Off the Ball for 3 July

Above, as the caption in the original photo alludes to, Hataitai Park is looking well-manicured at the moment, probably why Saturday’s curtain-raiser between the Wellington Axemen and Johnsonville second XVs was a 5-5 draw. Johnsonville won the Hardham Cup match that followed 17-5, and it wasn’t a day for sweeping back play.

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

Looking at some of the news in briefs, milestones, happenings, statistics and observations from the weekend of rugby just gone and what’s coming up this week.

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The curtain has come down on a big weekend of rugby, on and off the field.

Fantastic to see all the British and Irish Lions supporters around town this week, not only in the bars and clubs of Wellington, but many also in attendance at local First XV games last Wednesday and at club fixtures on Saturday. Some 250 touring Lions supporters started their Test preparations on Saturday at Kilbirnie Park with the Poneke and Paremata-Plimmerton match as the back drop. Over 500 were there on Friday for a Golden Oldies tournament and celebrations afterwards.

Friday also saw the relative rarity of night rugby at Ngati Toa Domain as two scratch sides of players from Paremata-Plimmerton’s Reserve Grade Punters, Presidents, and Golden Oldies Jugglers and Lions supporters staying out at the Domain took to the #2 field. After 60 minutes of high-speed action players and supporters retired to clubrooms to continue discussion

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The international series moves back up to Auckland this week, but the local rugby just gets better.
More First XV rugby this coming Wednesday, with two WelTec Premiership matches. Rongotai College hosts St Pat’s Silverstream at 1.30pm and Porirua College hosts Tawa College at 3.00pm (both kick-off times TBC) in a fixture that is also a Beard Trophy defence. There is a full round of schoolgirls games scheduled, including St Mary’s College versus Aotea College at Te Whaea at 4.30pm in a replay of last year’s girls final.

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Congratulations to Northern United Women’s prop Mau Tavita for playing her 200th match for her club on Saturday, in her 18th season of playing since making her debut in 1999. She celebrated her milestone by scoring a try in their 38-7 win over Old Boys University. Second five-eighth Jessica Akavai played her 50th game for Norths in the same game.

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The colour the British and Irish supporters brought to Wellington on Saturday was extended to pre-game at the Petone Rec, with the Petone and Norths Premiers ushered on to the field at the Petone by a Scottish piped band. Radio Sport commentator Gordon Noble-Campbell was joined on the Microphone by UK talkSPORT host and Lions commentator Andrew McKenna who added plenty of colour to the broadcast.

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The early match at Lyndhurst Park on Saturday between the Tawa and OBU Premier Reserves was abandoned just before halftime. A serious head injury to the Tawa Hooker required him to be taken to hospital for concussion The match was 12-12 at the time the game was halted by Referee Richard Gordon  Both teams awarded 3 points.

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The Upper Hutt Rams have been involved in two of the fastest tries scored this season, for and against! They conceded a try directly from the opening kick-off a few weeks ago against Poneke, letting the ball bounce and allowing Poneke to pour through and go 7-0 up before any Rams player had touched the ball. On Saturday, Rams flanker Josh Brown scored a super-fast try against the Avalon Wolves. Lock Vern Sosefo crossed soon after for the first of two tries and at 14-0 up, the Rams heading for victory. Former Northern United fullback Buxton Popoalii scored a similar try against OBU at the Basin Reserve a few years ago. What have been some of the other fast tries?

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The Rams’ other lock, Aidan Woodward, played his 50th Premier match for the club last weekend, In a few weeks Woodward heads to Edinburgh to join the Watsonians club. He has a one-year contract with Watsonians in the National League Division 1 competition. He has a five-year ancestry visa so could be over there for a few seasons and perhaps follow in the footsteps of Blair Cowan, another St Pat’s Silverstream old boy and Upper Hutt player who has forged a professional career in Scotland.

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Halfback Kemara Hauiti-Parapara came on as a second half substitution last Tuesday for the Hurricanes against the British & Irish Lions – a memorable first provincial/franchise cap. John Schwalger was another player to make his first-class debut against the British and Irish Lions, playing the first of his combined 166 matches for the Hurricanes/Lions, against them in 2005 for the Wellington Lions.

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At the other end of his career, Oriental-Rongotai lock Mark Reddish has retired from all rugby. Reddish, who played for the Wellington Lions from 2009-16 and for the Highlanders, announced his retired on the Harlequins website. Reddish said: “Having to retire is extremely difficult, but given the medical advice I have received, it's the best decision long term for me and my young family. “I thoroughly enjoyed living in England and I am sad to cut my time short. I wish the boys all the best for the up-coming season and beyond."

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No change at the top of the Best & Fairest standings after Saturday’s fourth round of Jubilee Cup matches. Tawa’s Hemi Fermanis was ill late last week and had the day off but remains in front on 21, ahead of Wainuiomata’s Ben Tupuola who earned one point to move to 20. Petone centre Lester Maulolo is third on 16. A group of players further down the standings are still in contention if they make their moves this coming weekend.

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Poneke fullback Michael Sage scored his first try of the second round on Saturday to take his season tally to 13 tries. Sage leads the overall season tries list with MSP wing Mike Buckley on 12, Petone centre Lester Maulolo on 11 and Ories centre Aukuso Tuitama, HOBM five-eighth Brandyn Laursen and OBU flanker Daven Candy all on 10. Upper Hutt Rams right wing Joyner Key is the leading overall points scorer with 180 points, ahead of OBU flyhalf Dale Sabbargh on 175 and Tawa first five-eighth James So’oialo and Ories 9/10 Adam Deck (currently injured) both on 159.

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St Bernard’s College hosted a touring Irish school Blackrock College on Saturday. St Bernard’s College beat the Blackrock boys 43-0 in the First XV clash, while Blackrock won 48-12 in the Second XV match.

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When SBW was shown red and the All Blacks subbed off flanker Jerome Kaino for Anton Leinert-Brown, who else was thinking that Ardie Savea was ready-made for that role? After all, he was a former star at second five-eighth for Rongotai College a few years ago when he captained their First XV team. A slightly higher level, but some sentimentality for local fans perhaps.

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The last time the All Blacks lost at Eden Park was in 1994 against France.

When was the last time the All Blacks failed to score a try in a Test in New Zealand?

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