Welcome from our Farah Palmer Cup Head Coach
I am so pleased to be given the opportunity to provide the welcome of this edition so I can express our gratitude, and thank our rugby community for all their support so far this season!
As we head into this weekends final, I want to acknowledge what an absolute honour it is to coach this team alongside the rest of our management team. To see so many incredible performances, and new players take their place on the field in red and black is something truly special.
Like any team we’ve had our challenges, however with your support here we are in the grand final, ready to put our best foot forward and leave it all on the field.
So on behalf of the Canterbury FPC players and management THANK YOU!
Solomona Paraki
Farrah Palmer Cup Head Coach
Off to the big dance!
Canterbury will head to Waikato to play for the Farah Palmer Cup Premiership Final presented by Bunnings Warehouse this Saturday, making it their eighth consecutive final, six of which have been played at home.
With five premiership wins across the previous seven finals, only three will be trudging into familiar territory with many heading to the premiership final for the first time.
The season’s fresh blood is being well prepared, with guidance from the stalwarts standing on the field beside them; players such as captain Laura Bayfield who has made the highest number of tackles won across all provinces, nurturing debutants like Winnie Palamo who has scored the second highest number of tries as well as the most clean breaks in this FPC season.
“They have been influential in many ways” said Mona Paraki, Head Coach, “leading with actions at training but also giving guidance with what preparation should look like each week. They have been great role models to our debutants”. Exceptional support is also coming from behind the scenes of the game, “We have some real special people that support the team in the background who have been influential towards our journey to get to another final”.
Canterbury Rugby was the first union in New Zealand to invest in a full time female coach last year, proving that pathways have been evolved, not purely for players, but for those amongst the community and management as well. “Not only have we had a number of debutants take the field this year, we also have Mona in his first season as head coach and all of the assistant coaches who are in their first season as well” said Tony Smail, CRFU CEO.
Smail also spoke of the pride the Union has of our wāhine making yet another Premiership final, “We are enormously proud of our Farah Palmer Cup side. The way in which they have been playing and really finishing their games has been incredible” he said, “This shows the energy that exists within this team, their fitness and belief in themselves to bring it home”.
Former Canterbury player and Black Fern, Kendra Cocksedge who reached her 100th game wearing the red and black jersey in the 2022 FPC final win against Auckland, said “Canterbury is a great province to be part of, there is a new group of emerging players this year and they have worked hard throughout the season and now have the opportunity to play finals footy".
So, what does a Canterbury centurion and Black Fern suggest before taking on the biggest game of the season? “Finals are a different beast, the team need to be patient and win all the little moments and out work the opposition in every element of the game”.
This is certainly a game you do not want to miss.
Watch it live on Sky Sport, Saturday 5th October at 12:35pm.
words by Hannah Yates
Tournament takeover
Two South Island tournaments will reach their pinnacle these school holidays, with U16 Boys already underway this week and U18 Girls kicking off on Sunday. Both tournaments spanned September, now the sixteen U16 Boys and six U18 Girls teams will now go head to head in their respective finals in Canterbury.
Playing potentially three games in three days will no doubt be an element the coaches and players are mindful of. Sam Chamberlain, Head Coach of U16 Boys Metro Black says they’re very excited about the games ahead and plan to take each one as it comes, “Being smart with rest and recovery after each game, giving yourselves the best chance to perform the following day”.
The South Island Tournaments are vital for our teenage players to reach their rugby potential, creating pathways through to High Performance teams. Sophie Anderson, Canterbury U18 girl’s Campaign Manager, says there will be several scouts during the tournament including FPC academy coaches. “Canterbury in particular, has worked incredibly hard to grow the alignment between their FPC team and the U18s space” said Anderson, “Our hope is that this pathway continues to feed into FPC and build on the success that we continue to see in our Women’s space”.
Captain of the North Canterbury U16 Boys side, Ethan Morgan, also acknowledged the tournament as being a positive experience, saying “the tournament provides a great opportunity for the talent around North Canterbury to come together and get some rep exposure”.
words by Hannah Yates
Team Lists
Ray White Rugby Volunteers Day
An afternoon of community kicks, engagement with players, inflatable fun, and tasty kai! We had such a great time hosting over 200 of our extended whānau at Rugby Park for the Ray White Volunteers Day this week! Smiles a plenty, it was awesome to get together and show our appreciation for all the hard mahi that goes on in club land. It’s all about our grassroots!
Upcoming tournaments and fixtures
South Island U16 Boys Tournament | 3 - 5 October at Waihora RFC
Farah Palmer Cup Grand Final | 5 October at FMG Stadium Waikato | K.O 12:35pm
NPC Round 9 vs Waikato | 5 October at Apollo Projects Stadium | K.O 7:05pm
South Island U18 Girls Tournament | 6 - 8 October at Ngā Puna Wai
Click here for the tournament draws
