Ashley absent from combined comp
‘‘We had 17 retire or are heading overseas which is a big hit and we don't have the back up there’’
Ashley is the notable absentee from the Combined Country Cup rugby competition.
A top-eight side in last year’s combined competition that went on to lose the North Canterbury final to Glenmark-Cheviot, Ashley club president Murray Goodwin said the club had to make the tough decision not to enter an under strength team after losing 17 players from last year’s squad.
‘‘We are still working on it but we are out for now,’’ Goodwin said.
‘‘There are a few avenues we are still investigating to get a squad but we had 17 retire or are heading overseas which is a big hit and we don’t have the back up there.
‘‘It’s disappointing to make that call but we can’t force players to make the step up.’’
Methven suffered the same fate with their squad last year but cobbled together a squad, going from 2015 champions to cellar dwellers.
The issue now for Ashley is the likes of live-wire wing Pita Sekilagi moving to other clubs for the season, with Ashley left to hope they come back next year.
In some good news for the club, the player depth is coming through with Ashley on track to enter an U18 team this year as well as a Colts team.
With the combined draw out, and time running out to form a squad, Ashley’s plan is to enter the North Canterbury division one competition later in the season.
The only issue is that Ashley also hold the Deans Challenge Shield, played for between North Canterbury division one sides, which will leave the board with a decision to make over what happens with the trophy if Ashley fail in their bid.
Hurunui made the jump into North Canterbury division one last year but their efforts to enter the the combined competition were seriously affected by the Kaikoura earthquakes.
The club proved competitive last year and had hoped to make the step up to the combined competition, but the current situation in the area has forced a rethink.
It is still hoped they too can enter the North Canterbury division one competition later in the season.
The 19-team competition kicks off on March 25 for a nine week round robin and playoffs, culminating with a final on June 10.
Glenmark-Cheviot, Saracens and Ohoka will be in section one while over in section two are Kaiapoi and Oxford.
Meanwhile, the North Canterbury Rugby Union has also moved to accommodate the Kaikoura Rugby Club. Faced with added travel troubles to play in the Marlborough competition, the Kaikoura club will send teams south, entering teams in the North Canterbury division 2, U14.5, U11.5, U10 and U9. North Canterbury Rugby Union administrator said the draw would be designed to accommo- date the travel factor for both Kaikoura and North Canterbury clubs, with some games potentially played at ‘‘neutral halfway venues’’ at the likes of Cheviot, Culverden and Omihi. It is anticipated the blue and red hooped Kaikoura jerseys will only be in North Canterbury in 2017.
Combined Country Cup Section 1:
Waihora, GlenmarkCheviot, Burnham-DunsandelIrwell, Darfield, Celtic, Saracens, Hampstead, Ohoka, Prebbleton, Hornby. Southbridge, Lincoln, Rakaia, Southern, Oxford, Kaiapoi, West Melton, Methven, Rolleston.
Section 2: