Sideline Conversions 10 February (some news and information to start the week)

Paremata-Plimmerton etched themselves into history on Saturday, becoming just the third Wellington club after Wainuiomata and Northern United to win the National Club 7s and the Middlesex County Wavell Wakefield Cup at Karaka RFC on Saturday. Some late withdrawals saw the tournament reduced to just six teams and a full round-robin implemented. Pare-Plim won their first three matches: beating North Harbour’s Northcote 31-10. Auckland champions Marist 26-14, and Canterbury winners University of Canterbury 31-17 before losing to hosts and defending champions Karaka 17-31. Needing to beat Hamilton Old Boys to make the final they did so narrowly by 24-22.

Going into the final against Karaka they made a fast start, with a try to Kody McGovern and a pair of converted tries to Esi Komaisavai to lead 19-0 at the break. A fourth to Christian Fa’avae followed before Karaka got on the board but further tries to Louis Northcott and captain Ethan Webster-Nonu bracketed Karaka’s second and finished off an emphatic 38-14 win.

Speaking to Club Rugby yesterday afternoon, coach Matt Poutoa reflected on the success acknowledging it was tough against the “best of the best” of the sevens club around New Zealand and having to manage limited versus rolling subs. The side had been training since winning the Ambassadors 7s in November but made special mention of both the age-grade and guest players and thanked the support of the Paremata-Plimmerton club committee while also mentioning the talent that exists in Wellington at the shortened form of the game that perhaps lacks opportunities to excel.

The win means that Paremata-Plimmerton will host next year’s tournament.

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A competitive opening day of the Hurricanes provincial U20 series between the Wellington, Manawatu and Hawke’s Bay Academies.

This year it takes the format of ‘games of three halves’ matches. In bright sunshine and an official 27 degrees in Palmerston North on Saturday, there were plenty of tired players at the end.

The results of the three games saw Manawatu beating Hawke’s Bay 12-0, Wellington beating Manawatu 10-0 and then Hawke’s Bay beating Wellington 19-5. So the teams that went back-to-back lost their second halves and also the teams that played with the breeze in their favour won all three halves.

The series, which resumes this coming Saturday, same place, same time, is for the Sam Doyle Memorial Trophy. It also doubles as a Hurricanes U20s trial series. With a number of even match-ups across the park, it will be interesting to see how much of the Hurricanes U20s squad is already locked in and how many contested new positions will be filled.

Of the players in action on Saturday across the three teams (as listed), nine were in the Hurricanes U20s last season, so presumably most will return. These players are:

• Stanley Solomon – Wellington fullback
• Mosese Bason – Manawatu No. 8
• Jai Tamati – Manawatu halfback
• CJ Mienie – Hawke’s Bay right wing
• Pita Manamanaivalu – Manawatu first-five
• Harry Irving – Wellington blindside flanker
• Oscar Ritchie – Hawke’s Bay blindside flanker
• Sunia Ragede – Hawke’s Bay centre
• Bogi Kikau – Hawke’s Bay fullback

Solomon and Bason were also selected in the New Zealand team last year. Bason was the MVP of the Super Rugby U20 tournament in Taupo. Other players such as Manawatu pair, first-five Liam O’Connor and prop Logan Wallace, will also be included if fit and available.

A few of the first year players putting their best foot forward included last year’s NZ Māori U18 and Hawke’s Bay duo, hooker Jericho Wharehinga out of St Pat’s Silverstream and halfback Le’Sharn Reiri-Paku out of Wairarapa College and who had a cameo against Wellington making two searing breaks that led to tries, former Silverstream and Wellington first-five Thompson Tukupua, Feilding High School Top 4 lock Zach Flier,  last year’s Rathkeale College lock and Wellington lock Johnny Falloon and Manawatu outside back Zac Ratuki who is out of Kuranui College. Wellington’s Mitchell Shields (Wai Coll) and Hamish Huggins (Rathkeake), and second year hooker Leon Tuiloma (Rathkeale) are also from the Wairarapa, so a good representation there.

Another new player to Wellington this year is prop Mako Blackman. He has joined the WRFU Academy out of East Coast. He made the New Zealand Māori U18s last year representing Tolaga Bay Area School.

It is understood that Rathkeale pair Falloon and Huggins will be OBU Goats this year, unknown yet about Shields or Blackman.

As always, there were several high quality loose forwards in the mix. Manawatu captain Reuben Nelley was as hardworking as any player, not least his teammates Bason and Ajae Hanson and Hawke’s Bay trio Oscar Ritchie, Perez Malo and Patrick Mauga. Wellington and Petone flanker Braith Ingram is a player to watch in his second season of Senior rugby in 2025. Ingram and St Pat’s Silverstream school leaver Drew Berg-Mclean shared the openside flanker’s role for Wellington. Wainuiomata and former Silverstream No. 8 Brayden Soi will also be looking for a big year.

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Wainuiomata is the Riviera of the Hutt Valley, at least it was for a day on Friday!

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NPC Party Starter

Trent Renata has been appointed head coach of the Wellington Lions.

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Former Wests, Ories, Wellington and international teams coach Ellis Meachen passes away

Former Wests Roosters and Wellington representative coach Ellis Meachen passed away in Melbourne, after a long illness. Meachen had been mostly based in Melbourne for several years, following a coaching career around the world.

A former hooker who played for the Wests Roosters, Meachen was Director of Rugby of Tonga Rugby between 2005-07, and in 2007 he was Tonga’s assistant coach as they qualified for the Rugby World Cup. This was followed by two years as Director of Rugby with the Romanian Rugby Football Union.In 2010 he was appointed as Head Coach of the Sri Lankan national team, holding that position for two years. Returning to Wellington, he was Director of Rugby at the Wests Roosters club for two years. He is also a former Ories Coaching Co-ordinator. He was Director of Rugby at the Melbourne Rugby Football Union between 2012-14, and took on the role as Head Coach of the Melbourne Rebels U16s and U17s teams.

Previously, Meachen had coached the Wellington Colts and was assistant coach of the Wellington Lions with Dave Rennie in 2002. He continued coaching various representative teams, including the Hurricanes Development squad in 2004.

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The Super Rugby season starts this coming weekend.

The Hurricanes open their season against the Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday. Most of the team should pick itself, but with no Tyrell Lomax, Asafo Aumua and Rueben Love, some holes will need to be filled in the front row and at first-five/fullback where the most interest will likely be when the team is named in a few days. With Cam Roigard a lock at halfback, it will likely either be Riley Hohepa or Harry Godfrey outside him, while Callum Harkin could be in the mix there or at fullback.

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Ireland have gone two from two in the Six Nations, beating Scotland 32-18. Other results this weekend saw England beat France 26-25 and Italy defeat Wales 22-15.

In 25 Six Nations, Italy have 18 wooden spoons and up to beating Wales in 2022 had lost 36 matches in a row. But this latest win over Wales means they should finish ahead of them this year.

A good read about Wales’ plight here: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/its-over-warren-gatland-wales-30965475 

Wales beat Italy 20-18 with a late penalty in their U20 Six Nations international, after Italy had defeated Scotland the previous week.

England beat France 27-10 for their second straightU20s win.

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If he can play rugby this year like he wields his cricket bat, HOBM flanker Sam Morgan has a big season ahead of him:

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This column is a collaborative effort, so if you have news or to contribute and help us out regularly or occasionally please get in touch.

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