the counter when at fullback, she was a critical cog in MSP’s success this year and badly missed in the representative season by the Pride after withdrawing from the squad.

Honourable mentions: Monica Tagoai (MSP), Hope Hakopa (Petone), Ayesha Leti-l’iga (Ories)

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Premier Coach(es) of the Year: Jason Adamson, Dallas Paotonu & Andrew Wharakura (Johnsonville)
Three teams made massive jumps up the standings in 2023, but while Pare-Plim benefitted from canny recruitment and the Upper Hutt Rams from a further injection of youth, Johnsonville’s squad was basically the same as last year, so what was different? A new mindset and clear philosophy on how they wanted to play (as captain Andy Ellis was heard to say “we want to run them off their feet”), and the ability to execute it. Talent helps, but coaching makes the most of it.

Honourable Mentions: Gerard Fasavalu (Pare-Plim), Mason Malagamaalii (Ories), Matt Lee & Adam Campbell (Upper Hutt Rams).

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Premier Most Valuable Player: Mark Sutton (Johnsonville)
At Club Rugby our view on the term ‘Most Valuable Player’ is this; if you took one player out of their side, what would they look like without them? There’s plenty of possibilities, but for us it’s Johnsonville’s little Irish inside-back this season. The decision-maker for the Hawks, he’s THE cog in their machine and without him running the ship you’d question how effective they would be.

Honourable Mentions: Sam Clarke (Pare-Plim), Sam Howling (Poneke).

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Forward of the Year: Dominic Ropeti (Oriental-Rongotai)
Two tries in a man of the match display in the Jubilee Cup final. Consistently good with a huge work rate for Ories, his lineout jumping is especially effective for one so young and not blessed with extraordinary height. Also kept the Ranfurly Shield in Wellington for another week with a try saving intervention against Tasman.

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Outside Back of the Year: Louis Northcott (Paremata-Plimmerton)
The winger electrified spectators with 16 tries in 16 games, including the last try of the season in an otherwise lost cause in the Jubilee Cup. In true Northcott fashion the try was a belter earnestly pursing a kick from near halfway. Northcott scored at least once in 11 games and bagged a hat-trick against Wainuiomata. Perhaps his best display was the brace in a 53-24 slaughter of Petone. Northcott changed the course of the match immediately after halftime. The Sam Clarke cross-kick at Ngati Toa Domain with the high bounce of that surface was appeal weapon for the Hammerheads. Northcott was rewarded for his top form with two games for the Wellington Lions in the Heartland Ranfurly Shield defences against Horowhenua-Kapiti and South Canterbury. He scored a try with his first touch of the ball against Horowhenua-Kapiti.

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Rookie Forward of the Year: Senio Sanele (Upper Hutt Rams)
At the start of the season we asked if the reigning College Player of the Year could make an immediate impact in the Premier ranks. Well, Sanele answered that with an emphatic YES as he took his 2022 form at Silverstream into 2023 with the Rams and making serious marks with his attack and defence. His scrummaging might need a bit more work now he doesn’t have an obvious physical advantage though that will come with coaching, but he’s the clear winner here.

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Rookie Back of the Year: Stanley Solomon (Petone)
A move on season’s eve from his parent’s club – Wellington, where he was likely to headline their Colts team – to the Village paid off spectacularly for the prodigious talent from Wellington College. Playing in the unfamiliar position of the right wing he quickly became one of the first names on Petone’s teamsheet and rocketed up the try-scorer standings with 11 in his first 7 games and finished with 14 in all. Ending the season in his preferred first-five position, he’s confirmed himself as someone on the rise.

Honourable Mentions: Emmanuel Solomona (Upper Hutt Rams), Jack O’Brien (MSP).

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Find of the Year: Tjay Clarke (Petone)
At St Pats Silverstream you wouldn’t necessarily have picked Clarke to be a professional player, but he’s cool under pressure, ellusive and boasts something few players have at present, a booming left foot. His goal-kicking in the Hardham Cup final (six penalties) resembled Don Clarke at times, though ‘The Boot’ was right footed. Has trained with the Hurricanes and been very effective in his appearances for the Wellington Lions.

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Vampire Award for coming back from the dead: Oriental-Rongotai Premiers
It seems so long ago. It’s the 77^th minute of the 13^th and final round of the Swindale Shield at the Polo Ground and Ories are hanging onto a 23-22 lead over the Upper Hutt Rams and needing to win to make the Jubilee playoffs. But they’re penalised just 15 metres out and to the left of the clubrooms end posts. Not sure of their own standing in terms of one of those valuable top-four places, the Rams elect to kick at goal but with sharpshooter Tynan Barrett already replaced up steps Todd Svenson who then badly shanks the kick. Ories escape, and the rest – wins away from their Polo home against MSP, Upper Hutt, Johnsonville, and the final over Pare-Plim – is history.

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Winning penalty of the year
When Tynan Barrett kicked his sixth penalty of the match and the one that mattered the most on fulltime to see his side beat Petone 40-39 at home in the seventh round of the Swindale Shield. The Rams had led 26-12 at halftime, but Petone had come back and scored under the posts to take the lead. Only for Barrett to slot the winner with time up at Maidstone Park.

Honourable mention Tawa Premier 2s kicking a winning penalty in the pouring rain and from a wide angle to beat Johnsonville 15-13, to keep their unbeaten run going, stave off an upset and ultimately win the first round Harper Lock Shield

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Upset(s) of the Year: Old Boys-University have long been one of the dominant fixtures of the Colts grade, but this year seemed hardly like a vintage one ending the round-robin Paris Memorial in a lowly and lacklustre seventh on the table. But then they came alive in the playoffs as they toppled the two frontrunners in back-to-back weeks by blitzing the second-ranked and defending champions Petone 46-19, and then producing a defiant defensive display to hold off the then-unbeaten Paris Memorial winners and competition favourites HOBM 12-8 the following week.

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Captain of the Year: Matt Fowler (OBU 85s)
Being a captain isn’t an easy gig; you’ve got to be a leader, a motivator, and know when and how to approach the referee. Fowler – nicknamed “Unit” after a quip by OBU legend Dave Loveridge at one of Fowler’s first trainings and a three-time Jubilee Cup winning-halfback – manages to do that as well as co-coach the champion Scallywags with his father, but few have had to navigate his team through the emotions of an in-season loss of a teammate as he had to with the unexpected passing of Tom Murray.

Honourable Mentions: Valini Vaka (MSP Women), Bradd Forster (Tawa Premier 2), Ainsley Mei (Upper Hutt Rams Premier 2), Tane McMillan-Parata (Pare-Plim Premiers), Jordan Aquila (Avalon Premiers).

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Milestone of the Year: Patsy Schwalger (Norths)
Playing 200 games of senior rugby is quite the achievement, let alone in a grade and competition that seemingly gets squeezed for games more and more each year when it should be growing, but that’s what Norths stalwart Patsy Schwalger achieved this year. One of the local game’s great characters and always doing something somewhere – playing, coaching, supporting, or refereeing junior rugby – the double-ton is a deserved accomplishment and knowing her, it’s far from the end.

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Person of the Year: Mason Malagamaali’i (Oriental Rongotai)
Coaching his beloved Magpies back from the death and to championship glory made Malagamaali’i the first person to take teams to both the Premier Men’s and Women’s titles. More to him than just that as he’s a thoroughly good bloke who’s generous with his time, and no one perhaps loves a microphone more than he does evidenced in part by the job he does as the ground announcer for the Hurricanes and Lions.

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Battling against adversity: Wainuiomata Colts and Eastbourne 85s
Two teams that deserve recognition for plugging on despite the circumstances. Wainuiomata’s Colts endured a wretched season, scoring just three tries across the whole Paris Memorial round at an average score of 1.7-67 conceded, but they never defaulted a game and kept turning up in numbers each week despite the result already being a foregone conclusion.

Similarly, Eastbourne kept fronting despite the Gulls – one of the leading contenders in the grade in recent years – struggling for numbers due to injuries and departures overseas. They might have had to invoke the Game On provisions most of the time but did their bit to ensure their scheduled opponents had rugby each week as well.

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The “How long has it been?” award: Ryan McLean (Pare-Plim)
Taking a break from the game isn’t uncommon, but eight years between Premier outings is a bit different. After 220+ first-team games for Pare-Plim McLean gave up playing after the 2015 campaign and turned to refereeing, rapidly becoming one of the province’s best whistlers and being in the middle for both a college Premiership and Hardham Cup final. But this season he returned to playing and got on the field for the eventual Swindale champions twice, both in milestone matches; firstly, against Avalon for Tane McMillan-Parata’s 100^th Premier match and then again against Wellington for younger sibling’s Blake Neve’s century.

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The You’re a long-time retired Award: Jack Ross and Pek Cowan (Petone)
Two blokes who decided they’d had enough in the offseason but found themselves pulling the boots on once again. Former Wallaby Cowan answered the call when injuries left the Villagers front-row stocks looking thin, while club centurion Ross was once again once of Petone’s best across the season. Plus, Parakura Lalaga who came back from retirement for a few games to fill a midfield hole at Norths. Back again next year fellas?

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The Team Supporter of the Year Award: Jeanette Rose (MSP Women’s)
Has been following and supporting the MSP Women’s team in 15s and 7s for eight seasons straight. In fact, she has been sideline at every MSP women’s team game in all formats since 2015. This year her loyalty was rewarded with the side being crowned champions in both competitions. She is also the team’s photographer so has documented their success along the way too. Her son, Ryan Setefano, is also the team’s coach, and also now one of the Pride assistant coaches so keeps an eye on him too!

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Referee of the Year: Tomas Roche
Refereed 10 rounds of Premier rugby culminating in the  the Jubilee Cup semi-final between Ories and Johnsonville, in his second season as a Premier referee. Has since gone on to referee a National U85kg knockout Cup fixture and the Boys Top 4 Final this past Sunday between Southland BHS and Westlake BHS. A bright future on the whistle for the former St Pat’s Silverstream student.

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COLLEGE

Game of the Year: Quadrangular Tournament Final, Wellington College vs Whanganui Collegiate
The Quad final was played in bright sunshine, in front of a packed terraces at Wellington College, and was a game that kept giving. Wellington burst to a 12-0 lead in as many minutes. Collegiate – the favourites going into the match – got into their stride and with two tries that started from past halfway surged ahead 26-15 before a Jacob Kennedy intercept from his own 22 shifted momentum again. Down 31-29 with only minutes remaining Year 11 first-five Archie Sims kicked a 40m angled penalty to put Coll ahead by one. Whanganui mounted an audacious attack, but Coll held on for a famous 32-31 triumph.

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Team of the Year: Wellington College Under 15A
Unbeaten winners locally of the Fr Gus Hill Cup after trouncing St Pats Town 36-0 in the final and runners-up at the ‘national’ tournament last week. And in midfielder Lorenz Strickland-Rere and loose forward Z’Kdeus Schwalger they have a couple of young leaders with real potential.

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Boys Player of the Year: Jacob Kennedy (Wellington College)
His performance in the Quad final alone where he scored three tries against the might of Whanganui Collegiate is worthy of this accolade but against Mana College, he scored six. In a horrid tussle against St Pat’s Town, Kennedy’s 80m solo epic was the difference. In an often-underwhelming Wellington First XV, Kennedy could change a game on a dime. A gifted, brave counter attacking player. Rugby needs more of them!

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Girls Player of the Year: Justine McGregor (St Mary’s)
An outstanding athlete, McGregor proved to be cut above her peers this year in school colours. A superb attacker with an eye for the gap and the speed to make the most of it, she dovetailed school play with turning out for Petone in the Women’s competition and by seasons end was the youngest in a very young Pride backline. The challenge for rugby will be keeping her here in the face of opportunities across the Tasman.