Full strength South Canty side for semi
South Canterbury’s horror injury run in the Heartland Championship is coming to an end at the perfect time.
The home semi-final on Saturday against defending champions Wanganui should signal the return of three key backs.
Fullback Liam Edwards, centre Shayne Anderson and wing Setefano Sauqaqa could all return to the starting line-up.
Edwards, a loan player from Hawkes Bay, has only managed one game so far on his return to South Canterbury, which was against North Otago before being injured.
The speedster has recuperated from an ankle injury and is playing in a Bali 10s tournament but will cut short his trip for the Mead Cup semifinal.
Anderson’s hamstring has also recovered while Sauqaqa was in the squad to face East Coast on Saturday.
The big wing did not play however as a precautionary measure.
The experienced Sauqaqa is a brilliant attacker and was one of the stand-out performers in club rugby while Anderson has the ability to bust tackles, while also being a very good defender.
Edwards’ return also means South Canterbury has a long range goal kicking option, with his sweet timing allowing shots from 50-plus metres.
South Canterbury coach Barry Matthews was relieved to have the trio back and also very happy to get through playing East Coast unscathed.
‘‘Having them out doesn’t do much for continuity, but we need our best players for the semi.’’
Matthews said prop JP Koen should also be fine.
‘‘He had a sore back and there was a lot of travel getting to Ruatoria and back, so we thought it was better to sit him out.’’
Apart from loose head prop Matt Fetu having a sore knee, everyone was fine, he said.
‘‘The best news for a Monday is I haven’t heard from (physio) Geoff (Thompson), so everyone else must be okay.’’
Matthews said injured first fives Miles Medlicott (broken thumb) and Theo Davidson (shoulder) were also outside chances of a return for the final.
‘‘Miles gets his plaster off next week and we will just see.’’
On the positive side halfback Glen Sturgess had a very good game off the bench against East Coast, having recovered from his concussion.
‘‘With Glen fit it gives us some options. He played well when he came on.’’’
That means halfback Willie Wright could move out a place if necessary to cover for first five Jared Trevathan.
‘‘We have certainly tested our depth using 41 players so far this season. Not ideal but everyone has stood up.’’
Matthews said he was hoping for a big turn out to support the team at Alpine Energy Stadium.
‘‘The harder we can make for Wanganui the better, and if there is a big crowd it certainly helps.
Matthews said after losing the opening game to Buller no-one was talking a home semi.
‘‘It a real bonus for us so we need to make it work.
‘‘We have put together seven straight, but as I have often said the Meads Cup competition only really starts on Saturday.’’
Matthews and assistant Grant McFarlane have twice made the Meads Cup semis before, advancing to the final in 2015 but going down to Wanganui.
‘‘We know what we have to do, it is just a matter of playing to our strengths, not theirs.’’ Timaru pro cyclist Shane Archbold will be back riding in Europe next year after signing with a new team.
The man dubbed the ‘flying mullet’ will join Irish Pro Continental team Aqua Blue Sport for the 2018 season.
Archbold has just returned to top-level cycling following an injury sustained in the 2016 Tour de France and is riding with his German team Bora-hansgrohe in the Presidential Tour of Turkey with some successs.
Lead out rider Archbold has helped deliver to three consecutive stage wins for team-mate Sam Bennett in Turkey.
The 28-year-old said he was very happy to have picked up a contract with the Irish team after three years with Bora-hansgrohe.
"Having been through a challenging period of my career hampered by injury, I am ready to move on to the next chapter.
‘‘I have followed the progress of Aqua Blue Sport with interest and believe the team to be an excellent fit for my future ambition.
‘‘I look forward to a fresh start, to getting to know my new teammates and to some exciting racing in 2018.’’
Aqua Blue Sport general manager Stephen Moore said Archbold was a welcome addition to the team.
‘‘Shane has demonstrated great resilience in returning to form following a spell of rehabilitation and since coming back to racing has shown a resurgence of the kind of ability that brought him to the World Tour.
‘‘We are delighted to have him on board for 2018 and look forward to taking advantage of his strengths.’’
Aqua Blue Sport is Ireland’s first UCI Professional Continental cycling team, founded by Irishman Rick Delaney and launched in January 2017, with the long-term vision to compete on the highest stage of world sport.
Archbold will team up with fellow Kiwi Aaron Gate who joined the team for his first year as a full professional.
It will be Archbold’s second stint on an Irish team after he spent the 2013 and 2014 seasons at Continental squad An Post-Chain Reaction.
He left them to join Bora in 2015, where he linked up again with his old An Post team-mate Bennett, forming a key part of his lead-out train.
The switch of teams caps off a bright spot in what has been a tough 12 months for Archbold.
He sustained a broken pelvis when he crashed on stage 17 of his Tour de France debut in 2016 and although he completed the stage, had to abandon the race four days shy of the finish in Paris.
Archbold returned briefly to racing before but then required surgery on bulging discs earlier this year and was forced to miss almost the entire 2017 campaign.
Aqua Blue Sport enjoyed a solid debut season at Pro Continental level, earning a wildcard berth at the Vuelta a Espan˜a, where Stefan Denifl claimed stage victory at Alto de los Machucos.
Larry Warbasse scored the team’s first World Tour win when he claimed a stage victory at the Tour de Suisse.