Do or die as the Quarter Finals for the Luisetti Seeds Combined Country Division 1 kick off
While a large majority of our community take a break over the Queen’s Birthday weekend, others will be hitting the paddock on Saturday with a lot on the line.
Finals football is a different beast to the previous seven weeks, as teams will look to put past results behind them in the search for Luisetti Seeds Combined Country supremacy, with the 21 teams now whittled down to the top eight.
Top seed Southbridge will welcome Glenmark Cheviot to the bridge, with the boys from North Canterbury producing an impressive 2022 campaign after what was a disappointing 2021. As one would expect with being the top seed, Southbridge finished top of Pool A, winning five and losing just one match in pool play. Glenmark Cheviot finished third in the extremely competitive Pool B, with their four wins and two losses matching the teams above them, albeit with less bonus points. It sets up an intriguing clash, leaving both sides a lot to play for this weekend.
Second seed Saracens looked destined to qualify at the top of the combined comp, before their shock Deans Shield loss to Ohoka meant they had to settle for the two seed. That Ohoka game being the only loss of their campaign means that they too finished with five wins and one loss at the top of Pool C, setting up a rematch to an earlier pool game against seventh seed Springston. Springston finished up with a respectable four wins and two losses, only losing to the two teams above them. The two sides met in Springston in round 5, with the North Cantabrians leaving with the win 16-34, something they will be looking to repeat this weekend when they welcome Springston to Southbrook Park.
Ashburton Celtic did enough in Pool B to take top spot and secure the three seed for the quarter finals, winning the tiebreaker with Prebbleton to top the group. Intriguingly, the penguins will be their opposition this weekend, with the Ellesmere side securing the sixth spot in the quarter finals. With both teams on 22 points and with four wins and two losses apiece, this match up promises to be as close as their previous encounter, with Ashburton Celtic winning their round 5 match 23-21. Revenge will be on the cards for a Prebbleton side with nothing to lose on Saturday, as they look to cause an upset in the Quarter Finals.
Last year’s champions Southern round out the top 4, setting up an enticing clash with Darfield in Hinds. Southern started slowly in a big loss to Saracens in round 1, but were able to flush this result to finish with an identical record of five wins and one loss in Pool C. Darfield too were solid in pool play, with four wins, a loss and a bizarre 43-all draw with Oxford in the final round. It sets up a tough trip down to Hinds, but one the ducks will be keen to return victorious from.
Elsewhere, the remaining 13 teams will be back in action next week, when the Canterbury Rugby Supporters Trophy, NCRSU Plate and the Plaque go on the line.
