Club Rugby Semi-Finals 2023

CLUB RUGBY

SEMI-FINALS

STEFFERT FINAL MARTINBOROUGH V

SATURDAY 8 JULY 2023

Carterton Premier captain Daryl Pickering is pretty pleased with where his side is right now, after leading it to championship victory last year.

“We’ve picked up from where we left o˜ last year and made it to the semi-ÿ nals which is where we wanted to be. One of the strengths of the team has been the o˜ -ÿ eld culture which has made a massive contribution so far. Everyone seems to be tight.

“The new guys have been adding to

the culture as well, and we have been improving throughout the season. I have a strong group behind me including vice-captain Inia Katia, with lots of experience on the ÿ eld, and o˜ as well. And everyone is on the same page.

“We have got some pretty talented individuals with skill sets who can break open a game, which deÿ nitely makes things a lot easier.

“We haven’t played on it for a fortnight so it should be in good nick. It’s still soft underfoot, so I hope it won’t cut up too much.”

Carterton always enjoys playing at home, Daryl says.

“Play-o˜ s can go either way, but we know the ÿ eld better than anyone else, so we are happy to be playing at home.”

“Wishing Carterton

the

EAST

2.35PM, TRUST HOUSE MEMORIAL PARK

MOOSE KAPENE SEMI-FINAL #1 CARTERTON V PIONEER AT CARTERTON 2.35PM

MOOSE KAPENE SEMI-FINAL #2 GREYTOWN V MARIST AT GREYTOWN 2.35PM

Carterton will be playing Pioneer at home and Daryl says the ÿ eld is not looking too bad.

CLUB RUGBYSEMI-FINALS

AT

Happy team & happy club at Carterton

Ending the ÿ nal round of the Chris ‘Moose’ Kapene Memorial Cup at the top of the table “was a bit unexpected, but we are really happy with that,” says Carterton Club president Steve Hurley.

Carterton won the Premier title last season, but Steve says the team isn’t getting ahead of itself and is only thinking of making it through the semi-ÿ nals at this stage.

“Everyone in the team is only thinking of this Saturday. We call it ‘buying a ticket to the big day’. We’re just focusing on that.”

The side has been getting better and better as the season has progressed, Steve says.

“We held on to a good number of players from last year, and got a lot of younger ones. We’ve got ÿ ve 18 yearolds in the team.

“So it’s a good balance of players who have been around a long time and youthful energy.

“It’s a good mix. We’ve got some real game changers in the team. It’s one of the best teams we have had for quite some time.”

The one and only time Carterton has played Pioneer this season was in early May when Carterton came out on top 77 - 5.

“That was early in the piece and they were missing six or seven of their frontline players, so we put no value on that result whatsoever.

Intense semi-finals predicted

The last couple of weekends has seen the intensity of the Premier games step up dramatically, says Wairarapa Bush Rugby Union Chief Executive Tony Hargood.

“This was re° ected in the fact that there were ÿ ve teams challenging for the ÿ nal four spots one week before the semi-ÿ nals, plus Eketahuna was ÿ ghting to avoid being in the relegation zone.”

“Like us, they have gotten better and better as the season has progressed. We have no idea what Pioneer will bring this time.”

Carterton Rugby Club is in great shape at the moment, Steve says.

“We’ve had a really good year, and the club is being managed very well.

The standard of rugby has improved at the business end of the season, with a lot of people commenting on the high standard of the rugby, Tony says. “It’s all on for the next two weekends. I have no idea who will get through – it could go any way, so they should be exciting games to watch.”

CLUB RUGBY SEMI-FINALS

Carterton Rugby Football Club

Player input pays dividends Cool heads necessary to win

What do you do to improve after your side has won the Premier championship in 2022.

In Carterton’s case, they decided to strengthen the spirit of the club, and so far it has been paying o˜ for this year’s Premier team.

Head coach of the team is Garth Thomson, supported by Errol Weston. Garth was co-coach of the team last year with Neil Rodger.

Garth says it is the o˜ -ÿ eld activities that have helped the Premier side to make it to the semi-ÿ nals again, with a positive club environment feeding into the team and games.

“We’ve been working on the culture of the club to build a good vibe, with lots of non-rugby social events involving partners and families.

“We have a mix of old, middle age and young, and want to cater for everyone and create a sense of belonging.

“Much of it is player driven with the management group only helping to organize the events.”

This same philosophy has been applied to how the team plays its rugby this year too.

“We’ve encouraged them to play the sort of rugby they want to play. Not to be regimented and play a particular way. Sensible rugby but not restrained.

“That way they can play the sort of rugby they enjoy and have the freedom to use their own ˛ air.”

Having close ties between the Premier and Senior Reserves has been very important to the club’s success, Garth says.

“We’ve been struggling with numbers, like every other club, so having close relationship between the teams has made it easier for me.”

Rex Playle has seen quite a few semi-ÿ nals in his day, both as a player and spectator.

Rex played his ÿ rst game for Carterton as a nine year-old and is the club’s most capped Premier player, having his last game in that grade in 1991. He still watches the side every week when possible and says this year’s squad plays well and has the potential to win the competition.

“Whether they put everything on the ÿ eld is another thing.”

The secret to success in the knock out section of the competition is “Not to get too worked up over the whole thing,” Rex says.

“Otherwise you are not going to go out and do what you want to do. You have to treat it as another game, but a bit faster and harder. And the opposition is always as good or even better, so you

just have to step up.

“You have got to be able to control what you do. It’s no use running around like a headless chicken and giving away penalties and all that.

“You have got to be under control, and all on the same wave length.

“Just got to go out there and do what

you have practiced and what the game plan is. If everyone does the same thing, it could be the di˜ erence between winning and losing.

“It’s like anything. There are always going to be nerves and that is what you have to control. If you have experienced players, they should be able to keep the team under control.”

CLUB RUGBYSEMI-FINALS

MOOSE KAPENE SEMI-FINAL #1 CARTERTON VS PIONEER AT CARTERTON 2.35PM

Pioneer Rugby Football Club

Personal motivation pays o˜ for Pioneer

Following on from a season in which Pioneer struggled at times to put together a side, 2023 has seen a rejuvenated Premier team that made it to the Lane Penn Cup ÿ nals, and now the Chris ‘Moose’ Kapene Memorial Cup semi-ÿ nals.

Coach Victor Thompson says he noticed a lot more commitment from players from early in the season, driven by their personal motivation to progress as rugby players.

“Four or ÿ ve of them have made it into this year’s Wairarapa Bush representative side. It is good to see their hard work paying o° .”

Another notable change to the team was the addition of cocoach Eli Telford who was already familiar to some of the players from

Pioneer ready to throw the kitchen sink at Carterton

This is the ÿ rst season in quite a number of years that Pioneer has made it to the semiÿ nals of the Premier competition. It has also made it to the semi-ÿ nals of the Senior Reserves.

WOODLOT OWNERS…

when they played for Greytown and Martinborough teams Eli had previously coached.

“It was through those connections that we approached him, and he is always someone who wants to help.

“He coaches the backs and I coach

the forwards. We collaborate well and have great communication.”

Pioneer lost to Carterton in Round 2 of the Moose Kapene Cup, 5 - 77, but it has won all its games since. Victor sees Pioneer’s strength as being able to play a traditional forward game, “but we can throw the ball around when

there is enough space to capitalise on.” Carterton are very strong ball runners, he says.

“They gave us a hiding the last time we played them, and they are playing on their home ground, so it is not going to be easy.”

Pioneer Club President Richard Carroll believes the main reason it is having good success “is due to the club working on being better at all the things we do, from the top to the bottom.

“There has been a lot of hard work gone in to bringing the pride back to the club, and over the years we have all been building nicely, be

it the committee and our senior teams, all the way to our JAB.

“This season we are seeing the fruit from some players putting in the work at pre-season which is still giving them the edge on the ÿ eld.

“Players have also matured and are showing some good leadership on and o° the ÿ eld.

“Having two teams in the semiÿ nals is what we have been working toward.”

Richard says the backs have been a strength of the team this season.

“Combined with the boot of Reece Calkin, this seems to give us an edge.

“But most of all, the defence from our forwards under pressure has kept us in the competition.

“All in all, our players like to run the ball, and on their day, they are pretty hard to stop.

“We have strong forwards and

good speed in the backs. We just need to get them ÿ ring together more.”

Pioneer will have to “throw the kitchen sink, as well as a few doors” at Carterton, Richard says.

“They are a great side that has shown all year they are a serious side. There is no tomorrow when playing these games, so we will be going in as very big under dogs.

“But on our day, we can do anything, Carterton will go in conÿ dent and we wouldn’t want it any other way.

“Victor Thompson, our head coach, has worked the team this season very well, so he will be busy preparing for Saturday.”

“Victor has worked hard with Phil and Tama in support. So we wish them and the team all the best.”

CLUB RUGBYSEMI-FINALS

Small improvements lead to a big semi-final for Greytown

At the start of this season, Greytown was excited to welcome Kerin Herlihy as new head coach for the Senior Premier team, supported by Brady Bingham, Dane Buchanan, Ben Kinvig and Paora Ammunson.

A stalwart of the club, Kerin was tasked with the challenge of turning around the Premier side’s fortunes after a very di˜ cult 2022 season where they failed to make the semiÿ nals for the ÿ rst time since 2011. Fortunately Kerin has been able to call on a mix of youthful ÿ repower and experienced veterans, and after a bumpy start, the team has ended

CLUB RUGBYSEMI-FINALS

MOOSE KAPENE SEMI-FINAL #2 GREYTOWN VS MARIST

Greytown Rugby Football Club

Committee the glue that keeps Greytown together

No rugby club could operate without its team of committee members, and this is no di° erent for Greytown.

“We have a very hands-on committee,” says club President Jenna Telford.

“As a rugby committee we make sure everyone has what they need to get the job done.

“We try to have a close relationship with our teams’ management and players to make sure they have everything they need.

Marist Rugby Football Club

“With the stresses of the past few years with Covid and other things, we feel it is important that we all share the load.”

Jenna is pleased that both the Premier and Senior Reserve sides have made it to the semi-ÿ nals of their respective competitions, “although we would have loved to have them both playing their matches on the Greytown home ground as the two teams have been

supporting each other right through the season.”

Greytown has a very good club spirit, Jenna says.

“We’ve got a good mix of life members, members, management and players. We are very lucky in that regard.”

SATURDAY 8 JULY 2023

Making the right choices will matter for Marist

2023 has been a good season for Marist, with the Premier side being strengthened by a large number of new players, says Peter Beech who has been assisting head coaches

Gerald Lologa and Joe Nuku.

Peter captained the Premier side last year which lost the ÿ nal to Carterton. He has so far not been called upon to put his rugby boots back on, thanks to the depth of the team.

“Which is good as I am still overcoming an injury from last year.”

“We had good numbers stay on from last year so the team is not so di° erent from last year, but we also have had new players from other

clubs and outside the Wairarapa who have added new things as well.”

Among the highlights of the season have been beating Carterton in

the second place playo° for the Lane Penn Cup with just 14 players, and a last minute win against Martinborough.

“We have a strong backline, with lots of speed, and lots of hard physical forwards as well.”

He notes that Greytown has been improving rapidly, since Marist beat them in Round Two of the Moose Kapene Cup 51 - 19.

“They will be a di° erent outÿ t to when we last played them. Greytown has the conÿ dence of a team that has played well for the last decade.

“They can move the ball and play with speed. We have to negate that. We will have to make the right decisions for the full 80 minutes of the game.”

CLUB RUGBY SEMI-FINALS

MOOSE KAPENE SEMI-FINAL #2 GREYTOWN VS MARIST AT GREYTOWN 2.35PM

Marist Rugby Football Club

Familiarity a strength for Marist

Co-captaining the Marist side that will meet Greytown at Greytown this Saturday are Paddy Gluck and Stan Wright Junior.

The two have played together for the past four years and make a good team, says Paddy.

“Stan has been developing the forward pack on the ÿ eld while have focused more on the tactical side. We work well together.”

The Premier team has again been coached by Gerald Lologa and Joe Nuku, with Mark Brown as manager.

“We have a really strong coaching group who know the players well. We are a better team for the coaches and players having been together for years.

“We are a team that wants to play really expansive rugby. So when it comes together, it is really good.”

Marist beat Greytown earlier in

the season but Paddy says the side they will meet on Saturday will be a di° erent one with quite a few of Greytown’s best players coming back for the business end of the season.

“It will be a real contest and whoever makes the better decisions will get the result.”

SATURDAY 8 JULY 2023

Giving back part of the game

Marist Club Treasurer and Committee member Tony Beech ÿ rst got involved with the club in the mid-1990s when his sons Joe and Peter started playing JAB rugby.

In 2015 Tony was approached to join the Committee again, and felt that would be a way to give back to the sport from which he has gained so much pleasure.

“I enjoyed playing rugby, and got a lot out of it when others were doing the administration. I played senior rugby for Massey and Victoria University and then London French in England, so I thought it was my turn to do the same thing.”

Wife Pat Beech is in charge of Marist’s media with an active Facebook page of over 900 members, and an email newsletter that goes out to hundreds

of subscribers every week with reports and photos of the two matches the previous Saturday.

The club is a big supporter of the Whataboutu campaign to promote low risk drinking, low drug use and mental wellbeing in Wairarapa, promoting it through the newsletter and posters in the club rooms.

The club’s JAB delegate Blair Gardner, with Emily Farrell, has been doing excellent work, with around 130 players and parent coaches, including Blair and his wife Helen.

Tony is pleased that Marist has been able to ÿ eld both a Premier and Senior Reserve team right through the season, and says that while the Premier side had a slow start to the season, it has progressed along the way with some good wins and a couple of close losses, re˛ ecting the closeness of the competition this year.

“We’ve also been getting good numbers of supporters to our games, which is pleasing.”