Off the Ball for 25 September

Above: Members of the Wellington Samoans team after their thrilling 28-27 Festival Cup win over the Wellington Centurions on Saturday. Photo by Andy McArthur. More photos 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.

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A busy past weekend for rugby capped off by the concluding rounds of some of the U18 and Festival/Hurricanes Development representative competitions and the start of the U16 tournament and college sevens tournaments.

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The Wellington Samoans U18s defended their Trustbank Central Secondary School Shield title and the Hawke’s Bay Saracens won the Hurricanes Shield.

The Centurions led the Wellington Samoans U18s 10-0 after as many minutes, but the Samoans came back to lead 19-10 at halftime before skipping clear to win 36-17. They won their third title in its 26th year of competition. In the other match on Saturday, Poverty Bay defeated East Coast by 24-7. Both Wanganui (to the Wellington Catholic Colleges team) and Horowhenua-Kapiti defaulted their matches.

The final standings in the U18 competition were: 1. Wellington Samoan RFU, 2. Centurions RFC, 3. Wellington Catholic Schools Rugby, 4. Wanganui RFU, 5. Poverty Bay RFU, 6. Horowhenua-Kapiti RFU, 7. Wairarapa-Bush RFU, 8. East Coast RFU.

A Wellington U18 team was selected afterwards to play Tongan Schools at Porirua Park next Monday at 1pm. The team is:

1. Moala Katoa (Scots College),2. Maraaki Tiatia-Boyle (Scots College), 3. Werdna Maligi (Scots College), 4. Tama Kapene (Scots College), 5. Mellennum Leota (Well Coll), 6. AJ Hart (St Pat’s Town), 7. Alex Faifailoa (Wainuiomata HS), 8. Mitchell Stringer (HVHS), 9. Kyle Preston (Tawa Coll), 10. Matiu Samuel (Rongotai Coll), 11. Caleb Cavubati (Scots Coll), 12. Eli Moata’a (Porirua Coll), 13. Tai Neli (Scots Colle), 14. Tominiko Maiava (Well Coll), 15. Jack Gray (Scots Coll), 16. Katiu Ioane (Tawa Coll), 17. Stanley Paese (Silverstream),18. DJ Taoipu (Rongotai Coll), 19. Junior Unese (Scots Coll), 20. Misi Faimalo (St Pat’s Town), 21. Malo Manuao (Scots Coll),22. Jason Tuitama (Rongotai Coll).

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The Hawke’s Bay Saracens beat the Manawatu Development team 21-19 to win the Hurricanes Cup, while the Wellington Samoans beat the Centurions 28-27 and the Wellington Maori side had the bye. The naming of the Wellington Development team is imminent, for a short series of games against Tasman Development on Saturday 30 September (away), Canterbury Development on Saturday 7 October (home) and Auckland Development on Saturday 14 October (away).

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The Hurricanes U16 tournament is in Wanganui in the first week of the upcoming school holidays. The A division is for the Don Broughton Shield and the B Division is for the Saracens Cup. Wellington is the defending champions in both divisions.

The first round of pre-tournament competition matches saw Wellington A beat Manawatu 59-10 and Hawke’s Bay beating Poverty Bay 43-10. In the Saracens Cup, Wellington Development toppled Horowhenua-Kapiti 43-10 and Hawke’s Bay Development beat Wairarapa-Bush 32-5.

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The Wellington U13s beat Horowhenua-Kapiti 43-17 on Saturday. They play their final match of their campaign this coming Saturday against Hawke’s Bay U14 in Palmerston North.

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Back home the sixth annual Derek Wooton Sevens tournament was won by St Pat’s Silverstream, who beat Wellington College 24-14 in the final. Silverstream had beaten Porirua College 32-0 in one semi-final, while Wellington College had defeated St Pat’s Town 2 39-10 in the other. The other two schools involved in the eight-team boys tournament were Newlands and Mana Colleges.

The Hutt Cup Sevens was previously postponed owing to wet fields, with organisers still hopeful of staging this soon.

The tournament is played in honour of Derek Wootton, who was a Porirua Police officer who was killed in the line of duty in July 2008. In 2009 the Trust was set up on the anniversary of his death. Derek was a foundation pupil of one of Bishop Viard College and played rugby for the old Porirua Rugby Club in the 1980s and was a keen supporter of the Norths Rugby Club. His brother John is a former Wellington Rugby Representative and Past President of the WRFU.

The school teams are gearing up for the Wellington Condor 7s tournament on Labour Day, Monday 23 October, at Naenae College. That will be a busy weekend, with the Wellington Samoan Rugby Union hosting a bumper Village Kings tournament on the Saturday and Sunday – details of that coming soon. 

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Congratulations on the Wellington players in the two New Zealand squads - two each from Wellington College and St Pat's Silverstream: New Zealand Schools’ team: Naitoa Ah Kuoi (Wellington College) and Josh Southall (Silverstream). New Zealand Schools Barbarians team: Taine Plumtree (Wellington College) and Kienan Higgins (Silverstream). The NZ Schools squad features six players from the national champion Hastings Boys’ High School team.

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The Wellington Pride were run down by the Auckland Storm on Saturday, but the two bonus points they got from Ayesha Leti-l’iga’s late try could be crucial for their semi-final chances. There are three rounds to play in the Farah Palmer Cup, with the Pride playing the Otago Spirit away this Saturday, followed by Counties Manukau at home and Canterbury away. Otago are coming off their bye and as their name suggests are a hugely spirited side while defending champions Counties Manukau and a resurgent Canterbury will both be tough opponents. See more here

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Likewise, the Wellington Lions’ next assignment is this coming Sunday at home at Westpac Stadium against Otago. Wellington (on 32 points) are 13 points clear of joint second-placed Otago and Bay of Plenty (19) so will just need a couple of bonus points to lock in a home Championship semi-final on 18 October. Wellington and Otago play for the Mike Gibson Memorial Trophy as well, after the former midfielder who played for both sides in the 1980s.

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The Australian NRC is in full swing as well. Old Boys University first five-eighth Hamish Buick featured on the bench for the Perth Spirit. The Perth side suffered a 5-41 loss to the Fijian Drua side in Suva, however.

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Scott Waldrom takes the reins as the Head Coach of the Avalon Wolves Premiers in 2018. Waldrom will be ably assisted by veteran current and recent players Errol Weston as Forwards Coach and Cameron Cross as Backs Coach. Blair Finlayson and Luisa Tuisamoa are managers.

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The Petone RFC held its prize giving this past weekend.The Watson Cup for Premier Team Back MVP was Lester Maulolo; while the Plant Cup for the Premier Team Forward MVP went to Jack Ross. The Bill Lark Trophy for the Age Grade Play of the Year was awarded to Kaliopasi Uluilakepa from the Colts. The Ian Upston Trophy for the Open Grade Player of the Year was awarded to Acacia Te Iwimate from our Petone Ponies Team (Women’s). The PRFC Cup for the Team showing the Best Club Spirit went to the Petone Ponies and Mark “Fridge” Masina won the Leslie Trophy for Petone Rugby Club Person of the Year

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The Northern United RFC is seeking coaching applications for their Colts, Premier Reserve and First Grade sides for 2018. Expressions of interest by 27 October. For more email Director of Rugby John Callahan at jcallahan@pcc.govt.nz

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For local rugby fans, not a lot on this coming Saturday in Wellington. But a trip over the hill to watch Wairarapa Bush hosting Horowhenua Kapiti in the Heartland Championship could be well worth taking. Horowhenua Kapiti are currently second on 19 points (behind South Canterbury on 21), while Wairarapa Bush are languishing near the bottom on 9 points, with three rounds to play including this one.

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The Daily Telegraph reporting this weekend that a move to the English Premiership competition is looking increasingly likely for Brad Shields. Wasps, Northampton and Saracens are all interested in his services, while he has a British passport through his parents.

Former Upper Hutt Rams midfielder Dave Rennie’s Glasgow Warriors lead the Pro 14 Championship after four rounds, thrashing Munster 37-10 in the latest round. Former Petone midfielder Nick Grigg was one of the try-scorers, running 60 metres to score.

In France, French Player of the Year and Marist St Pat’s loose forward Victor Vito and former Hurricane Jason Eaton both scored tried tries in La Rochelle’s 57-12 win over Oyonnax. Former OBU midfielder Conrad Smith and Poneke lock Daniel Ramsay helped Paul produce a 20-14 win over Agen.

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