Sideline Conversions 4 November (some news and information to start the week)

A fast-paced and well-contested opening leg of the American Ambassador’s sevens on Saturday, with the second and final leg of the series set to be played this coming Saturday at Trentham Memorial Park.

By the end of the day, the Upper Hutt Rams and one of the two Paremata-Plimmerton sides came away unbeaten and in the box seat to go all the way and meet in the final at the end of the day next Saturday.

Ories will be in the mix, with a handful of other contenders pushing hard. Subject to change, Johnsonville and Wainuiomata join the fray this week, but the likely absence of Petone, Hutt Old Boys Marist and Tawa in both weekends could be questioned by some of their supporters.

Likewise, the five-team women’s competition could see Ories, Wainuiomata, Poneke and Avalon join the fray, to be confirmed later in the week.

Photos are HERE – a women’s and a second men’s gallery still to be posted.

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St Patrick’s College, Silverstream’s Thompson Tukapua and Sacred Heart College’s Fanua Rimoni are the respective boys and girls Rugby Players of the Year. Tukapua was selected in the New Zealand Secondary Schools squad (but didn’t play owing to injury) while Rimoni was the Wellington Pride Women’s team Rookie of the Year.

The All-rounder of the Year awards went to Chelsey Moananu (Wellington East Girls’ College) and Wesley Faitele (Taita College).

Moananu was a member of the Wellington and New Zealand handball team, a member of the Wellington U19 softball team, a member of the Wellington U18 rugby team and as an individual, placed third in the Senior Girls Javelin at the North Island Secondary School Track and Field Championships. For her school, she was also a member of her Touch Rugby, Rugby Sevens and Ki o Rahi teams.

Taita College head boy Faitele was captain of the Taita College First this year and was selected in the Hurricanes U18 Rugby squad. He was a member of the Wellington U19 Volleyball team, as well as the Wellington Orcas U18 Rugby League team and Hutt Vallet American Flag Football team. Individually, he was second in the Senior Boys 100m at the CSW Regional Athletics Championships.

Ories lock/flanker Laulalatoa Sammy Seau (Bishop Viard College) won the fourth annual Champion of School Sport award, which recognises those individuals that exemplify the best aspects of school sport, whether that be on or off the field.

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Overheard at the American Ambassador’s sevens on Saturday: ‘What if there is a change of government this coming week in the USA, will there sill be an ambassador to present the trophy on Saturday?’ A wild week coming up in that regard, thank heavens we have sport.

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Changes afoot at the Wellington Rugby Football Union, with WRFU Academy/High PerformanceManager Rick Whatarau moving to the Canterbury Rugby Football Union and Wellington Lions head coach Olando Soakai moving to Moana Pasifika.

Soakai is Moana Pasifika’s Defence Coach for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season. He joins the likes of Ardie and Julian Savea and Jackson Garden-Bachop at the enterprise.

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Some player movement things to keep an eye on following Saturday’s opening sevens leg: Francis Mettrick was playing with Ories to play with some of his mates from St Pat’s Town (although it is confirmed he is not going anywhere from MSP next season). Likewise Fuka Paongo at the Wellington Axemen. Bruce Kauika-Petersen is likely to be playing for Paremata-Plimmerton next year. He was going to play for them in 2022, but then got called up by the Blues. Jeremiah Avei-Collins was another notable player in Paremata-Plimmerton colours on Saturday, but it has been suggested he will be staying put at Norths.

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Confirmation out this past week that Masterton’s Rathkeale College will be entering the College Sport Wellington structure from 2025, joining crosstown rivals Wairarapa College in the capital. Rathkeale have competed in the Central North Island 1st XV for the past decade-plus but have decided to exit that competition citing the considerable logistic challenges which extends as far north as Wesley College, west to New Plymouth’s Francis Douglas, and east to the Hawke’s Bay’s St John’s Hastings and Napier’s Lindisfarne College. Competing in Wellington isn’t new to Rathkeale with their 1st XI Football and Hockey currently doing so, but this would be new to their 1st XV rugby. Club Rugby further understands they will need to qualify for the Premiership as part of the qualifying process, and it will be for their 1st XV only with their 2nd and Development XV sides and their U15s continuing to compete in the Wairarapa schools’ competition

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The New Zealand Heartland XV, formerly known as the New Zealand Divisional XV, was established to expose players from the Heartland divisions of New Zealand rugby to a higher level. Since their inception in 1988, the Heartland XV has played 84 games and won on 49 occasions. Tours have been embarked upon to the Pacific and Argentina, and All Blacks include Matt Cooper and Simon Culhane.

This week, at a rain-sodden Cooks Gardens in Whanganui, the New Zealand Heartland XV was beaten twice by a New Zealand Māori XV, 47-14, and a New Zealand Barbarians XV, 40-21.

South Canterbury (winners of 39 consecutive Heartland Championship games from 2019 to 2024) was the most heavily represented province in the Heartland XV with Anthony Amato, Sui Kakala, Tokoma’ata Fakatava, Declan McCormack, Willie Wright, Paula Fifita, Clarence Moli and Finlay Joyce all summoned for national duty. Nigel Walsh, who has led South Canterbury to 48 wins in 56 matches since 2019, was head coach.

Meads Cup champions Thames Valley contributed Matt Axtens, Toddy Doolan, Sione Etoni, and Quinn Collard, who enjoyed a 93% goal-kicking success rate in the Heartland Championship and slotted four from four in this campaign.

29/10/24 – New Zealand Māori XV: 47 (Sam Smith, Kade Manuel, Tayne Harvey, Terrell Peita, Te Ariki Te Puni, Anaru Paenga-Morgan tries; Cooper Grant 6 con) New Zealand Heartland XV: 14 (Siu Kakala, Raitube Vasurakuta tries; Quinn Collard 2 con) HT: 14-7

2/11/24 – New Zealand Barbarians: 40 (Vereneki Tikoisolomone, Gibson Popoali’i 2, Penalty Try, Michael Loft, Logan Love tries; Callum Harkin 5 cons) New Zealand Heartland XV: 21 (Quinn Collard, Kristian Gent-Standen, Paula Fifita tries; Quinn Collard 2, Fifita cons) HT: 26-7.

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England’s record against the World’s Top 10 (Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, France, England, Argentina, Scotland, Italy, Fiji, and Australia) since 2020 is 17 wins 20 defeats and a draw against the All Blacks in 2022. England has not beaten New Zealand in the past four matches with only a nine-point spread across those matches.

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The All Blacks XV foiled a passionate Munster 38-24 at Thomond Park, Limerick. It had been a tumultuous week for Munster. On Tuesday coach Graham Rountree suddenly departed despite leading Munster to a United Rugby Championship in 2022 and topping the round-robin in the same competition in 2023. Indeed, Munster started with startling commitment and cohesion, but the All Blacks XV was resolute. An illustration of how earnestly the victory was achieved was that the All Blacks XV outtackled Munster 165 to 97. Nine All Blacks XV players finished the match in double tackle figures with openside flanker and captain Du’Plessis Kirifi topping the charts with 18. Man of the match Fabian Holland made a dozen and helped the All Blacks XV achieve an 11/12 lineout record.

Ireland is 37-10 since the start of 2020. South Africa have won 35 of 49 games.

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Asafo Aumua, who has struggled for form in the All Blacks this season was on after three minutes and withstood a fierce challenge from England in his longest, toughest test. Aumua made a dozen strong carries and 10 tackles, and the All Blacks won 15 lineouts at 80% which was good enough against England who were 12-0 and boasts arguably the world’s best lineout jumper in Maro Itoje.

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New Zealand’s traditional sporting culture is facing challenges, with more grassroots clubs in financial hardship and struggling to find volunteers.

The NZ Amateur Sports Association reported overall membership has grown beyond pre-Covid levels, but twice as many clubs (9%) are losing money.

The average number of club volunteers, who give up their time for at least three hours a month, has gone from 31 to 18 over the past five years. Athletics, football and rugby union are among those affected, while netball and cricket are among those to see an increase.

Read and watch more HERE https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/10/29/fewer-volunteers-more-grassroots-sport-clubs-losing-money/

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