Welcome to the second to last issue of The Red & Black!
My name is Riki Tahere and I am one of the Game Developers here at Canterbury Rugby, focusing on playing and coaching predominantly in the Metro area, along with a number of Canterbury wide initiatives.
2023 has been a massive year for our team, and we’ve achieved a lot to be proud of, working closely with our community and the wider Canterbury sports fraternity to develop our coaching and playing network, ensuring everyone continues to get the most out of being associated with our great game.
In recent weeks, this has seen us run a number of World Rugby Level 2 Developing Rugby Coaches courses, for both 15’s and 7’s, continuing the focus on developing our coaches through into the off season. Keep an eye out in 2024 for more opportunities to develop your coaching!
One project I am particularly proud of is the Coaches Corner podcast, which has allowed us to talk to a number of interesting individuals, such as Sir Steve Hansen, Wayne Smith and Owen Eastwood, all opening our eyes to different aspects and areas of coaching. We have just released our 50th episode, and you can find our podcast on either Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Next week, alongside the other Game Developers from Metro, Ellesmere & North Canterbury, we have the opportunity to lead the Canterbury XV in their match with the NZ Heartland XV in Methven. You can find out more about this team and their upcoming match below in another great edition of The Red & Black.
Ngā mihi,
Riki Tahere
Game Developer, Canterbury Rugby Football Union
Community Welcome
Canterbury Rugby Representative sides represented throughout XV’s squad to take on New Zealand Heartland
Players from 13 Clubs and six of Canterbury’s senior representative sides feature in the Canterbury XV squad to take on the New Zealand Heartland XV in Methven next week, showcasing the incredible depth present throughout Canterbury Rugby.
Four players with NPC experience feature, with prop Carisbrook Toomalatai, halfback Joel Lam and hookers James Mullan and Nick Hyde amongst the squad, while fellow halfback Nic Shearer, named in the NPC squad this season, returns from a broken thumb with his inclusion in the XV’s squad.
The side also features a couple of players who showcased their talents on loan in the Bunnings Heartland Championship, with West Coast and Sydenham’s Tumama Tu’ulua and Buller and Lincoln University’s George Reeves, with both relishing the opportunity to go head-to-head with their teammates.
The team will be led by the Canterbury Rugby Game Development team and Head Coach Riki Tahere, with Mark Croft, Nathan Brown and Craig Mullan as Assistants, providing the four coaches with an opportunity to continue their own personal coaching journeys. Amongst the coaching crew will also be Canterbury winger Manasa Mataele, who will continue his own individual pathway into coaching.
“It’s an excellent opportunity for a number of our squad to have the opportunity to play first class rugby in the Canterbury colours.” Said Head Coach Tahere, “We’ve got a great range of experience and backgrounds here, with boys’ playing their rugby across Canterbury.”
“We’re really excited about the opportunity of taking on the Heartland XV, the Heartland competition is such a special part of our provincial rugby system, and we can't wait to see both teams showcase their skills come Wednesday next week.”
The match in Methven kicks off at 4pm on the 1st of November, with the fixture also being livestreamed by New Zealand Rugby.
Condor 7’s Qualifiers Gallery
Two days of 7’s action at Ngā Puna Wai has seen St Thomas and Christchurch Boys’ High qualify out of the boys’ and Christchurch Girls’ High and St Andrew’s earning a spot out of the girls’ qualifiers for the 2023 Condor 7’s, which is scheduled to take place in Mt Maunganui in December!
Sevens season in full swing
Off the back of Condor 7’s, keep an eye out for these upcoming tournaments.
School Leavers 7’s Festival - Ilam Fields
Get a your mates together and enter a team in the Leavers '23 7's Festival, this Sunday at Ilam Fields to round off a big day of rugby!
The Festival is designed to introduce boys' in Year 12 & 13 to Club Rugby as their time at school comes to a close, but also giving them the chance to jam with your mates!
Find out more and register here - https://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/270157
Senior Club Sevens
The Canterbury Club 7’s take place on the 4th of November at Ilam Fields, with the South Island Club Sevens on the 11th and 12th of November at the same place!
Details on the South Island Club Sevens can be found here - https://www.canterburyrugby.co.nz/si-club-sevens
Teams named for crunch international fixtures
11 Cantabrians have been named in the crunch international fixtures, as the All Blacks look to take out this year’s Rugby World Cup, while the Black Ferns head to Dunedin for the first time in 26 years to get their WXV campaign back on track against Wales.
Four Cantabrians have made the World Cup Final side, with Codie Taylor and Richie Mo’unga starting, and Tamaiti Williams and Sam Whitelock coming off the bench. It will be a momentus occasion for Sam Whitelock, with the lock becoming the first male to play in three World Cup Finals, capping off an incredible international career spanning 152 caps.
Canterbury will also have seven Black Ferns in the side this weekend for their only home test in the South Island this year. Georgia Ponsonby, Amy Rule, Chelsea Bremner, Amy Du Plessis are amongst the starting XV. Alana Bremner, Lucy Jenkins and Martha Mataele will provide the impact off the pine.
Referee Uerata makes debut at the international level
Canterbury Rugby Referee Taneika Uerata made her Test debut as an Assistant Referee on the weekend, running touch for the opening game of the WXV 1 between Australia and England.
She formed an entirely Kiwi team alongside referee Lauren Jenner (refereeing out of Italy) and her fellow assistant Maggie Cogger-Orr!
What’s happening at Rugby Park?
If you frequent the area around Rugby and Malvern Parks, you may see that there is a bit of work going on!
Our great partners at Grounds & Services Ltd are helping us bring both grounds up to scratch over the offseason, as we look to give our favourite grounds a spruce up.
As you can see from the photos below, the ground is already unrecognisable as GSL get into their work!
