Off the Ball for 26 March

Off the Ball is in association with Rob Law Max , Lovelocks Sports Bar,  Motor Doctors and Sarah Kilner Real Estate 

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.

Two rounds in the books and 11 to go in this year’s Wellington club rugby Premier and Premier Reserve first round competitions.

The good news is fans only have to wait four days for it to come around again, with the Northern United and Wellington Axemen clubs mutually agreeing to play their third round fixtures under lights at Jerry Collins Stadium on Thursday night. Kick-off in the Harper Lock Shield match is 6.00pm and kick-off in the Swindale Shield encounter is 8.00pm.

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Here’s hoping long-time Porirua Park groundsman Lindsay will be back in action too. Evidently, he was on strike on Saturday, meaning no scoreboard, no dugouts on halfway for the reserves and no music and PA for the ground announcers.

The music might have fallen silent anyway, with HOBM leading by 40 points with about 10 minutes to play. Norths crossed for two late tries and the final score was 47-19 and a 28-point deficit.

In terms of both points conceded and losing margin this was the worst of their 28 defeats on their home ground since 2005, the top five being:

2018: HOBM 47 – Norths 19 (Margin of victory 28 points)
2015: Avalon 46 – Norths 22 (margin 24 points)
2012: Upper Hutt 46 – Norths 34 (margin 12 points)
2017: Marist St Pat’s 43 – Norths 32 (Margin 11 points)
2016: Petone 39 – Norths 30 (margin 9 points)

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Upper Hutt have had success at Porirua Park previously, and one of their former players, hooker Anaru Rangi, scored two tries at hooker for the Melbourne Rebels on Friday night in a big win over the Sharks. Rangi played over 60 matches for the Rams between 2010-14. His younger brother Nev started at prop for the Rams on Saturday whilst his youngest brother Iona is this year’s St Pat’s Silverstream head boy.

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Old Boys University have appointed last year’s women’s team captain and 10-year Impalas captain Gina Williamson as the club’s inaugural women’s RDO.

OBU have also started a relationship with National First XV girls champions St Mary’s College. SMC will train at Boyd Wilson Field and have the assistance of OBU. SMC recently told Club Rugby that they have 70 girls wanting to play rugby this year, out of a roll of 610.

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Wellington College now has a roll of 1777 (source Wikipedia) and 390 students there play futsal, almost double their rugby players. Wellington College is both the new National Secondary School senior futsal and floorball champions. 

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The first hat-trick of the year in Premier rugby was scored on Saturday by new Petone fullback Adam Simpson, who ran in three tries early in the second half in his side’s 55-0 Ken Gray Cup win over Paremata-Plimmerton. His look-alike, Nick Grigg, also scored a hat-trick against the same opposition on the same ground in 2015 when he crossed the line 4 times.

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Ken Gray played 24 tests for the All Blacks. Nine of the oppositions test jerseys are in the Paremata-Plimmerton clubrooms.

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Double centurion Fa’atonu Fili was a late substitute for Marist St Pat’s on Saturday and kicked a dropped goal to seal his side’s tight 25-17 win, also denying the Axemen a bonus point. Dropped goal enthusiasts haven’t had to wait long for this year’s first pot. The first one last season was kicked in round 13 and there were just three all season.

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Welcome back to Premier rugby Chase Tiatia – two tries for HOBM over Northern United (and very nearly a third). This was his first game for the Eagles since 2015 and he has now scored 19 tries in 22 Premier matches for HOBM since his debut for them in 2014.

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Richard Gordon refereed his 99th Premier match on Saturday. He is away for the next fortnight, so all going well he will return for his 100th in round five, which is also the McBain Shield weekend between Petone and HOBM.

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It’s early days, but Avalon Wolves fans can take heart in taking two bonus point victories to start the season. This is the first time since 2004 they have won their opening two Premier matches (not in the Swindale Shield in 2010, 2012-14). This coming weekend they host defending champions Old Boys University at Fraser Park, so a test of where they are at there.

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Looking out for some Best and Fairest updates coming soon, following the opening two weeks of the Premier season.

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Congratulations to TJ Perenara for playing his 100th match for the Hurricanes, the third Hurricanes halfback to do so (including playing for other teams). The most capped Super Rugby halfbacks have been:

Andy Ellis (Crusaders 2006-2016) – 153 matches
George Gregan (Brumbies 1996-2007) – 136 matches
Alby Mathewson (Hurricanes 2007-09, Blues 2010-12, Force 2013-16) – 131 matches
Piri Weepu (Hurricanes 2004-11), Blues (2012-14) – 124 matches
Jimmy Cowan (Highlandrs 2002-12), Blues (2015) – 122 matches
Jano Vermaak (Lions 2006-11), Bulls (2012-13), Stormers (2016 –) – 120 matches
*Will Genia (Reds 2007-15) – 115 matches
*prior to joining the Rebels this year, no stats available.
Fourie du Preez (Bulls 2003-11) – 112 matches
Chris Whitaker (Waratahs 1997-06) 107 matches
Justin Marshall (Crusaders 1996-05) – 105 matches
TJ Perenara (Hurricanes 2011-18) – 100 matches

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A group of recent Wellington club rugby players made their marks on the opening weekend of Hawke’s Bay Premier club rugby on Saturday. Playing for Napier Old Boys Marist, former Marist St Pat’s wing Mike Buckley scored a try in his side’s 68-9 win over Napier Pirate. A trio of players helped Taradale beat Central 95-0. Lui Luamanu (HOBM) scored two tries in the win and Joe ‘Apikotoa (HOBM) and Lester Maulolo (Petone) scored one each.

The Manawatu Premier competition is a fortnight old, with Varsity beating Kia Toa 29-22 for their second win and Feilding Yellows beating Freyberg Old Boys 43-5 for their second victory as well.

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Sad news this week, former All Black flanker Dylan Mika died, aged 45. Mika, like Frank Bunce, Michael Jones and Pat Lam played for Samoa and the All Blacks. He played two tests for Samoa in 1994, before taking a three year stand down and appearing in 7 tests for the All Blacks. Mika played 55 games for Auckland and 23 games for the Blues. He later ran his own water company and was Vice President of the Barbarians Rugby Club who sponsor the National Top Four First XV championship which Mika took a genuine interest in. Mika is related to Ben Lam who scored two tries for the Hurricanes against the Highlanders on Saturday. Ben Lam and Mika both attended St Peter's College in Auckland.

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Tough day in Taupo for the Hurricanes U20s on Saturday, losing 5-51 to the Chiefs. The Hurricanes poor tactics into a strong wind and rain in the first half by showing a lack of patience and kicking the ball away into the wind gave the chiefs possession and field position which resulted in points. The Hurricanes scored a try to Mitch Drew in the 22nd minute to keep them in the game at 5-15 but more aimless kicking into the wind gave the Chiefs more opportunity to play from broken play , the first half defensive effort took its toll on the Hurricanes with the Chiefs showing more aggression and accuracy at the breakdown, seeing them control momentum and the points flowed in the second half. The Chiefs pack was also dominant at set-piece. For the Hurricanes, Du Plessis Kirifi was a standout, competing at collisions and making numerous tackles.

The Argentinian U20s were scheduled to tour and play the Hurricanes U20s this coming week, but that has been cancelled meaning a group of U20s players might be involved in club rugby instead.

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The Hurricanes Development side has two fixtures to come. The first is against the Chiefs Development at McLean Park, Napier, on 6 April (curtain-raiser to the Hurricanes v Sharks) and the second is against the Sunwolves Development in Levin on 26 April.

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Can anyone reading this name an Ed Sheeran song?

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In the fastest tries category, Dougie Fife scored the fastest try in Pro14 history over the weekend as Edinburgh earned a sixth straight win and kept up their playoff hopes by beating Connacht. Fife scored 10 seconds in after John Hardie charged down an attempted clearance from the kick-off. What’s the fastest club rugby try? Norths scored soon after the kick-off in a match against OBU at the Basin Reserve a few seasons ago.

Have a story or some news or information? Email editor@clubrugby.co.nz