Off the Ball for 18 September

Avove: Young guns celebrating. Try scorer Isaia Walker-Leaware, halfback Kemara Hauiti-Parapara and wing Malo Tuitama after Walker-Leaware's chargedown try that started a run that saw the Lions score 45 second half points against Canterbury. Photo by David Brownlie Photos - more here

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.

Terrific win for the Wellington Lions on Sunday afternoon against Canterbury, who were previously unbeaten and seemingly marching towards an unbeaten season and another Premiership title.

The 60-14 win was comfortably Wellington’s biggest win – in terms of points scored (60) and margin of victory (46 points) over Canterbury since the start of the NPC era in 1976 (and possibly the biggest ever dating back to 1887).

The top five biggest wins by Wellington over Canterbury since 1976 by points scored have been:
60-14 (2017)
48-11 (1990)
37-28 (1994)
37-28 (2011)
36-23 (2006)

The top five biggest wins by Wellington over Canterbury since 1976 by margin of victory have been:
60-14 (2017) – 46 points
48-11 (1990) – 37 points
31-6 (1981) – 25 points
29-7 (1978) – 22 points
27-6 (1991) and 27-6 (1999) – 21 points

This coming Saturday the Lions play another Premiership side, Waikato, in Hamilton. There are four matches to come for the Lions in the round-robin and a win over the Mooloo could see them qualify top for the Championship semi-finals with three weeks to spare.

The Championship points table at a glance is: Wellington 27, Northland 16, Otago 14, Manawatu 11, BoP 11, Hawke’s Bay 5, Southland 0.

Statistics aside, it’s only all good for local rugby supporters that players are being chosen from the ranks of club rugby as well as the Academy, with guys like Regan Verney, Mateaki Kafatolu and Will Mangos good examples. In turn, this strengthens the club competition and heightens interest in it going forward.

+++++

The Wellington Pride have now won two from three in the Women’s NPC, following their gutsy 11-5 win over Waikato at a windy and wet and generally substandard for first-class rugby Marist Park in Hamilton.

The Pride dominated early with their direct play up the middle but Waikato scored the game’s first try and only points of the first half with a try out wide against the run of play. Pride halfback Acacia Te Iwimate kicked 45th and 55th minute penalties to put her side ahead 6-5. The Pride were held up over the line in a crucial passage of play before lock Sanita Levave drove over to score the match-clinching try in the 65th minute.

The Pride return home to host the Auckland Storm this coming Saturday. Former women’s powerhouse Auckland have been usurped by Counties Manukau in recent times, losing 12-36 to them on Saturday.

+++++

A shout-out to ball boys and girls and scoreboard operators, both of whom were missing from Jerry Collins Stadium on Saturday. A good two minutes of play would have been lost there whilst the ball was retrieved on several occasions after being kicked out in the Wellington Maori – Hawke’s By Saracens match, while everyone there had to keep their own clock and score (all 73 points)with the electronic scoreboard dormant for the afternoon.

+++++

One of those spectators in the stand was Upper Hutt Rams and Wellington Maori outside back Max Pearson, complete with a brand new plaster cast on his leg and crutches. Pearson broke his ankle last Thursday whilst playing a student-staff netball match at his place of employment at Heretaunga College. It is now doubtful whether he’ll be playing any local club or representative sevens rugby this summer, but the Rams will hope to have him back for the New Zealand Club Sevens in early 2018.

+++++

Pearson’s former Rams teammate Jason Woodward has told the Daily Mail of his desire to wear the red rose of England. He qualifies via his grandmother, who was born and raised in London, and activated a relegation release clause in his contract at Bristol this summer to leave and join Gloucester “I would take immense pride putting on an England jersey if it was to happen one day,” he said. “It is something I work hard for and aspire to do.” Woodward spent five months at Hartpury College, where Gloucester now train, on an exchange programme with his Wellington school aged 17 before returning on a scholarship to study a Sports science, coaching & conditioning degree.

Woodward and Jeremy Thrush’s Gloucester went down to Leicester 10-24 on Saturday in English Premiership rugby. Not a good weekend for Pearson and Woodward’s former Rams teammate Blair Cowan either, who was sent off after two yellow cards in London Irish’s 7-36 loss to Sale!

Northern United’s Alapati Leiua started in the midfield in his new club Bristol’s 50-5 win over Richmond in the second-tier Championship, while his former club with OBU/Petone first five-eighth Jimmy Gopperth, Wasps, went down to Harlequins 21-24.

+++++

Marist St Pat’s have reappointed this year’s Premier coaches Andrew Robinson and Bernie Upton for 2018. The club has also appointed a new Colts coaching team consisting of Mike Tolova’a as the Head Coach who will be assisted by Malaga Leota, JT Tolova’a and Fa’atonu Fili. 

+++++

There were three current Old Boys University Goats that took the field for the Hawke’s Bay Magpies against the Counties Manukau Steelers yesterday. Starting loose forwards Hugh Renton and Marino Mikaele Tu'u were joined by reserve prop Tim Farrell. Former MSP midfielder Cardiff Vaega was also in the starting line-up.

Scorer of two tries in the Jubilee Cup final, Daven Candy was OBU’s Player of the Year at their awards on Saturday night while Chris Hicks won the U21 Player of the Year. Chris Crichton won the Premier Reserve Player of the Year and Emma Hopoi the Women’s Player of the Year.

Old Boys University have got a new club Facebook page. Like it here: https://www.facebook.com/OBURugby

+++++

The Wellington Maori versus Hawke’s Bay Saracens match on Saturday had an international flavour in Ben O’Keeffe as referee. Ben has travelled the world this year officiating in both Super and Test Rugby, so great to see him at Porirua. He backed-up on Sunday as AR at the Stadium on Sunday as well, and will take charge of his first Rugby Championship Test with South Africa and Australia in Bloemfontein next weekend.

Three of the six Heartland Championship matches on Saturday were controlled by Wellington referees, with Richard Gordon doing Thames Valley v Buller in Paeroa (a game marred by a lengthy injury delay involving a Thames Valley player) before also backing up as AR yesterday, Vincent Ringrose had North Otago v King Country in Oamaru and Nick Hogan the local grudge match between Poverty Bay and East Coast in Gisborne. In the top flight Men’s NPC Mike Fraser was in Dunedin for the Otago v Tasman clash.

+++++

In school rugby the first of the local sevens tournaments - the ‘Hutt Cup’ tournament, was postponed on Saturday to a yet-to-be-advised date after overnight rain led to the fields at the venue, Naenae College, being closed. Shouldn’t be any such problems for this weekend coming’s Derek Wootten Memorial event, which is scheduled for the artificial turfs of Wakefield Park.

Senior rugby clubs around the region are now turning their attention to the sevens season as well, with training getting underway at most club grounds.

+++++

Like the Lions against Canterbury on Sunday, the All Blacks scored a record amount of points against the Springboks at North Harbour on Saturday night. The most points the All Blacks have scored against South Africa in Tests have been: 55 (2017), 42 (2016), 36 (2003), 33 (2011), 28 (2016 and 1999).

The anniversary of the lowest scoring match between the All Blacks and South Africa was yesterday when on 17 September 1921 the teams fought out a 0-0 draw in driving rain at Athletic Park in Wellington.

+++++

This coming weekend’s representative schedule is due out later today, but more games at home including the Pride hosting Auckland (see above), the Wellington Samoans and the Wellington Centurions and the Hurricanes U18s Finals Day (TBC).

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