Latest news with #PiratesOldBoys
Otago Daily Times
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Woodlands champions in ‘pretty gritty' display
Woodlands were crowned the Southland premier champions on Saturday after winning the Galbraith Shield final at Rugby Park. Woodlands beat Pirates Old Boys 40-30 in an entertaining match. POB were the minor premiership winners and started the game as slight favourites but Woodlands were confident. Coach Richard Jones said it was a special win. "It was pretty gritty. We were confident within our group, nice and relaxed during the week with a good vibe . . . we knew we were strong." Woodlands started the game with a strong wind behind them but POB No 8 Hayden Hegarty, playing in his 100th game for the club, scored the first try. Woodlands first five Marty McKenzie was the most impactful player in the opening 15 minutes, organising the attack before he showed his silky skills to glide through the defence to score his team's first points. POB second five Napo Seru used his bulk to score the next try off a set move after 20 minutes. The strong wind hindered goal kickers and punters early in the game. Woodlands second five Fletcher Morgan accidentally kicked two out on the full during the first 20 minutes, while the first three conversion attempts of the game were missed. POB were defending well until Woodlands hooker Jason Rutledge used his skills in the windy conditions to throw long into the lineout, and the ball was brought down close to the line for No 8 Ethan McDonald to score in the 30th minute. The conversion put Woodlands in front and POB coach Dayna Cunningham chose this moment to bring on replacement props Tom Jennings and JJ Fisher and loose forward Ben Keenan. Youngster Jennings did make an impact but it was the Woodlands' teenaged left winger Reid Murray who scored the next try at the Tweed Street roundabout corner. Morgan nailed the conversion. Right on halftime, POB were awarded a penalty in front of the posts but captain Greg Dyer backed his team to get seven points, which they did when lock Anton Schroder scored close to the posts. Woodlands led 19-17 at the break, and while most pundits favoured POB to go on to win with the wind behind them, Jones had a different opinion. "POB are a strong side — they threw a heap at us — but we knew if we worked hard, kept reloading and bringing the ball back into the wind then we can score points." Ten minutes into the second half, Morgan used his bulk to barge over the top of Isaac Rounds to score and convert. A couple of penalty goals to Dyer closed the gap to 26-23 with 20 minutes remaining. Versatile Woodlands forward Nathan Vaatausili was next to score, and Morgan converted. Centre Jaye Thompson then set up a try for Dye, whose conversion brought the score back to 33-30. Woodlands patiently built up the phases before prop Brian Tyrell scored a converted try to put maximum pressure on POB, and the Woodlands defence held up for the remaining seven minutes to seal the victory. Jones labelled the individual performances from McDonald, prop Paula Latu and halfback Liam Howley as massive. "Our young forwards Riley Smith, Alex Yallop and Caleb Karangaroa were also great." Reid Murray has played in the club's B team most of the season but did a good job on the wing, as did regular loose forward Justin Shaw on the other side. — John Langford
Otago Daily Times
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
POB entering shield final as favourites
Pirates Old Boys and Woodlands will contest the Galbraith Shield final tomorrow after winning their respective Southland premier club semifinals. POB, the minor premiership winners, start the game as favourites after beating Woodlands 31-12 when they last met in May. Pirates Old Boys beat Marist 56-26 last weekend on centre stage at Rugby Park, while Woodlands earned their spot in the final after beating the Eastern Northern Barbarians 15-5 in the other semifinal at Oreti Park. Woodlands finished the round robin in second position and had earned home ground advantage for their semifinalbut took the match against the Barbarians out to the firmer sand-based surface. Woodlands, who will get another good surface at Rugby Park tomorrow, have former Stags inside backs Liam Howley and Marty McKenzie to steer the team around the park, but most of the game-driving for the club this year has been undertaken by their younger team-mate Fletcher Morgan. Morgan has played Woodlands into the final and his own way into this year's Stags squad. Robust POB second five Napo Seru breaks the line multiple times during each game and creates the momentum, and Seru's combination with the competition's best centre, Jaye Thompson, is hard to contain. POB assistant coach Ben McHugh said his team had trained well this week and a full squad was available for selection. "I definitely noticed a mind-shift change in the boys this week," McHugh said. "They know that the job is on." POB have no contracted Southland Stags members in their squad but McHugh said his team had the ideal mixture of experienced and young players. "Most of the team have won the competition before and then we've been fortunate this season to add in this year's Highlanders under-20 front-rowers to add some extra energy." The battle of the front rows will be interesting in the final. The POB scrum has been dominant in recent weeks through front-rowers Levi Gage, Alex Fraito, Riki Gage, Tua Tuapati and youngsters JJ Fisher and Thomas Jennings. Woodlands have their own solid front-row options in Harry Burgess, Paula Latu, Brian Tyrell, Nathan Vaatausili and Jason Rutledge. McHugh said a disappointment for the POB club would be not having their B team players attending the game. "They've trained with us all year and are a big part of the club but they've got their division three semifinal on Saturday and Collegiate won't accept an earlier kick-off time."
Otago Daily Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Galbraith comeback lingers in memory
Richard Jones. PHOTO: SUPPLIED 1. Favourite rugby memory? Maybe that 2021 Galbraith Shield final, which we won over Star. We had a bunch of guys out injured ... and got behind on the scoreboard. But we came back and scored a try right on fulltime. 2. Hardest opponent? Pirates Old Boys. The last couple of years, we've had some ding-dong battles with them. 3. What rugby player do you admire? Ardie Savea is pretty hard to go past at the moment. He's pretty impressive and inspirational. 4. What do you do to relax? I like to read. I like to spend time with the family, go for walks close to the beach. I like to surf if I get a chance in the summer. 5. If Richard Jones is cooking, what are we eating? Lamb shanks.
Otago Daily Times
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Southern rugby community in mourning
This week the Southland club rugby community has been mourning the sudden death of 26-year-old father of two Regan Wilson. The death of Marist's premier grade co-coach last Sunday has taken a toll on many players, coaches and administrators who have enjoyed the sport alongside Wilson. The game between Marist and Pirates Old Boys scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed. A funeral service to celebrate Wilson's life will be held this afternoon at the Ascot Park Hotel. The community are welcome to join the celebration of his life, and a livestream of the service online will be available. As a teen, Wilson was a standout sportsman, especially in the athletics field. He also represented New Zealand Māori in rugby at under-18 level, and was head boy at Central Southland College in 2016. Wilson maintained strong relationships within the college through his contributions to coaching and taking any opportunity to give back to CSC. His name is littered throughout the athletic record books and he will also be remembered by the college for his leadership on and off the field. Wilson, who grew up in Ohai, stopped playing rugby following concussion issues and moved into coaching. He helped coach the CSC First XV, and the Midlands and Marist senior teams. Wilson has also coached Southland age-group representative teams. Wilson was at club rugby last Saturday in his assistant coaching role with Marist when they beat Blues 24-7. The Blues v Woodlands premier game will go ahead tomorrow at Woodlands, while the Eastern Northern Barbarians and Star match is on in Gore. People can support Wilson's family — Bethany, Benji and Tui — through a Givealittle page. Funds will help with immediate needs, and to provide some stability as they begin to navigate life without him.
