Off the Ball for Monday 3 April

A new series for Mondays looking at some of the news in briefs, milestones, happenings, statistics and observations from the weekend of rugby just gone.

Off the Ball is in association with Rob Law Max , Lovelocks Sports Bar  and Harcourts Johnsonville 

The Hutt Old Boys Marist Eagles Premier Reserves were the first team to run out on to Ngatitoa Domain from Paremata-Plimmerton’s new visitors’ changing rooms on Saturday. when Club Rugby visited last week, well-known local Premier players Apirana McMillan-Parata and Matt de Terte were busy putting the finishing touches on the new dressing rooms, which includes new toilets and gas fired showers (so they never get cold). This is the just completed stage one of the clubrooms re-development, and now the players are catered for stages two and three will see an internal refit of the existing clubrooms and then the construction of an elevated viewing platform on top.

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There were three sets of brothers in action for the Avalon Premiers on Saturday against Petone, with Logan and Corey Blake, Ben and Ale Peni and Tui and Danny Yandall all taking the field for the Wolves.

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All three Manaia brothers – Brett, Rei and Lake – were listed to take the field for the first time together for the HOBM Premiers against Paremata-Plimmerton, but Rei was a late scratching from the match.

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It was hard to miss Valentine Meachen at the bottom of rucks on Saturday. On a grey old day at Evans Bay Park, Valentine’s shiny lime boots brightened up the surroundings. Similarly, fullback Andrew Wells was often hard for the Upper Hutt Rams defence to catch in his bright orange boots.

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Saturday also saw up-and-coming referee Matt Thomas take charge of his first Premier Reserve match with the Ories vs Tawa game at the Polo Ground. Matt is a past representative swimmer and swimming coach who took up refereeing in 2015 and was last year awarded the WRRA's 'Most Promising Second Year' accolade.

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Mike Buckley, Marist St Pat’s wing and walking highlight reel, must be grabbing the attention of the Lions selectors. He has scored tries in each of the first three games this season and has eight tries from his last ten outings.

With their 35-7 win over the Rams, Buckley's MSP extends their 15-year winning streak over Upper Hutt to 25 games. MSP midfielder Billy Proctor would have been three years old the last time Upper Hutt prevailed.

Northern United flanker Antony Fox has made a fast start to the new season, picking up two consecutive Best & Fairest competition Player of the Match accolades. Fox played for Old Boys University last year, spending much of his time in their Premier Reserve side.

Wainuiomata No. 8 Ben Tupuola is a former Best & Fairest winner competition winner, and he too was awarded 3 points for the second consecutive week on Saturday.

Adam Deck is making a good fist of the first five-eighth position for Oriental-Rongotai, after making most if not all of his 30 Premier appearances in 2015 and 2016 for Wellington at halfback. Deck has scored 32 points in his last two outings at 10 for Ories (both wins) and was awarded 3 Best & Fairest points on Saturday.

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Tawa’s high error rate and lack of discipline was to ultimately cost them their third consecutive loss to start the season, against Ories. The emergency room at Wellington Hospital may also need to reserve some seats for Tawa as they had two players make the journey there from the Polo Ground. Peniasi Tokakece (Broken Arm) and Vili Dakunimata (concussion and large gash wound to head) were the casualties. This after Randall Bishop made the trip there last week (broken leg).

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Marist St Pat’s held their Carnival Day on Sunday with over 150 in attendance. A feature was a game of touch between the juniors and the Premiers, which the kids took out by way of the 'last try wins' rule!

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In a young man’s competition, a shout out to the ex-players now in the coaching ranks. For example, the HOBM coaching team features four ex-Premier players with over 300 Premier caps collectively.

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Former Wellington College loose forward Tupou Sopoaga made his debut off the bench for the Highlanders against the Rebels on Friday night. Sopoaga, who switched to rugby league after finishing school in 2010, has returned to NZ and will play his NPC rugby for the Southland Stags. Tupou is of course Lima’s younger brother, while their youngest brother Toko was first five-eighth for Wellington College last year.

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The Wellington College First XV travelled to New Plymouth yesterday and lost to Beauden and Jordie Barrett’s former Francis Douglas Memorial College First XV 32-22.

Rongotai College have been playing international opposition as part of their early season build-up to the WelTec Premiership competition. Last week their squads faced visiting Argentinean club side Cordoba. On Saturday they played against Scots College (Australia) and this coming week their U15 and U16 teams play against visiting Australians Marist Ashgrove from Brisbane.

The St Pat’s Town First XV has its first hit-out for 2017 this coming Sunday at home against Marlborough Boys’ College. MBC finished sixth of 15 teams in last year’s Crusaders region First XV Championship.

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TJ Perenara’s try-scoring feats for the Hurricanes roll on. Perenara, who made his debut for Northern United whilst still at school in 2010, scored his third try of the season on Saturday night against the Reds to take his career To 40 tries in 83 appearances. How does that compare on the all-time Hurricanes list? The Hurricanes’ all-time leading try-scorers are Christian Cullen (56 tries), Tana Umaga (48) Ma’a Nonu (44, plus 6 more for other teams) and Julian Savea (44, still playing). He’s also got a way to go to become the Hurricanes’ leading points scoring halfback – that honour belongs to another former captain, Jon Preston, who scored 300 points for the Hurricanes. Preston also kicked goals. Perenara is also already the leading try-scorer amongst the Super Rugby halfbacks. Our (unofficial) records of the top five Super Rugby try-scoring halfbacks are: TJ Perenara (Hurricanes) 40; Sarel Pretorius (Waratahs/Cheetahs) 26; Andy Ellis (Crusaders) 26; Fourie du Preez (Bulls) 22; George Gregan (Brumbies) 21.

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The Hurricanes Development Typhoons side continued their unbeaten season on Saturday, beating the Blues Development side 45-35, after being behind 19-21 at halftime. Explosive Avalon hooker Asafo Aumua scored three tries.

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The future of the Hurricanes is in good hands, with 10 of its players in the New Zealand Under 20s squad named for the Oceania U20s tournament in Australia next month - Asafo Aumua, Tim Farrell, Alex Fidow, Marino Mikaele-Tu'u, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Jordie Barrett (vc), Tiaan Falcon, Kemara Hauiti-Parapara, Carlos Price.

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At the other end of their playing careers, the Golden Oldies season kicks off this coming Sunday up the coast, with the Kapiti Gorillaz hosting the annual “Wongo”. As well as rugby, plenty of food and drink will be consumed by the visiting teams who carry names such as Saints & Sinners, Jugglers, Wags, Blues Bros, Pies, Milhillians, Gazbos, Y/Bellies, Crusaders, Gangsters, Avanother and the Evergreens.

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Cardiff University and its partners have received £165,000 to develop an anti-concussion material which could be used in new protective headgear for players. The University's School of Engineering has been working to develop an energy-absorbing material known as "C3", in collaboration with the University of Cambridge. In 2016, the US Supreme Court upheld a US$1 billion (NZ$1.5 billion) settlement between the NFL and retired players who had suffered brain damage as a result of concussions.

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From the Otago Daily Times’ write-up of last weekend’s second round of Otago club rugby matches, - former Tawa lock/flanker Joketani Koroi getting a mention In Harbour’s 28-5 win over Taieri: “Lock Chucky Koroi proved an imposing force, often committing three defenders as he ran the ball up. The front row was also a solid trio in set piece for Harbour with loosehead prop Benny Rumble offering stability at scrum time. Hooker Morgan Buchanan gave T-Pole and Koroi good service at the lineouts.”

Almost a full team of recent and former Wellington players could be formed from the Bay of Plenty Premier competition. Teamlists so far have featured Solomona Sakalia (ex-MSP, now Mt Maunganui), Luke Campbell (OBU, captaining Te Puke Sports), Josh Robertson-Weepu (Wainuiomata, now Te Puke), Henry Stowers (Wainuiomata, Aratahi), Shahn Eru (Wainuiomata, Te Puna), Kane Le’aupepe (Oies, Te Puke), Ruki Tipuna (Poneke, Rangataua), Steve Honey (HOBM, Tauranga Sports) and Malakai Kisinia (HOBM, Mt Maunganui). No sign of Chase Tiatia – he must be injured still.

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In the black. The WRFU posted a surplus of $191,000 at its AGM last week – but it was its biggest since 2006. WRFU’s financial result represents a major turnaround after the union lost $1.6 million during a difficult 2015.

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Interclub Trophies coming up in Saturday’s fourth round of the Swindale Shield include the Billy Herbert Memorial Trophy (Avalon v HOBM), the Barlow Trophy (Northern United v Johnsonville), the Jimmy Brown Memorial Trophy (Petone v Ories), the Alby Jack Memorial Cup (Poneke v Upper Hutt Rams) and the Murray and Alan Mexted Cup (Tawa v Wellington).

All other grades start up this coming Saturday – look out for news and details of these through the WRFU channels and in previews later this week.

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Contributions to Off the Ball to: editor@clubrugby.co.nz