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Otago Daily Times
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Players from Japan, Dunedin in Herden's Old Golds mix
Kenta Iemura, pictured in action during the Town v Country game at Maheno on Saturday, is a newcomer in the North Otago squad. Photo: Masi Photography Some old, some new, some borrowed, some Blue Revs. New North Otago coach Luke Herden has spread the net widely to name his first Heartland Championship squad. Herden has named a bumper 35-strong squad containing four Japanese players, a handful of potential loan players from Dunedin and some intriguing newcomers from the local ranks. Significantly, he and assistant coaches Kilifi Fangupo and Ralph Darling will welcome back seasoned forwards Hayden Tisdall, Kelepi Funaki and Junior Fakatoufifita, all of whom are proven Heartland performers and were sorely missed last year, when the Old Golds broke a record 25-year streak and missed the playoffs. "They're X-factor players," Herden said. "They also do a lot of the gruntwork and give us a lot of go-forward, and they've also got a lot of experience. "Tizzy's just a workhorse, Kelepi could play at a higher level, and Junior as well. When we get them going, they'll be very good." The newcomer with the highest pedigree is Danny Tusitala. The 33-year-old halfback has played five tests for Samoa and has extensive NPC and Major League Rugby experience. Another feature of the squad is the selection of front-rower Gaku Shimizu and versatile back Kippei Taninaka, who played for Valley this year, and inside backs Kodai Okazaki and Kenta Iemura, who spent time in Dunedin with the Harbour club. The Valley link is from coach Barry Matthews' relationship with former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen, now guiding Toyota Verblitz, while the Harbour players hail from Shizuoka Blue Revs (Yamaha), where former Old Golds trainer Adam Keen now works. Iemura and Okazaki, in particular, will be keenly monitored, as last year's regular 9-10 combination, Jake Matthews (shoulder surgery) and Greg Dyer (Southland), are absent. "They've got a great skillset, and a very quick catch-pass, things that will benefit our squad and how we want to play," Herden said. North Otago have suffered in recent years from not being able to find some stability with their loan players. They largely looked outside Dunedin in 2024 but Herden, a Dunedin teacher who is immersed in the local rugby scene, is confident two Zingari-Richmond players, flanker Flavius Roberts-Vili and centre Ben Fakava, and University prop Steve Salelea will provide good value. "I think it's important, when we get loan players, that they understand their role and are committed to North Otago. "In the past, we might get a player in for a couple of weeks and then Otago might want them back and we have to start again. "We're looking for players on the pathway to playing for Otago, and our goal is to develop them and have them hit the ground running." All-rounder Ben McCarthy returns to the squad, but the St Kevin's old boy is no longer listed as a player of origin. That system has been dismantled and Heartland squads will now be allowed a maximum of four loan players — previously three plus an origin player — in their match-day squad. Interesting newcomers from Citizens Shield rugby include Kurow forward Mitch Morton, Valley flanker Robbie Lailvaux and Athletic Marist lock Asaeli Ngahe, while Maheno first five Lachie Kingan returns to the Old Golds after a long absence. Experienced loose forward Cameron Rowland, a co-captain with Mat Duff last year, is being looked at as an option at hooker. New father Duff has made himself unavailable, while the other major loss from last year is classy centre Hayden Todd. The Old Golds have one preseason game, against Otago Country in Wānaka, before their Heartland opener in Whanganui on August 16. North Otago Heartland squad Forwards: Cam Rowland, Hayden Tisdall, Gaku Shimizu, Jake Greenslade, Kelepi Funaki, Mateo Qolisese, Paea Pala, Steve Salelea, Temesia Bolavucu, Anthony Docherty, Asaeli Ngahe, Epineri Logavatu, Apenisa Tuiba, Faran Poasa, Mitch Morton, Flavius Roberts-Vili, Junior Fakatoufifita, Robbie Lailvaux, Sailosi Vea, Savenaca Rabaka. Backs: Danny Tusitala, Kippei Taninaka, Kodai Okazaki, Seru Cavuilati, Isaac Clunie, Kenta Iemura, Lachie Kingan, Ben Fakava, Matia Qiolevu, Posiano Kamoto, Tini Feke, Ben McCarthy, Ben Paton, Hopoate Finau, Seva Druma.
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Revived fixture effectively a trial
A blast from the past is back to give the new North Otago coach an effective trial this afternoon. The once-beloved Town v Country game is back and will allow Luke Herden an opportunity to crystallise his thinking before announcing his first Old Golds squad on Tuesday. There was a time when the clash — between Old Boys, Excelsior and Athletic Marist players (Town) and the best from Valley, Kurow and Maheno (Country) — formed a regular and important part of the calendar, usually in the middle of the Citizens Shield club season. It has been mostly dormant for the best part of a couple of decades so there should be some interest in today's game in Maheno. That is especially the case for those wondering which loan players Herden will recruit as the Old Golds seek a return to the Meads Cup placings after a few lean years. He has named five players from Dunedin club rugby in the Country squad. Zingari-Richmond flanker Flavius Roberts-Vili is an energetic type, and clubmate Ben Fakava is a robust midfielder. First five Kenta Iemura and halfback Kodai Okazaki are from the Shizuoka Revs club in Japan Rugby League One who have spent some time with the Harbour club. Solid prop Steve Salelea has been in consistent form for University and was on the bench for Otago's preseason game against Southland yesterday. Eight players from Excelsior will back up from their Citizens Shield victory for Town, and there are 10 from beaten finalists Valley in the Country squad. A pleasing feature is the selection of leading locals Hayden Tisdall, Kelepi Funaki and Junior Fakatoufifita, all of whom were unavailable for the Heartland Championship last season. The junior game kicks off at 1pm and the senior Town-Country clash is at 2.30pm.
Otago Daily Times
31-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Event centre roof on track
Network Waitaki Event Centre Trust chairman Kevin Malcolm (left) and Apollo Projects site manager Simon North look at the design plans in front of the under-construction event centre. PHOTOS: NIC DUFF The construction of the Network Waitaki Event Centre has reached a major milestone. The roof has started to go on and will be completed by the end of the week. It now means contractors are not burdened by weather to continue progressing the interior. Waitaki Event Centre Trust chairman Kevin Malcolm said it was great to see the build coming together. "We're exceptionally happy with the way the whole project is working. "The more we build of it, the more we realise that we should've done this 10 years ago." The interior of the event centre is progressing well. Apollo Projects site manager Simon North said during some weeks, work was being done all seven days. "The structural steel guys, they've been working 11 days on, three days off. They come down from Christchurch so they stay the weekend." Mr Malcolm said the trust were "well on the way" to completing the funding of stage one, the event centre itself, which will cost just under $33million. They also were beginning to price stage two which is the grandstand and office spaces. They were on track to complete the event centre by February and hoped the grandstand would take about six months so North Otago could return to their home ground for the 2026 Heartland Championship, he said. "It's all quite achievable, really." The $33m event centre will house six timber-sprung courts, a multi-purpose room for cricket that could also accommodate other codes such as archery, as well as conference rooms and office space.
NZ Herald
30-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Derby day: Milestones to be brought up as East Coast take on Poverty Bay in Ruatōria
Ngāti Porou East Coast stalwart Sam Parkes doing what he does best in a 2023 Heartland Championship game against North Otago. Parkes will rack up his 100th first-class game in the King's Birthday derby against Poverty Bay. He has played 80 games for the Coast and 19 for the Bay. Photo / Paul Rickard Ngāti Porou East Coast Kaupoi won't lack for motivation in the 178th clash between the Coast and Poverty Bay Weka in their annual King's Birthday weekend derby at Ruatōria tomorrow. They will be doing it for two of their own - halfback Sam Parkes, who will be playing his 100th
RNZ News
09-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Provinces have confidence in NZ Rugby - but with a limit
Buller team celebrate winning the Heartland championship Lochore Cup Final. Buller v South Canterbury. Victoria Square, Westport. Photo: Chris Symes Losing the essence of New Zealand Rugby remains a prevalent fear among the grassroots level of the game. This comes in the wake of the news that NZ Rugby recorded a third consecutive financial loss in 2024, just shy of $20 million . The nation's 26 provincial rugby unions met with the country's governing body at the AGM yesterday to strategise for a sound financial future. Despite again being in the red, Horowhenua Kāpiti chair Corey Kennett said most provinces were willing to give the board time. "I think there is confidence, but it does have a limit. We obviously are in a very tough times where we need to see deliverables and in particular around funding around how we look after the community game and the financial horsepower needed to make that happen has got to keep going. We're hopeful and there has been some great developments." Kennett understood these were trying times. "When we look at the loss, any loss is undesirable, but there are extenuating circumstances." He noted the investment in the commercial strategy and a drop in the US dollar as reasons for the shortfall. Bay of Plenty CEO Mike Rogers shared similar sentiments. "They did a really good job of helping us understand the position, and we know there's already work underway with New Zealand Rugby around financial sustainability." He was also noted needing to allow the new board time to implement its strategies. "We all know that that's not a sustainable model to make losses like that. So I think the next phase of how New Zealand rugby operate in terms of the actions they take are going to be pretty critical for the game. I think we do have to be prepared to have some patience, but that doesn't mean that we can sort of sit on our hands. We certainly need to see action." Kaleb Foote of King Country celebrates his try during the Ranfurly Shield rugby match between Hawkes Bay and King Country at Hastings Sports Park (Mitre 10 Park) in Hastings, New Zealand on Wednesday June 26, 2024. Photo: Aaron Gillions / Buller CEO Phill Gower was also pragmatic about the losses. "Rugby costs money to run, doesn't it? And we've got to get money from somewhere. So if we have a shortfall, it's either from the fact that we haven't received enough money in sponsorship or revenues, so therefore that's what we've really got to look at and try and bring up." Kennett said he feels the new NZR board are far less disconnected to the grassroots game than their predecessors. "The new board I can report have made more efforts than we have seen previously. There's been a positive realisation that work needed to be done in that space to increase collaboration, communication. The proof will be in the pudding." Rogers said there must always an ongoing conversation around supporting the community game. "That is obviously the foundation of what's made New Zealand rugby so strong over 130-odd years. Our job as provincial unions is to advocate as strongly as possible for investment in the community game. We do also need to appreciate that it is a balance and value the role of the All Blacks and Black Ferns play in generating revenue and that can be invested back in the community, it's not an easy position for New Zealand rugby to manage." Junior Rugby Open Grade, Carlton v University, Saturday 21 August 2010. War Memorial Park, Mt Roskill, Auckland, New Zealand. Photo: Andrew Cornaga Kennett believed while most provinces were smartly spending their money on the community, some were prioritising 'buying trophies'. "We have to look at what is our reason for being and our reason for being is for promoting the in all areas, the professional, semi-professional and amateur game." He said there is a risk of losing what makes New Zealand Rugby not only special, but successful. "In the heartland space in particular, we are working hard with our heartland brother and sister unions to make sure that we stay in the amateur game and don't try and go into the semi-professional, paying for players to pay when we are in an amateur game." He believed with the right innovations, the NPC will endure. "I mean it's no secret. There were models that were very difficult to sustain. Some unions are sustaining it, but what is evident is there needs to be change in some ways. I think NPC will always be there. To what level of professionalism or semi-professional the competition is, that's probably the real question going forward and whatever it is, it has to be financially sustainable in whatever mode you come up with." Rogers also stressed the importance of our domestic competitions. "The NPC and FPC are our point of difference and sort of a secret sauce of what makes rugby in New Zealand so strong. Our challenge is to continue to grow it, make it strong, and viable." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
