North Otago vs Buller Feature

Last updated on September 1st, 2010 by Terry O'Neill No Comments

North Otago will play its 36th match against Buller in the second round of the Heartland championship in Oamaru on Saturday. The contest should be an even one with North Otago having won 18 games to Bullers 17.

In the first round Buller went down to Wairarapa-Bush in Westport, 16-23 picking up a bonus point for its efforts, with both sides scoring a try each. The accurate boot of former North Otago first five eighth, Jeremy Te Huia, kicking six penalties for the winners.

North Otago in its preparation for the game beat Otago Country, 40-22 and in the first round of Heartland demolished East Coast in Ruatoria, 116-3 scoring 17 tries in the process.

North Otago’s biggest difficulty this week may well be in getting its combined heads out of the clouds of euphoria created by that win. Co-coaches Barry Matthews and Shane Carter did just that at Tuesday’s practice with trainer Adam Keen given full licence to clean out the cobwebs with a tough fitness session.

The big question being asked in local circles is -”is this side on a par with the 2007 Meads Cup winning side?” The general consensus would be not yet, but with the depth of players available and the improved fitness of each individual that target is an achievable one.

Buller has been hard hit with coaches Craig Scanlon and Craig Neill having only six returning from the 2009 side in loose-head prop Phil Beveridge, utility back Matt Bonisch, flanker Luke Brownlee, Sam Marris who came on once last season as a sub, back Michael Mumm who four appearances as a sub last year and winger  Penijamini Nabainivalu.

Brownlee epitomises all that is good about rugby in the heartland with the loose forward appearing in every first class game for Buller over the last ten years. Obviously in Westport rotation is unheard of. On Saturday Brownlee with play his 97th game in the cardinal and blue jersey but this is still well short of Thomas Stuart’s 154 games played from 1984-1999.

Bonisch just 24 years of age has played 41 games for Buller already and will be the general in backline which is unknown quantity with inside back Sam Marris and winger Penijamini Nabainivalu the only players from 2009.

Buller has three loan players in lock James Foster, flanker Blair McIlroy and first five eighth, Brad McKenzie, two from Canterbury Country and one from Nelson.

Buller first played North Otago in 1935 in Oamaru winning 21-13 and repeated the dose in the next match in 1949 in Westport, 16-6. North Otago’s first win came in 1951 with a 23-6 victory at the Showgrounds. There was then a gap of 11 years before North Otago beat Buller, 13-8 and the following year, 1963 whilst on tour North Otago with a couple of penalties took the game, 6-3 at Victoria Park.

Ten years later North Otago beat Buller, 34-3 in Oamaru. 1975 saw Buller down North Otago, 21-13 in Westport but with the coming of the NPC games between the two sides were on a more regular basis.

Between 1976 and 1984 Buller won five of the nine encounters including a 26-0 win in 1981. No games were played between the two unions in 1985 and 1986 as the NZRU decided to fiddle with the format but from 1987 on Buller dominated winning the next nine games in a row with no game played in 1990.

But the worm turned in 1997 when at Carisbrooke North Otago beat Buller 54-29. North Otago then won the next nine games through to 2009 with no games played in 2003, 2004 and 2005 with North Otago in second division.

The biggest winning margin of North Otago was 31 points in 2007 while Buller’s biggest winning margin was 28 points in 1992.

North Otago came out of the East Coast game with a couple of injuries to tight-head prop, Palenapa Mafi (right hand) and winger Greg Zampach, a former Buller boy with a groin strain.

The North Otago inside back combination of Kilifi Fangupo and first five eighth Ben Patston is an impressive one with Fangupo providing a sharpness that was lacking last year while Patston is developing the qualities on a classy first five eighth. Hamish McKenzie can play equally well in either position as he showed in Ruatoria when Patston was subbed. The big midfield of Luke Herden and Faaitu Tuamoheloa will test the Buller defence while the back three led by running fullback Billy Guyton is an ever present danger.

North Otago is well served in the front row with Will Henry and Gerard Sweeney fitting in smoothly as subs for Ralph Darling and Stu Philpott, Eric Duff, Aisake Fonua and Dave Simpson are a great locking trio while North Otago is awash with loosies in Josh Collier, Ryan Long, Tevita Fifita, Willi Tahitua with Ross Hay due to return for the game against Mid Canterbury.

Review – North Otago vs East Coast

Last updated on August 31st, 2010 by Terry O'Neill No Comments

Ruatoria:  North Otago rewrote parts of the Union’s 83 year old history with its 116-3 demolition of East Coast at Whakarua Park on Saturday.  It bypassed the previous highest team score of 73-7 over Wanganui in 2002, the record margin of 67 over West Coast in 2001 and Luke Herden’s bag of five tries erased the names of the previous highest try-scorers who all scored four tries.

The late Mort Fountain scored four tries against Ashburton County in 1947, Pila Fifita  did it on two occasions against Poverty Bay in 2001 and against South Canterbury in 2002 while Scott Mayhew scored four tries against Buller in 2007.

 But co coach, Barry Matthews was not overly satisfied at the end of the game. “I’m not a fan for records only winning ones. I thought that although we scored eight tries in the first half, we probably  missed scoring that many as well through players being too greedy. The players got a good windup at halftime and I think they tightened up in the second half. I know its particularly hard when the score is mounting as it was.”

“The East Coast forwards were especially tough to play up here. They’re big strong boys, but its hard to gauge where we’re at because we don’t know how good the East Coast are either. It was a good performance from North Otago but we can do better.”

We’ll be working on the draw and pass this week. Too many of our players were guilty of getting through the gap and then not drawing and passing. Our clean out at the tackle area was not direct enough and we could have counter rucked a lot more at times and our defence was far too slow in coming up. We’ve got heaps to work on and I told our fitness trainer, Adam Keen that he’s got the team for first 45 minutes on Tuesday night.”

Big number eight Tevita Fifita was outstanding with the ball in hand while lock Dave Simpson not only won good lineout ball but was mobile around the paddock while at halfback Kilifi Fangupo was sharp behind the pack clearing the ball superbly. At fullback Billy Guyton relished the run of play counterattacking with some superb vision and when he took over the goal kicking after Ben Patston was subbed off he proved to be a more than able back up kicking five from five, two from the sideline in the final quarter. The bench was cleared with 22 minutes remaining and little changed on the paddock an indication of the depth available to coaches Matthews and Shane Carter.

Standout forwards for East Coast were hooker Puri Hauti who was still testing the defence with powerful pick and go in the late stages. Lock Kerehama Blackman would grace any Heartland side but in the backs it was a case of a bridge too far.

Patston opened the scoring with a 38 metre penalty in the first minute. Herden went in for his first try but left footer Patston who was not kicking confidently early on in the game especially from the right hand side of the ground missed three kickable goals. A penalty, lineout, maul gave Simpson North Otago’s second try in the ninth minute before East Coast first five eighth Nathan Langsford kicked a long range penalty. Midway through the half a quick tap penalty saw Herden in for his second which Patston converted to make it 20-3. The second quarter saw further tries. Right winger Greg Zampach broke from inside North Otago’s 22 and  with Simpson in the van Fangupo touched down.  A Guyton counterattack sent left winger Sione Pangata in. Herden then scored his  third and fourth tries in the space of three minutes before Fangupo went in for his second with Patston adding the extras to give North Otago a healthy 53-3 lead at halftime.

North Otago added nine more tries in the second half. Pangata got his second in the 46th minute. Prop Ralph Darling galloped in after a long Patston kick had found space inside the opposition 22. Herden then got his fifth and in the final 25 minutes Kasanova Soane(2), Josh Collier, Hamish McKenzie(2), and Fifita scored with all of second half tries being converted, four by Patston and five by Guyton.

In other Pool B matches Wairarapa-Bush beat Buller in Westport, 23-16 after leading 14-13 at halftime and Poverty Bay beat Mid Canterbury,25-20 in Ashburton after leading 12-10 at halftime.

In pool A games Thames Valley beat West Coast,36-18 after leading 14-7 at halftime, King Country downed Horowhenua-Kapiti,17-12 after trailing 0-12 at halftime while Wanganui beat South Canterbury at home 13-6 after leading 10-3 at halftime.

Heartland Review

Last updated on August 30th, 2010 by Terry O'Neill No Comments

North Otago’s first aim will be to make the Meads Cup playoffs in the 2010 Heartland competition after winning the Lochore Cup in 2009.  The side under coaches Barry Matthews and Shane Carter looks a better balanced side than the previous year although a number of new players will be on show. English hooker Stu Philpott, loose forward Ryan Long, number eight Tevita Fifita back from Japan and centurion Ross Hay will be the crux of the forward pack. The backline will be well served by two New Zealand Divisional XV representatives in Hamish McKenzie and Kilifi Fangupo while promising first five eighth and goalkicker Ben Patston will direct the backline. Captain Luke Herden, Divisional three quarter Faaitu Tuamoheloa and Roma Sefo will be a strong midfield while former Otago winger Greg Zampach will be on the right wing.North Otago plays East Coast in Ruatoria on Saturday.

South Canterbury under new coach Simon Scott who has returned from Auckland where he coached the Ponsonby seniors for three years as well as the Auckland under 20 side did not have a happy start to the season losing to Mid Canterbury, 3-28 last Saturday. South Canterbury finished fourth in the Meads Cup last season and with new centre from Ponsonby, Tyrone Ngaluafe, first five eighth James Merrett from the High School Old Boys Club in Christchurch  and prop John Direen also from HSOB, should be a strong contender for the Meads Cup round again.Sekopi Maea is a fine prospect at halfback while flanker Eric Smith and winger Male Iongi are back for another season.South Canterbury travels to play last season’s Meads Cup winners Wanganui over the weekend.

 Although Mid Canterbury has lost through retirement a number of key players the side played with quite a degree of confidence to retain the Hanan Shield with its 28-3 win last weekend.Loosehead prop Jason Rickard will captain the side with James Carr and lock Dan Dwyer adding experience while Mark Greave-Dunn is in the pack as a state of origin player. Pete McAndrew is back in the pack for another season while Tim Perry son of All Black Grant Perry will be at tight head. The backline is basically the Methven backline with six of the seven players from the country club.Mid Canterbury plays Poverty Bay in Ashburton on Saturday at 2.00pm.

 Wanganui has had two games, losing its Ranfurly Shield challenge against Southland but last week it beat Manawatu B 40-38.The good news for Wangabui has been the return of first five eighth Mark Davis from Taranaki to replace Leon Mason who has retired. Winger Johnny Mow has returned from Manawatu while in midfield Tau Moeke who played for East Coast in 2006 and Poverty Bay in 2005 has come down from Waikato. In the pack Aaron Kelly a 1.9 metre flanker from the Hautapu club will add value to the forwards.Wanganui plays South Canterbury in Wanganui on Saturday.

Thames Valley which tailed the field in the 2009 Heartland competition will be strengthened by the return of experienced halfback Aaron McDonald who last played in 2006 while utility Dave Harrison and prop Allan McLean will privide invaluable experience. Thames Valley beat East Coast, 26-18 and lost to King Country, 11-25 in preseason games and on Saturday will host West Coast at 2.00pm.

 Wairarapa-Bush which  plays Buller in Westport on Saturday has had three preseason matches losing to Poverty Bay,26-34, and Wellington Samoa,12-37, and beating Horowhenua-Kapiti,17-3. Key players for Wairarapa-Bush will be halfback, James Bruce who has played 58 games for the union, prop Dylan Higginson, a New Zealand Divisional representative and lock Dan Griffin. In the backs former North Otago player Jeremy Te Huia is at first five eighth and winger Junior Tongia will add impact.

 Poverty Bay, third in the Meads Cup last season has lost key five eighth Scott Leighton who has joined the police force and will also be without Wade Owen and Jack Brooking. In preseason games Poverty Bay beat Wairarapa-Bush,34-26 and lost to Hawkes Bay B,22-24. It is obviously a young side under Grainger Heikell and on Saturday travels to Mid Canterbury in Ashburton at 2.00p.m.

Buller which will again be coached by the two Craigs, Scanlon and Neil, will have much the same lineup as  in 2009 and will be led by Luke Brownlee who is close to a century of games for the Union.Buller has not had any preseason games and will break the ice against Wairarapa-Bush at Victoria Park, Westport.

 Horowhenua-Kapiti which made the Meads Cup round in 2009 will be hoping to build on this effort under coaches Charles Rudd and Jared Tanera when it kicks off against King Country in Te Kuiti on Saturday.

 West Coast had a warmup game against Tasman B and faded in the last quarter in a confidence building effort but the side has been hard hit after making the Lochore Cup final last season. This season  the  first five eighths and  midfield have all departed although the back three and halfback will add some continuity although four of the 2009 forward pack have gone. An interesting  newcomer to the side is former New Zealand Secondary Schools first five eighth, James Lash, a state of origin player .

 West Coast travels to Thames Valley on Saturday with kickoff at 2.00p.m.

East Coast under Buck Gray will be hoping to build on 2009 when it finished second last in the Lochore Cup and will expected to provide a better defensive screen after leaking over 50 tries last year. It meets North Otago at Wharekura Park, Ruatoria on Saturday at 2.30p.m.

King Country which finished third in the Lochore Cup last year will  host Horowhenua-Kapiti on Saturday but despite reports on the arrival of former NRL player David Peachey, King Country CEO Susan Knight stated that Peachey whilst possibly playing for the development side would not be in the Heartland side which will be bolstered by a number of Auckland club players.

North Otago Rugby Review

Last updated on August 9th, 2010 by Terry O'Neill No Comments

Athletic Marist and Old Boys will meet in the Citizens Shield rugby final next Saturday after Athletic Marist beat Maheno, 43-24 and Old Boys downed Valley 19-17 after Valley led 17-12 at halftime.

Old Boys star first five eighth Ben Patston put Old Boys on attack with a superbly judged kick to the Valley line. Valley lost the lineout and Old Boys moved the ball wide and from the next phase second five eighth Lemi Masoe scored an unconverted try. Five minutes later Valley replied from its own 22. Billy Guyton broke the defence, winger Nick Webster shrugged off tacklers down the sideline before play broke down close to the Old Boys scrum. From the resulting scrum and maul lock Dave Simpson scored the first of his two tries with Mark Roney adding the conversion to give Valley a 7-5 lead.  Accurate kicking from Patston put Valley under pressure and from a maul Old Boys number eight, Eti Tofaga scored for Patston to convert and put Old Boys into a 12-7 lead. Valley hit back quickly when a chip kick from Webster saw Old Boys winger Harry Masoe and fullback Ofa Fatafehi blow the clearance and Valley lock Dan Conlan scored an unconverted try to make it 12 all.

Right on halftime Simpson Valley’s outstanding player touched down for an unconverted try to give Valley its 17-12 halftime lead.

The second half was marred by a multitude of errors and it was Patston who broke the deadlock when from a scrum he found a gap on the blindside and touched down close to the posts and convert his own try to put Old Boys back into the final 19-17 score line.

Athletic Marist which had dropped only one game during the season had to hold out a resolute Maheno side in the second half for its convincing 43-24 win. Athletic dominated the game territorially in the first half and after seven minutes winger Ofa Fatai scored the first of his side’s seven tries. A break from halfway saw by Athletic saw flanker Dylan Winter score to give Athletic a 10-0 lead. In the 22nd minute Athletic midfielder Faiatu Tuamoheloa used his pace and power to  score and convert.

Athletic prop Simi Vai was yellow carded just before halftime and Maheno got on the board with a try to flanker Ryan Long, his first of three, which Michael Hore converted to make it 17-7 at halftime.

Hore added an early second half penalty to make it 17-10 before Athletic right winger Sione Pangata scored the first of his two tries to make it 22-10.Twenty minutes of meandering rugby was broken when Athletics’ loose forward Ulisoni Tahitua ambled over from a ruck for replacement five eighth Ed Keohane to convert. Long scored his second try which Hore converted to keep Maheno’s hopes alive but these hopes were quickly extinguished with tries to Athletic fullback Jon Sinclair and Pangata both of which were converted by Keohane. Long added his third try in the dying stages with Hore adding the conversion.