You are here
Home > Club Rugby > Sideline Conversions 27 May (some rugby news and information to start the week)

Sideline Conversions 27 May (some rugby news and information to start the week)

The Upper Hutt Rams J8s after winning the first men’s club rugby title of the year, the Reserve Grade first round division one Mike Copeland Cup. They were unbeaten in five matches. The MSP Internationals won the division two first round title with six consecutive wins. The teams have this coming weekend off before starting the second round on 8 June. Photo credit: Upper Hutt Rams Facebook. 

Updated Monday lunchtime: Rugby this week  kicks off with three First XV school games on Wednesday.

  • St Pat’s Silverstream host New Plymouth Boys’ High School in their Traditional fixture at their school grounds. Kick-off is listed at 12.00pm.
  • Porirua College host Paraparaumu College in the latest round of the Co-ed Cup Wellington qualifying series on their No. 1 field at 4.00pm.
  • Tawa College welcomes their second Beard Cup challenger of the year, Mana College, on to Lyndhurst Park at 4.00pm.  This is also a Co-ed Cup game.

+++++

Moving on to Saturday, and it’s a bit quieter on the club rugby fields, with the Reserve, U85kg and Colts grades all taking the weekend off owing to King’s Birthday Weekend.

The Premier, Premier 2 and Women’s grades are all in action, Premier Swindale Shield and Premier 2 Harper Lock Shield match-ups below at a glance (home teams first):

#1 – Upper Hutt Rams v HOBM
#2 – Avalon v Petone
#3 – OBU v Wellington
#4 – Poneke v Marist St Pats
#5 – Pare-Plim v J’ville
#6 – Tawa v Ories
#7 – Norths v Wainui

+++++

There is a significant problem with the Hurricanes match this coming weekend, all to do with its scheduling. We don’t want to unload what we really think at the top of the column here as it would set a highly negative tone, but if you were being diplomatic, you could suggest that the 4.35pm kick-off is “not ideal” for community rugby. We reiterate what we have been writing here for months and that is Saturday afternoons are for community sport and it needs to stay that way. 

Perhaps the WRFU should bring all matches forward this coming weekend to 12.30pm and 2.15pm kick-offs, like they used to when there was a big match in town, but unsure that would make a difference anymore. Update: It appears that kick-off times have been brought forward, to 11.00am (women’s), 12.30pm (Premier 2s) and 2.15pm (Premiers) respectively. This is good, but the damage has already been done with their hubris of putting this match on at 4.35pm in the first place. For the most part, Wellington’s club players and community won’t be going. 

+++++

It’s a shame most of the actual rugby community won’t get the opportunity to see the Hurricanes play their final round-robin fixture of the year, because the Hurricanes had a terrific gutsy win on Friday night. The Chiefs fought back to 17-17 but a late penalty got them home 20-17.

This win and the Crusaders’ victory over the Blues, means the Hurricanes can seal a favourable home knockout match the following weekend.

The Hurricanes will also be wearing their 1997 “expect the unexpected” jerseys in Heritage Round.

+++++

What are the odds of St Pat’s Town gaining two new All Blacks at the same time in a few weeks? Both Xavier Numia and Billy Proctor are in contention?

In 1920, Christchurch Boys’ High School had five of its recent players make the All Blacks.

+++++

Congratulations to another St Pat’s Town Old Boys, Penieli Poasa, for playing his 100th match for Ories this past weekend in their Old Timers’ Day win over Northern United.

Emelei La’ai also played her 50th match for the Ories Women’s side. This team had three recent Black Ferns on Saturday, so if they stick around for the next few weeks are they a contender for the second round women’s title?

+++++

We have a two-way tie at the top of the top try scorers standings after eight rounds of the Swindale Shield. Another two tries to OBU centre Elijah Maene-Lokeni and one to Wainuiomata wing Niko Paletesio sees them both on 12. Following our story with Paletesio last week, it is understood he is joining the Police College today so we it is unsure how much more we will of him this year?

+++++

It has always happened, so nothing new, but isn’t it frustrating to the watcher of Premier 2 and Colts matches when leading or up and coming players of those game get taken off early because they are required to bench for the Premiers squad in the main match that follows! Another example this Saturday was watching Wainuiomata Colts first-five Josh Leafa-Paki in the 1.00pm match at the Hutt Rec. He caught our attention last year playing for St Bernard’s College (and not because of his long hair) but his game was over at halftime. Wet, greasy conditions were also a big factor in the 5-5 halftime score and the run of play early in the second half, but competition leaders HOBM pulled clear to win well. He could have been involved in the first 5 minutes of the Premiers if there was an injury, but Leafa-Paki was subbed on at fullback in the Premiers game in the 77th minute.

+++++

On a directly related note to the points above, injuries are starting to bite hard at some clubs and testing aforementioned depth. We call this period of the club season the “grind” weeks. From about weeks 8-12 when the week-in-week-out rugby starts to take its toll and the dark, cold weeks kick in. Take Pōneke. They currently have 20 players out injured from their top two squads, and on Saturday usual hooker Andrew Jones had to play 80 minutes at loosehead prop, a position which he has never played before.

++++++

In that same Swindale Shield match at Nairnville Park, referee Zarne Johnson went down with a calf injury. There was a 20-minute delay whilst they swapped referees and the visiting Canterbury interchange referee took over in the middle.

+++++

Rugby Civil War?

  • Who is reminded of this Guns ‘n Roses song (not the one you are thinking, warning explicit lyrics): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrPmnyzmWy4
  • Have you ever seen an NZRPA bumper sticker, poster, representative or anything at a club rugby match?
  • NZRPA in part is funded by NZR? Now NZRPA CEO Rob Nichol has made public overtures about wanting to split from NZR. Does that make him unfit for purpose?
  • The Pilkington review resolved the governance model for New Zealand Rugby was “unfit for purpose.” Why did the entire board not resign immediately? Eight months have passed without action.
  • Is there an option for an ownership/governance model where fans buy shares in the organisation like Barcelona FC. Or social digital tokens. Check out the Chiliz token here: https://www.chiliz.com/

++++++

Watch/listen to this by Sumo Stevenson:

+++++

Why couldn’t Hawke’s Bay have travelled to South Canterbury for their Ranfurly Shield defence? An extra away challenge from a Heartland Union could have been a penalty for their disgraceful behaviour last year.

Why are media not asking players questions about the serious situation. Simple. They will be served up prepared PR or cancelled if they do.

+++++

Kyle Preston didn’t score a try for the first time in six games for OBU, but Niko Patelesio extended his streak to seven games for Wainuiomata.

+++++

Former Petone player Ross Filipo is the new coach of the Māori All Blacks. They play two matches in Japan against a Japan XV at the end of June and early July. Petone’s Ezra Iupeli is the Team Administrator and former Wellington College/Wests loose forward Ben Fisher is the Campaign Manager.

+++++

Xavier Numia has scored 9 tries for the Hurricanes. His best was on Friday night against the Chiefs in the 20-17 win in Hamilton. After Brett Cameron’s winning penalty Numia told Sky Sport in one of the great post-match interviews.

“I was doing the pukana eyes cause, I couldn’t see on the angle. When it went over, I was doing the Cheehoo’s.”

+++++

The Chiefs conceded 15 of the last 16 penalties against the Hurricanes.

+++++

All three starting front rowers scored for Hutt Old Boys Marist in their 29-13 win against Wainuiomata on Saturday. That’s the first time that feat has happened this year.

+++++

Kia Toa – first round winners in Manawatu Senior 1/Premier rugby:

+++++

A shoutout to the Queensland interchange referees, over at the moment. A bit cold for them as well, but that didn’t stop one of them apparently enjoying his afternoon at Wellington College last Wednesday, out there in a cold southerly in his usual short sleeved kit.

+++++

Club Rugby Chase (sent in by a reader):

The Governess – Maree Chivers (formerly OBU)

The Beast – Benet Kumeroa (HOBM)

The Menace – Mark Sutton (Johnsonville)

The Sinnerman – Oliver Paotonu (Johnsonville)

The Vixen – Alice Soper (Wainuiomata)

The Dark Destroyer – Ken Ah Kuoi (Marist St Pats)

Host – Kerry Walsh

Question Writer – David Walsh

+++++

Congratulations to the Upper Hutt Rams’ Tim Homan for winning this award at the awards this past Thursday.

+++++

A big refereeing appointment for Jack Trevella assigned the American National Boys High School final in Indiana between Gonzaga (Washington) and St. Ignatius (Cleveland). Gonzaga won an entertaining game 42-25 on a Rugby Network livestream that unfortunately proved about as useful as a firehose in a flood.

++++

Former MSP captain Tom Martin on his original invention.

https://www.gold.co.nz/podcasts/the-country-sport-breakfast/csb-tom-martin-vitool/

+++++

The Crusaders 29-27 win over the Blues in Christchurch meant they avoided consecutive losses at home for the first time since 2015. Those defeats:

April 11: Crusaders: 20 v Highlanders: 25 (Waisake Naholo 2 & Ben Smith scored tries with Lima Sopoaga kicked 10 points. Those were the days for Highlanders fans)

April: 17: Crusaders: 9 v Chiefs: 26 (Michael Leitch (Japan) & James Lowe (Ireland) were among the Chiefs tries scorers. Daniel Carter kicked all three penalties for the Crusaders).

Who was cheering for the Crusaders in their 29-27 win against the Blues in Christchurch on Saturday. A loss might pipe down the Auckland press who appear to think the Blues are champions already.

The Crusaders have won 89 of 108 games on their makeshift home field, built in 2012 after the Christchurch earthquakes.

Only three times have they failed to score a try, in that Chiefs loss, in 2017 the Crusaders were beating 3-12 by the touring British & Irish Lions. In 2012 Tom Taylor kicked five penalties in a 15-11 win over the Reds.

+++++

Ponsonby won the match 18-16.

+++++

A solid win for the NZU team over Japan U20 in Christchurch – OBU lock Jack Riley with the Player of the Day.

+++++

The HOBM Eagles pack is going to be a tough nut to crack as the season develops further. They all played well on Saturday, but to single one player out in this photo it would be Jordan Gillies (centre), another strong game from the No. 8.

+++++

+++++

+++++

Traditional tours between the Springboks and All Blacks will return in 2026, with SA Rugby and NZ Rugby reportedly agreeing terms.

The two unions have been locked in talks about reviving the tours since last year with SA Rugby president Mark Alexander and NZ Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson confirming the discussions.

Read more HERE

Similar Articles

One thought on “Sideline Conversions 27 May (some rugby news and information to start the week)

  1. Is there any truth to the rumour that the referee Zarne Johnson injured himself on the cricket block at Nairnville Park? The Poneke commentators on their live stream suggested the ground is unsuitable for Premier rugby. Is the block a Health and Safety issue after rain?

Leave a Reply

Top