Hamilton games cancelled

WHALERS duo Israel Otunuku and Lawrence Ualesi keep talking each other into stuff.

A couple of years ago, the friends were playing for King’s College first XV.

It is an elite rugby school and it usually puts players on a fast track to a professional career.

There was a glamour to it which you cannot get playing rugby league in Dunedin.

There are no TV cameras. The sidelines are not as packed. The pedestal is missing most of its steps.

But there is a lot to be said for playing with your friends and just having a good laugh.

And both young men are certainly doing that. They arrived for the interview laughing and left laughing.

A broad Otunuku smile is wonderful sight.

The 19yearold played for King’s College first XV for three years and captained the side in his last year at school.

The tighthead prop had a pretty clear path ahead.

But most journeys include a detour. His came last year. He got off the rugby conveyor belt to take a breather.

‘‘I went through some stuff last year. My mind wasn’t in the right place,’’ he said.

‘‘I would say I wasn’t mentally prepared for what was after high school. I kind of just went down the wrong path.

‘‘I gained a bit of weight and just decided to take a year off. It was the best thing for me to do.

‘‘Then I came down here, lost all that weight and I’m back

aNorth Ground, 12.30pm

Otago Whalers:

playing myself.’’

Otunuku is studying for a bachelor of science, majoring in sports and exercise. He also ‘‘mucked around’’ playing for the University premier colts and also played for the Highlanders under20 side.

He was at a loose end following the rugby season, but Ualesi talked him into joining him at the South Pacific Raiders.

They won the club rugby league title and then both made the Otago Whalers.

Ualesi has been named in the Whalers starting lineup for the game against the Southland Rams at the North Ground this afternoon.

It is a top of the table South Island Championship match. Otunuku would have been in the side, but he has a shoulder niggle and is being rested for the final the following week.

The Whalers and the Rams have already qualified for the final, which makes today’s game a dead rubber.

That fact probably won’t stop the players running into each other as hard as they can.

Ualesi (19) will be giving it plenty. The secondrower is very much a leaguie.

Lawrence Ualesi

footy and enjoying

He grew up playing the 13man code until Otunuku helped convince him to give union a go in his final year at school.

‘‘I gave rugby a good go and I liked it, but I found league is like my natural sport, so I decided to come back to it last year,’’ he said.

He has kept his hand in at union though. Ualesi, who moved down to Dunedin last year to study, played for Harbour in the Dunedin premier grade this season.

But he is more at home in a rugby league side, and with a few friends in the team.

‘‘I thought I’d bring along this guy’’, he said, gesturing towards Otunuku.

What will they talk each other into next?

OTAGO stunned Wellington 10 to clinched a place in the final. Now all the home side has to do is figure out a way of doing it all again today.

Despite the loss, Wellington is also through to the tier 1 men’s final at the National Hockey Championship being staged in Dunedin.

Otago had to bounce back from a heartbreaking shootout loss to Auckland on Thursday, while Wellington had a lot less riding on the outcome.

It dispatched Canterbury 41 on Thursday and the result of the other Pool C game yesterday went its way, leaving it safely through regardless of the outcome against Otago last night.

It will be a tougher opponent today, but Otago will go into the game with plenty of confidence.

Experienced defender Jordan Ward was the hero. He smacked the ball in the back of the net from a penalty corner late in the third quarter.

In the men’s tier 2 competition, Otago lost 20 to North Harbour in the semifinal.

Canterbury and Northland had a tremendous battle in the other

WELLINGTON: Jamaica's ongoing passport issues have forced the Hamilton leg of the threetest series against the Silver Ferns to be cancelled.

Netball New Zealand has planned for the two tests to be rescheduled for next week in Auckland, with the revised schedule to be confirmed once the Sunshine Girls have provided details on their arrival to New Zealand.

Wednesday's match between the Silver Ferns and Jamaica at Eventfinda Stadium in Auckland is still scheduled to proceed as planned.

Jamaica's arrival into the country has been delayed due to the team not receiving their passports back from Washington after their visas were issued.

In a statement, Netball New Zealand said while the issue is set to be resolved, it means Jamaica will not be in New Zealand for what was to be the opening two tests in Hamilton this weekend.

Netball NZ chief commercial semi. It went to a shootout and each side took nine shots before Canterbury eventually won 32.

Otago’s disappointing campaign in the tier 1 women’s tournament continued.

The home side was well beaten 52 by Wellington and will play Hawke’s Bay in the playoff for seventh and eighth today.

Canterbury and North Harbour will contest the final. They actually played yesterday, with Canterbury emerging victorious 21.

Southland has made it through to the final of the women’s tier 2 competition.

It eclipsed Tasman 51 in the semifinal, while North Harbour edged CountiesManukau 10 in the other.

❛ I gave rugby a good go and I liked it, but I found league is like my natural sport, so I decided to come back to it last year

officer David Cooper said it was extremely disappointed to have to make the lastminute changes, but was left with no option after the Jamaicans were unable to secure their passports.

‘‘The Silver Ferns certainly felt the support from their fans which has been measured in sellout crowds in Hamilton, so we understand the massive disappointment many will be feeling with this news,’’ he said.

‘‘With all the disruption and the delays that have occurred, the move to one city provides us some certainty about the Cadbury Netball Series and believe playing all matches in Auckland will help alleviate the challenges we are facing with rescheduling.

A further update will be communicated once Jamaica have confirmed their travel details to New Zealand.

All fans who purchased tickets for either of the two Hamilton matches will be given a full refund and will receive an email from Ticketek with further details. — RNZ