Women feature strongly as award finalists
GOOD SPORTS: Manawatu¯ women led the way as New Zealand Rugby announced the nominees for their annual awards on Sunday.
Feilding’s Sarah Goss is a rare woman up for the major gong of Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year, alongside All Blacks Rieko Ioane and Sam Whitelock.
Goss is also up for women’s player of the year, while Selica Winiata is a finalist for the best women’s provincial player. The duo, alongside Kristina Sue and assistant coach Wesley Clarke, were part of the World Cupwinning Black Ferns up for team of the year.
The Manawatu¯ men weren’t ignored either with Ngani Laumape up for Super Rugby player of the year and O¯ taki’s Slade Sturmey nominated for volunteer of the year. Feilding High School old boy Vilimoni Koroi is up for sevens player of the year.
■ Manawatu¯ expat Leticia Leightransom was named the junior Ma¯ ori sportswoman of the year.
The swimmer, who is based in Australia but swims for Palmerston North club Ice Breaker Aquatics, was given the gong at the Ma¯ ori sports awards in Auckland on Saturday night.
Transom, 16, won gold in the mixed 4x200m freestyle relay and silver in the mixed 4x100m medley relay at the Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas this year.
■ The Feilding High School First XV will be without co-coach Mark Mcalley next season.
Mcalley is moving to Hamilton after his wife picked up a new job there.
He joined Feilding in 2015 after coaching at Huntley School. He coached the first XV alongside Murray Stewart in his first year before being joined by Wesley Clarke for the past two seasons.
Among the highlights of his time at Feilding is claiming the 2016 national co-ed title.
■ Here’s an item that we’ve been saving but not found the right time to use.
As as kind caller once informed us, the official colour of Manawatu¯ green, and what a beautiful sight it is, is Pantone Matching System 347.
So if you need your bucket, face or house painted, that’s the colour for you.