Manawatu teams falter in hideous weather

lington pack.

They largely kept the ball in close and ate up time.

Wellington took their opportunities with the wind, kicking two penalties and scoring one try.

Other Manawatu men to shine were Doug Juszczyk, Matt Gardner, Cormac Chalmers and Tuki Raimona around the field.

Next week Manawatu play Wellington Samoans in Palmerston North.

The under-19s played the curtainraiser and coach Fusi Feaunati said it was horrible, the sleet coming in sideways.

Their first loss in seven games means Manawatu will play the top team from the Chiefs region, Waikato, in the national tournament at Taupo next Sunday. Wellington will play Taranaki who lost to Waikato on Saturday.

It was 7-all at halftime after Manawatu had had the wind in the first half, only to concede too many penalties in the second spell.

Feaunati said there were positives, especially in their defence. Wellington though did score from 10 metres out when Manawatu were too slow to react. And with the wind, Wellington kicked a goal from their own side of halfway.

Standout Manawatu players were loose forwards NathanTweedy and Blake Phillips and lock Manaaki Selby-Rickit.

Missing for Manawatu were injured players Ethan Woodmass, Benedict Grant and Sam Tufuga.

Wellington won the Central Region Shield (as Hurricanes under-U19 champions) for the 12th time, since 1984. Hawkes Bay have won the Shield 15 times, Manawatu twice and Taranaki three times.

The Shield was donated by Hawke’s Bay rugby legend, Peter Loomes, who died last year.

Some people may consider coaching football hard work – but for Shaun Palmer it is the way he likes to relax.

The Hokowhitu-based football coach was named regional sportmaker of the year at the Manawatu Grassroots Sports Awards on Friday night. The win followed Palmer claiming the award for frontline volunteer of the year earlier in the evening.

His impressive resume includes coaching roles with the Hokowhitu Lone Stars 13th grade, the Manawatu under-14 futsal team, Intermediate Normal School’s AIMS team, a Palmerston North Boys’ High School team and Manawatu rep teams.

Palmer’s ability to gain the respect of the children and players he works with and they way he gets them to achieve their best were listed as key reasons he won the award.

He said winning the awards was nice, but was not the reason he started coaching. The Central Vipers succumbed to their third National Premiership thrashing in a row, when they were beaten 68-14 by the Canterbury Bulls in Christchurch on Saturday.

In the past three weeks the Vipers have lost to the Counties Manukau Stingrays 84-20, the Wellington Orcas 66-14 and now Canterbury.

Vipers coach Dion Te Ahu had a simple answer for why Canterbury won.

‘‘It was a tough day at the office,’’ he said.

‘‘I don’t do this to stand up on stage. The reward is really the kick from the players learning and developing, so I am quite humbled to be here,’’ he said.

‘‘Coaching I actually find quite relaxing because it is just downtime. You are not focused on what else is going on; you are just focused on what is going on in that moment.’’

But for Palmer, coaching football wasn’t just about teaching children. It was about growing his own ability.

‘‘They were too big, too strong and too mobile.’’

The Bulls were up 24-0 after 20 minutes, ran in 12 tries to three and had the game sewn up at 30-10 at halftime, despite Central scor-