Challenge Cup returns south
Southland police have added a rugby cup to their sporting achievements for the year.
Winning the Police Challenge Cup in Christchurch recently was extra sweet for the southerners because the province had not won the title for 33 years. In the competition’s 81-year history Southland has won the cup eight times.
The latest win follows success by a Southland police team in cycling’s Corporate Pursuit at the Invercargill velodrome in July.
Southland was unbeatable in this year’s Challenge Cup with games against Canterbury (34-10), Auckland (35-35) and Counties Manukau (26-22).
Detective sergeant Mark McCloy said Southland benefited from having six club level rugby players and seven or eight ex-players.
‘‘It would have been one of the strongest police teams we’ve had for some time.’’
Queenstown police are always part of Southland’s team and two constables in the lakes district, Ben Pereira and Anton Huisman, were the side’s main try scorers this year. The duo, captain and Winton detective Phil Brown and Brad Whyte, who is not a policeman but married to a policewoman, made the tournament team.
Pereira, Huisman and Brown could be selected for the New Zealand team to play at the first Police World Cup in Hong Kong next year.
The Southland team did not train together before travelling to Christchurch, detective sergeant Ian McCambridge said.
‘‘It’s good to go in fresh ... we had [players with] natural talent.’’
Wellington and a composite side, including players from Waikato and Northland, were other teams at the Challenge Cup.
The Cup was played at the annual New Zealand Police Winter Sports Tournament.
Inspector Mike Bowman said the tournament was a way for policing communities to come together. ‘‘It’s good we’re involved with it.’’ Southland could have a team at the South Island police touch rugby tournament in November.