Kia ora koutou, I’m looking forward to Matariki weekend and coming together at the rugby grounds around the province.
Many junior & teenage teams are on school holiday break, and this will allow our community fields another week to recover after so much rain.
The Bascik Transport Metro Premier playoffs continue this week, with both Trophy and Plate Semi-Finals. The Premier Reserve competitions are also into the playoff stages.
This grade is operating differently this season due to amalgamating the last of the Senior grade teams into the Premier Reserve & Classics grades, resulting in a large number of teams in each grade.
Premier Reserve teams were graded into 2 sections, Tahi (9 teams) & Rua (8) and have played a complete round robin each.
In the Rua section commenced playoffs 2 weeks ago, and this week play preliminary finals to find the teams to play next week's grand final, with the winner being promoted to Tahi section next season, in place of the lowest ranked Tahi side.
In the Tahi section, pool play was completed last week and they commence playoffs this Saturday. Qualifying & Elimination finals start this week to find the teams for their grand final on 5th August.
Metro Colts get back underway this week after a 2 week hiatus which coincided with the Univeristy mid-year break, allowing the student cohort to connect with whanau, and now continue pool play. They will then will split into seeded groups of four to contest Trophy, Plate, & Bowl in mid-August.
The HSOB U85kg Light Bears will host either Southern or Kaikorai from Dunedin on Sunday the 13th of August at Bob Deans to determine who will represent the southern region in the U85Kg National Cup competition.
It will be a great opportunity to showcase U85kg Open grade rugby before we debut a full local competition next season, which will help create an exciting new opportunity for our smaller players.
All the best to all our community teams competing this weekend, the Canterbury Women kicking off FPC at Rugby Park, All Blacks in Auckland, and Black Ferns in Canada, it’s going to be another great weekend of rugby here in Canterbury.
Ngā mihi,
Clarke Washington
Metro Sub-Union Chairperson, Canterbury Rugby Football Union
Community Welcome
Exciting new faces prevalent in Canterbury’s first FPC team of the season
10 debutants headline Canterbury’s first Farah Palmer Cup, presented by Bunnings Warehouse team, as Canterbury prepares to welcome the Wellington Pride to the team’s home at Rugby Park.
Head Coach Jimmy Sinclair and Captain Marcelle Parkes will lead a side packed in both experience and excitement, as Canterbury look to defend the JJ Stewart Trophy for another season.
“We’ve got a really exciting group of players at our disposal,” said Sinclair, “being able to call on our experienced players to lead, while also unleashing some of our young talent creates a fantastic opportunity for us in week 1 against Wellington.”
The starting side can also call on the Super Rugby experience earned by the likes of Martha Mataele and Di Hiini, to name only two, to provide significant impact on the field.
“A number of the squad have had engagement with the Canterbury environment, and we’re lucky to benefit from this through the experiences they have had and now can impart that new knowledge on our wider squad too.”
Maddi Robinson, Laura Bayfield, Holly Wratt-Groeneweg, Winnie Palamo and Hayley Hutana will start as debutants, while Sally-Jane Houlahan, Rosie Buchanan-Brown, Keighley Simpson, Jamee and Erana Te Moananui will have the opportunity to add their name to Canterbury's impressive honours board off the bench.
“Even in this group of 10 debutants, we have the likes of Laura Bayfield, Hayley Hutana, Rosie Buchanan-Brown and Keighley Simpson all with experience in the Farah Palmer Cup, so we know that despite being new to the red and black jersey, they will be able to unleash their talent and add their style to the game on Saturday” Sinclair said.
The weekend’s side also has a significantly family feel, with Mataele and sister Atlanta Lolohea starting, and the impact bench containing the Te Moananui and Simpson sisters all named to play together.
Saturday’s match kicks off at 12:05pm at Rugby Park, St Albans. Entry is just $5 at the gate for Adults, and free for U16’s.
Wellington team to play Canterbury
Miles Toyota proud to present the Farah Palmer Cup, presented by Bunnings Warehouse team with Player of the Day car again in 2023
As proud Community Partners and the Principal Partner of Canterbury’s Farah Palmer Cup team, Miles Toyota getting behind the team once again, presenting the team with a brand new Hilux that will be presented to the Player of the Day each week.
Brought in as a special and unique initiative for Canterbury’s Women’s side, the Player of the Day car provides physical recognition of the player’s mammoth efforts on the field, and ensures they can get to trainings and games for the next week in style, thanks to Miles Toyota!
Gallery - FPC Headshots
New year, new threads as all 48 clubs feature in our 2023 Canterbury Jersey! This jersey is also the same one that has been given out to our U9 and U10 teams for Player of the Days!
Linwood win ‘déjà vu’ as top six confirmed in the Bascik Transport Metro Premier.
The top six in the Bascik Transport Metro Premier competition is set, following an enthralling weekend of playoff rugby.
All six games on the weekend were close encounters, with the biggest margin just nine points, achieved in High School Old Boys’ 21-12 Qualifying Final win over minor premiers University.
Alongside Marist Albion, who prevailed in the mud at Edgar MacIntosh Park 26-24 over Lincoln University, both victors are gifted a week off, awaiting the winners of this weekend’s Trophy Semi-Finals, with University of Canterbury and Lincoln University hosting Linwood and New Brighton respectively this weekend.
New Brighton reversed their round robin result in a win against Sumner, triumphing 25-21 at Rawhiti Domain to progress, while Linwood played out a repeat of last year’s Elimination Final against Shirley, once again winning by a single point in a thriller, which was decided by a Josh Jennings’ penalty in the 83rd minute to edge it 37-36.
“It was a little bit of déjà vu,” said Linwood Head Coach Sam Jack, “it’s a great rivalry (with Shirley) and anyone can win on the day in finals footy.”
“It was a pretty nailbiting sort of a game, Shirley played really, really well and they took their opportunities, being up by eight points with five minutes to play, anyone could have taken it and we were really lucky for it to be us and to move on.”
The win means Linwood travel to Ilam this weekend looking to go one better than last year, with the goal to celebrate fullback Anthony Tailua’s 100th game by moving on to the preliminary finals in 2023.
“It sets up a different type game for us than last week, they’re a young side who use a lot of width, so it’ll be a game of two different styles.”
“The Finals come with a different pressure, obviously it’s all or nothing, rather than during the round robin where you’ve got next week to work on your mistakes, so on the day, you’ve just got to get the job done.”
Elsewhere in the Plate section, Burnside and Sydenham escaped close Qualifying Finals at home, with both games following the script of the weekend with results that could have gone either way.
Burnside held on under sustained pressure from Christchurch to ensure their passage through to the Plate Semi-Finals with a 20-17 win, while Sydenham relied on a late penalty from Jack MacLeod to see off Belfast 24-23.
Burnside now travel to Burwood Park and Shirley, while Sydenham have the uneviable task of heading to Sumner’s St Leonard’s Square, with spots in the Plate Final on the line.
The last match of the round sees Christchurch host Belfast in the 11th vs 12th Playoff, as teams begin to look to end their season on a high.
Bascik Transport Premier Men’s - Playoffs
Bascik Transport Moment that Delivered - Waller secures Belfast appearance record
“It’s a pretty amazing effort, there’s only a few guys at each club, that have the longevity that they do like Luke, proud one club people,” said Hema, “he’s an extremely humble and proud man, one of very few words to be fair, but on the field, he’s really passionate for his club and he works tirelessly.”
“He’s a great role model for the club and our juniors. We need our kids to come through and look up to guys like Luke, we’ve got the pillars of pride here at Belfast, and he is someone that personifies that club spirit.”
While Belfast didn’t quite get over the line against Sydenham, Luke Waller put in the work around the field, celebrating his big occasion with the Man of the Match award too.
A proud club man, Belfast’s Luke Waller can now add another milestone to his club career, breaking Ryan Hansen’s club appearance record with his 217th Premier game for his side, captaining Belfast in their Plate Qualifying Final on the weekend.
Playing for Belfast since he was 4 years old, Waller is a proud club man who, when spoken to last year upon his 200th game, spoke about his love for the club and the game.
“I started out as a 4 year old in my older brothers team, probably not that interested in the rugby side, but have played pretty much every year for Belfast since then, so that’s about 30 years in the green and gold.” said Waller.
“I love competing and testing myself, and now I have got to the point where I want to help the club keep pushing and developing.”
Jimmy Hema, Head Coach of the Belfast Cobras, spoke to the amazing longevity of Waller, who leads from the front on the pitch.
Bascik Transport Premier Reserve Tahi and Rua - Playoffs
Showcase round robin match up scheduled for the final round of the Luisetti Seeds Ellesmere Division 1
Waihora and Prebbleton remain the teams to beat in this year’s Luisetti Seeds Ellesmere Division 1, with unbeaten résumés setting up a mouthwatering clash this weekend, as the two sides face off for top spot in the final round robin match of the season.
Both sides ensured tricky match ups over the weekend wouldn’t stop their forward momentum, with Waihora travelling to Darfield and coming away with a 20-10 win, while Prebbleton defended home turf against West Melton, winning 38-8.
It sets up both a repeat of the Luisetti Seeds Combined Competition Semi-Finals and potential finals precursor this weekend, with Prebbleton travelling to Waihora, who will also host the Ellesmere Senior Club Finals Day on the 29th of July.
"It was muddy conditions again, we probably haven’t played our best rugby in the last couple of weeks, so it was nice to bounce back and play an 80-minute game with some good counter-attacking rugby given the conditions” said Prebbleton Head Coach Simon Fitzgerald.
“It does indeed” said Fitzgerald when asked about this weekend setting up to be a big game, “we’re focussing on each game, one at a the time.”
Elsewhere, Southbridge enjoyed a successful Pasifika Day, with wins in both Division 1 and 2 over Hornby as the club celebrating the strong Pasifika community that provides so much to the club.
In the round’s final fixture, Springston broke their duck, beating Lincoln Rolleston 15-10 in a tight tussle at Lincoln Domain.
Luisetti Seeds Ellesmere Division 1 - July 15
Luisetti Seeds North Canterbury Division 1 - July 15
Family the focus for Thomas and Linwood
Bascik Transport Metro Premier semi-finalists Linwood get high praise from skipper Tepasu Thomas for having a strong family focus, something that also saw the club awarded Club of the Year at the Canterbury Rugby Awards last year.
Born and bred in Porirua, Thomas sought a team that aligned with his family values when he moved to Christchurch and found that at Linwood Rugby Club. Having stints with Waitaha, Mid Canterbury and Southland Stags, Thomas has remained at Linwood for the last eight years, and now captains the Premier side.
Thomas says Linwood Rugby Club is his children’s second home, attending trainings with him, as well as calling him coach for their own junior teams. “It’s a bit of a safe space for them” he says.
Sport seems to run rampant through the Thomas family with his oldest boy playing rugby, basketball, touch and now league which Thomas also helps to coach. It’s special to Thomas to be able to watch them play and says “It’s important we can get behind our kids.”
Linwood Rugby Club is the “perfect spot for me and my family” says Thomas, “everyone is welcome at Linwood, and I think that’s the most special thing about it.”
Having teams in Premier, Premier Reserve, Colts and Women’s, Thomas notes that the Women’s team numbers have increased significantly this year “its amazing for them, they’ve been grinding for the last few years. They did struggle for a while there, but I’ve seen over the last couple years they’ve manged to get a few more women and girls come along and train with them.”
Not only does Thomas show pride in his club’s family orientated focus, he also speaks highly of their inclusivity of anyone wanting to lace up their boots, even if it’s their first time, saying there is a team for anyone “everyone’s really welcoming, and we can make it work somehow.”
Asked about his highlights at Linwood, Thomas is quick to say it’s being around the boys he plays with, due to the culture they have built over the last few years which makes it easy to bring in new people to their environment.
Despite rugby being a big part of their players lives, Linwood Rugby Club knows that family comes first, “You see people a lot happier when there’s not that added extra pressure. That’s our point of difference and what we find is important to us here at Linwood.”
Linwood will play University of Canterbury in the semi-finals after beating Shirley last weekend 37-36.
Written by Hannah Yates
Miles Toyota Premiership & Championship - July 15
