Ories Premiers and coach Proctor win at Wellington rugby awards

The Oriental Rongotai Premiers and their coach Phil Proctor were both recognised for their achievements in 2011 at the Wellington Rugby Football Union awards on 23 November.

The Ories Premiers won the Club Team of the Year Award and Proctor took out the Club Coach of the Year award. Ories blitzed defending champions Northern United five tries to two in the final of the Jubilee Cup in August, to win their first ever Jubilee Cup final in their first final appearance and their first senior club championship as a standalone club since 2010. They also won the Andy Leslie Trophy for finishing first at the end of the round-robin and earlier in the season finished second to Norths in the first round Swindale Shield.

In other club awards handed out, the Old Boys-University club took home the Dewar Shield, awarded for the most aggregate points scored across all their Senior clubs competing in WRFU competitions and the Marist St. Pat’s club won the Sir William Perry Memorial Trophy, awarded on the same basis but on average points scored.

The Wainuiomata U21s won the AJ Griffiths Memorial Trophy, awarded on a points basis for best scores for conduct on the field, dress, punctuality and adherence to the spirit and laws of the game.

MSP hooker Liu Taituave collected the Billy Wallace Best and Fairest trophy, as judged by newspaper contributors on a weekly 3,2 and 1 points basis. He scored six tries in 2011, after scoring seven in 2010. After missing the first game of the year, he was MSP’s starting hooker in every match of the season and was also voted the MSP Premiers’ MVP for 2011. He finished the season on 15 Billy Wallace competition points, one ahead of front row MSP teammate Jeff Allen and Upper Hutt fullback Jason Woodward.

In other individual awards, Norths’ Alapati Leiua won the overall Player of the Year award, Petone’s Brad Shields was Wellington rugby’s most Promising Player of the Year and MSP's Ponisitia Paasi won the Women's Player of the Year accolade.

The award caps off a big 2011 for Shields. His selection for the Hurricanes in 2012 for his first Super Rugby season follows a successful IRB World Junior Championship campaign in Italy and a super impressive 2011 ITM Cup season for the Vodafone Wellington Lions upon his return.

Fresh from helping New Zealand retain the U20 world title, where he started the final against England at blindside flanker, Shields lined up in Lions colours for his second ITM season and had a very strong campaign. Playing at both blindside and No. 8, Shields appeared in every competition match, providing muscle and power and a consistently high work rate that impressed many. His two-try effort in a crucial come-from-behind 30-25 victory over Southland went a long way to ensuring Wellington’s survival in the Premiership for 2012.

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Lifetime Contribution Award to Murray Sullivan. Murray has given 50 years of service to junior rugby in Wellington, firstly with the Taita Rugby Club and latterly the Avalon Club and as the Wellington Junior Rugby Executive.

Wellington Rugby CEO, James Te Puni added, “Murray’s contribution to the game in Wellington has been immense over such a long period. The game, particularly at the junior level, has benefited through his hard work and dedication. We wish him well for the future.”

The full list of Wellington rugby award winners for 2011 is:

• Junior Merit Award Trophy - Johnsonville RFC
• ?AJ Griffiths Memorial Trophy - Wainuiomata RFC U21’s
• ?Sir William Perry Memorial Trophy - Marist St Pats RFC
• ?Dewar Shield - College Old Boys University RFC
• ?Club Coach of the Year - Phil Proctor (Oriental-Rongotai Premiers)
• ?Club Team of the Year - Oriental-Rongotai Premiers
• ?Billy Wallace Memorial Trophy - Liu Taituave
• ?Wellington Rugby Supporters Club Award - Brad Shields
• ?Al Keown Memorial Cup - Solomona Sakalia
• Ken Comber Memorial Cup - Donald Brighouse
• ?Most Promising Player of the Year - Brad Shields
• ?Women’s Player of the Year - Ponisitia Paasi????????????
• ?Dominion Post WRFU Volunteer of the Year - Graeme Brooking
• ?Referee of the Year - Mike Fraser
• ?Representative Coach of the Year - Damian Rapira-Davies
• ?Representative Team of the Year - Wellington Pride
• ?Tui Player of the Year - Alapati Leiua
• Lifetime Contribution to Rugby Award – Murray Sullivan

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