Sideline Conversions 15 January (some rugby news from the ground up)

Welcome to 2024, and back to Sideline Conversions, our regular Monday news and information and tidbits column.

This column is a collaborative effort, so if you want to contribute (please do) or have news or information to promote please email editor@clubrugby.co.nz

To sign up to our new online newsletter please go HERE – the start of this was stalled last year, but we definitely plan on starting this up soon once the rugby news starts flowing more regularly as a weekly email direct to opt-in inboxes.

Bookmark our photos website here: https://clubrugby.smugmug.com/ 

+++++

For many clubs, this week marks the start of pre-season training – so the countdown to the 2024 starts in earnest!

+++++

The rugby starts this coming weekend with the Bula 7s tournament at Porirua Park. More details to come later in the week or follow their Facebook page for more HERE

+++++

Club of Origin II

This is at the Polo Grounds on Easter Monday, 1 April, featuring the U15s Grant Griffith Cup and the U18s Aukuso Cup.

+++++

Some 15s rugby coming up in February:

• 10 February – Hawkes Bay Academy v Manawatu Academy, Napier
• 16 February – Hurricanes v Moana Pasifika, Super Rugby pre-season, NZCIS, Upper Hutt
• 17 February – Hawke’s Bay Academy v Wellington Academy, Palmerston North
• 24 February – Wellington Academy v Manawatu Academy, Wellington

+++++

News last month that renowned rugby and sports photographer Peter Bush passed away. Bush was 93 and first covered the All Blacks in 1949, the start of a multi-decades career documenting the game. An inspirational figure to many. Read more about his passing on the All Blacks website:  https://www.allblacks.com/news/iconic-photographer-peter-bush-passes-away/

+++++

Rugby Jamboree III

The New Zealand Rugby Museum is hosting the Rugby Jamboree III event in Palmerston North on 13 and 14 April.

From the organisers: “Saturday will be a day to show off your wares and network. We will be interviewing people about their stories during the day. Sunday is a day for specialist presentations, to share more detail.

Ian St George, researcher and author of Cliff Porter captain of the Invincibles 100 years on, has confirmed he is attending the jamboree and will present on Sunday.

“We have a discounted rate for Distinction Coachman Hotel Palmerston North 140, Fitzherbert Ave, Palmerston North. Ph: +64 6 3565065 https://www.distinctionhotelscoachman.co.nz/ Please see their availability & rates below: • 11 x Studio Motel Rooms @ $140.00 room only • 10 x Standard Hotel Rooms @ $150.00 room only • 10 x Deluxe Hotel Rooms @ $190.00 room only.

Saturday night dinner will be at the above Coachman. This is a pay-your-own-way arrangement.”

+++++

Ma’a Nonu still going strong! He will be 42 this coming May.

+++++

A shoutout to the Manawatū media for covering and promoting rugby in the region. With the lapping summer tides of Himatangi and Foxton beaches calling, Peter Lampp published his first rugby column of the year on Saturday at: https://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/opinion/301038474/turbos-plans-advancing-its-a-big-job-and-mike-rogers-is-here-to-do-it

As well as a thorough run-down on the whereabouts and movement of local players, there is this little doozy here:

“A major roadblock looms in August-September in the heart of the NPC when the expanded Pacific Nations Cup will be played, at Japan’s behest.

About half of the players will come from New Zealand as Fiji, Tonga and Samoa in the Pacific Islands pool (as well as Japan, Canada and the United States) won’t be permitted to bring back their Northern Hemisphere players.

Hawke’s Bay could lose up to 10 players, Taranaki eight and even Manawatū a few. About 10 could go from Fiji Drua, maybe including Manawatū first-five Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula and centre Waqa Nalaga.”

So presumably this will affect Wellington as well – good for the players involved but the scheduling squeeze is on again.

+++++

Still on Manawatū, the draw for the Senior 1 [Premier] club rugby season is out and kick-off is Saturday 29 March. It can be viewed here: https://www.manawaturugby.co.nz/community-rugby-1/draws-results-2/senior-draws-results 

+++++

Sky Television put their prices up again just prior to Christmas – remember club and school rugby is always free!

+++++

The Wellington Stadium, sponsored by the above, has welcomed a new chief executive, Warrick Dent, who replaces Shane Harmon who departed at the end of last year.  Dent comes from management roles at Wellington City Council and Wellington NZ and prior to that worked as a marketing manager at Cricket Wellington about a decade ago after returning to Wellington from Hong Kong where he helped run the Hong Kong Sevens amongst other things.

As an incoming chief executive of the Stadium, what would be on your wishlist? One of ours would be stand down the yellow seats army. To replace it with multicoloured seating. An example to replicate is the Gabba in Brisbane, currently home to the mighty Heat. Even when its half full it looks full. The Gabba is in line to be redeveloped to host the 2032 Olympic Games, so perhaps there could be thousands of seats looking for a new home?

+++++

As always, plenty of player movement behind the scenes – always good when a player returns from elsewhere as below.

+++++

And new school leavers joining clubs:

+++++

Old Boys University are looking for people with a number of off-season roles in 2024, as below:

+++++

Former All Black Duncan Hales, who captained Manawatū to its only Ranfurly Shield success in 1976, died in the United Kingdom last week, aged 76.

Originally from Dannevirke, Hales played 23 games and four tests for the All Blacks in 1972-73 while representing Canterbury.

A midfield back and winger, he played one game for Hawke’s Bay in 1974, then moved to Manawatū and played 37 games from 1975-77.

That was Manawatū’s golden era, when the team was packed with All Blacks, and Hales captained the side in 1976 when they won the Ranfurly Shield from Auckland.

Manawatū defended the shield 13 times before losing it to North Auckland in 1978.

 Read more HERE

+++++

Wales and British and Irish Lions rugby legend JPR Williams recently died at the age of 74.

The former London Welsh, Bridgend and Barbarians full-back was synonymous with Wales and the Lions’ glories of the 1970s.

Williams captained Wales and Bridgend, winning 55 caps for his country.

During historic triumphant Lions tours to New Zealand in 1971 and 1974 in South Africa, Williams accumulated eight Test caps.

Read more HERE

All Six Nations teams and players will use Instrumented Mouthguards during this year’s senior men’s Championships#GuinnessM6N pic.twitter.com/dQ0Urvnj1b

— Guinness Men's Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) January 12, 2024