Lincoln Uni target rare three-peat
For the next 18 weeks, the 12 Canterbury Metro senior teams will duel it out on the rugby fields of Christchurch. Sport reporters BRENDON EGAN AND ROBERT VAN ROYEN assess how the sides are shaping up.
BELFAST
Coach: Damian Steele
Key Players: Loose forwards Frank Havea, Naibuka Tavenavo and halfback Leon Fukofuka.
Outlook: Australian Damian Steele, 32, who has spent the past eight seasons in Portugal as a player and coach, will be tasked with trying to bring respectability back to Belfast. He will be assisted by club stalwart and former senior coach Don Fisher and Simon Wilson.
Steele reports there will be a United Nations feel to the Cobras with a couple of exports from Portugal, Italy, the United States joining them. Several North Island talents have also bolstered the squad.
Loose forwards Frank Havea and Naibuka Tavenavo, who have been Belfast’s best in recent years, will again be vital figures, as will prop Matt McGuire, who is back from overseas. Fringe Crusaders halfback Leon Fukofuka will again boost the side, while Jarel Hemahema, who has been released by the Warriors under-20 rugby league team, will get an early chance to impress in the No 10 jersey.
BURNSIDE
Coach: Steve Ellis
Key players: Midfielder Jack Lindsay, lock Phil Henderson, prop Ethan Simpson
Outlook: After a winless season last year, Burnside have turned to three of their most successful coaches in the club’s history.
Long-time coach Steve Ellis ‘‘has returned to his roots’’ for his fourth stint with the senior side, and will be assisted by Colin Mansbridge and Graeme Turner, who mentored Burnside’s promising colts side last season, making the semi-finals. The trio teamed at Burnside when they won the title in 2006 and the band has reformed.
Ellis predicts Burnside will be tougher, with nine members of their colts team stepping up. ‘‘They’re a very talented bunch, but they are babies’’, he said. Young midfielder Jack Lindsay and prop Ethan Simpson are two to watch out for, while talented openside flanker Cam Russell, last year’s joint Crusaders secondary schools player of the year, will be managed, making the jump from schoolboy rugby. CHRISTCHURCH
Coach: Simon Kneebone Key players: Midfielder Inga Finau, first five Daniel Dorgan, No 8 Kieran Coll
Outlook: It’s been a case of close, but no cigar for Christchurch in recent seasons, but this year’s squad looms as one of the competition heavyweights. Christchurch have retained the core of last year’s team, but look to have even stronger depth with the return of former skipper and loose forward Kieran Coll from South Canterbury and halfback/ midfielder Steve Alfeld from Spain.
Simon Kneebone, who has been in charge of the club’s premier colts side, takes over as senior coach. He has brought several exciting colts players up with him, including flanker Tom Christie and outside back Will Jordan, who signed with the Tasman Makos for NPC. Wing Atu Manu, who was a try-scoring machine for Christchurch Boys’ High last season, has gone well in preseason.
Lock William Mills will captain the side again and form an experienced forward pack, which features the likes of props Sam Cottam, Tim Perry, Hamish Kilpatrick and loose forward Matt Etheredge. Young Crusaders lock Quinten Strange, a Nelson product, adds further class to the tight five.
HSOB
Coaches: Pete Manson and Jimmy Hema
Key players: Lock Angus Cameron, first-five eighth Jarred Pervical, midfielder Mark Jackman
Outlook: A year after going through more than 40 players during the season, building depth has been a priority ahead of the new season. Trainer Dave Murray has also been working overtime to get the squad in shape and, so far, they’ve got through without any serious injuries. Minus the loss of midfielder Michael Green to Sydenham, the team avoided significant losses during the offseason.
The loss of Green was offset by the return of Mark Jackman, who has been playing professionally in Japan. Jackman will miss the first two games while he plays a tens tournament in Hong Kong. The return of loose forwards Richard Mo’ale and Matt Elia will add to the team’s forward pack. Co-coach Pete Manson labelled Mo’ale, who took a couple of years off rugby, an ‘‘absolute beast’’. HSOB also has Canterbury under-19 halfback Corey Taylor at their disposal. LINCOLN UNIVERSITY Coaches: Dave Perrin, Bevan Sisson, Ben Blair.
Key players: Midfielder Harrison Groundwater, halfback Ere Enari, hooker Nick Werahiko
Outlook: The two-time defending champions are attempting to become the first Canterbury Metro senior side to win three straight titles since the [1996-99] all-conquering Sydenham team. The country students have lost star backs Jordie Barrett [Hurricanes] and Jack Goodhue [Crusaders] to Super Rugby contracts, but still ooze class and have the best depth in the competition.
There is an abundance of talent in the backline with Ere Enari, Jack Stratton, Brett Cameron, Harrison Groundwater, Josh McKay and Caleb Makene, while co-coach Dave Perrin reckons midfielder Ngane Punivai, New Zealand secondary schools player last year and Christ’s College’s captain, is a player of much promise.
Up front, hooker Nick Werahiko, who will miss the first few games, is poised to become the first Lincoln player to amass 100 matches, while usual suspects Chris Gawler, Hugo Nankivell, Jono Osbourne, Jack Powell and Anty Burnett all return. Perrin was pleased to see former Lincoln senior players, flanker Brad Lake and prop Ben Crawford, rejoin the team after gaining jobs in Christchurch. ‘‘That’s part of the culture and environment we’ve made. We’re building depth’’, Perrin said. Former coach John Haggart, will still operate in the ‘‘background’’, but has moved into a rugby director role for the club. LINWOOD
Coach: Kingi Matenga
Key players: No 8 Tepasu Thomas, midfielder Louis Devery, loose forward Heiden BedwellCurtis.
Outlook: If Linwood’s defence is a hard nut to crack this season, credit will have to go to former Canterbury assistant coach Scott Hansen. He left Christchurch to assist English premiership club Leicester Tigers in 2015, but was let go five games into last season. Hansen returned to the Garden City recently and started working with the team’s defence last week.
Linwood’s had a busy off-season recruiting players from all over the show, including Japanese club, the Mitsubishi Dynaboars. Three players, including back Kazan Watanabe, a former Christchurch Boys’ High player, will feature this year. They’ve also nabbed former Northland halfback Kaden Te Nana and hooker Michael Gardner, a St Bede’s College old boy and former New Zealand secondary schools player, who was based in Manawatu the past five years. Led by New Zealand under20s prop Sean Paranihi and national secondary schools prop Sam Matenga, there is no shortage of quality up front.
MARIST ALBION
Coach: Ged Robinson
Key players: First five Tom Reekie, lock JJ Manning, flanker James Kellow
Outlook: Former professional rugby player Ged Robinson, who turned out for the Rebels, Hurricanes, Highlanders and Crusaders has retired and switched his attention to coaching. Experienced lock Ross Kennedy has hung up his boots, but former Canterbury NPC backrower JJ Manning will lead the way in the engine room and captain the side. First five Tom Reekie has caught the eye during pre-season, while midfielder Dylan Lolohea will be aiming to build on his play from last season.
Former Marist Albion man Shayne Anderson, returns to the club from the Waikato. He was a highly-rated midfielder during his time at St Bede’s College. Wing Jason Watson, who scored tries for fun back during the 2015 season, should again be a threat out wide. Veteran Rowan O’Gorman refuses to go away and will start at hooker in their opening game.
NEW BRIGHTON
Coaches: Scott Pawson and Troy Manaena
Key players: Lock Lucas Hill, halfback Reuben Spicer, midfielder Fili Waqainabete
Outlook: New Brighton are missing 11 players from the side that featured in last year’s final, having been decimated by injury and several other players overseas. The situation was so desperate, co-coach Scott Pawson had to twist the arm of veterans Aaron McCoy, Marcel CummingsToone and Alisi Tupuailei for one more season.
Last year’s captain and outstanding flanker Billy Harmon [out until the NPC after off-season shoulder surgery] is a huge loss for the seasiders, as are season-ending injuries to fringe Crusaders’ hooker Nathan Vella [broken arm] and experienced loose forward Troy Mangan [shoulder]. New Brighton will lean heavily on halfback and skipper Reuben Spicer, first five Scott Davidson, while up front Pawson is looking for big seasons from loose forwards Ryan Newman, Lou Harmon and lock Lucas Hill, who comes from a basketball background.
SHIRLEY
Coach: Bruce Morton
Key players: Loose forward Phil Watson, first-five eighth Nathan Smith, fullback Liam Timoteo.
Outlook: Shirley has retained the majority of last year’s squad and will be targeting greater consistency and stronger results in their centenary season. The loss of talented halfback Mavae Tomasi for the year has been an early setback. Tomasi, a Mid Canterbury representative, blew his knee out in the second game last year and now needs a second ACL reconstruction.
They have added some muscle up front, with former HSOB tighthead prop Federico Lezano making a change. Hooker Tyrone Te Ruruku, a wider Waikato NPC squad member last year, has also joined the team. Captained by loose forward Phil Watson, Shirley should also get a fair chunk of game time from Crusaders squad members Sean Wainui and Sione Fifita.
SUMNER
Coach: Martin Field-Dobson Key players: Winger Poasa Waqanibau, loose forward Dylan Nel, midfielder Wesley Ma’afu
Outlook: While outstanding backs Nathan Earle and Ross McCann have moved on, the core of the side is back for the new season. The void left by Saracens winger Earle, who shone for Canterbury in last year’s Mitre 10 Cup triumph, could be lessened if exciting Fijian flyer Poasa Waqanibau lives up to expectation. The Crusaders Knight went through the pre-season with the senior team and is braced for a big year. Sumner has again taken advantage of its strong links in English and Scottish rugby, nabbing 2m lock Danny Cutmore (Saracens) and tighthead prop Tony Cusack (Shannon). They are still playing in the northern hemisphere and will join Sumner when their respective seasons end. Flanker Joel Robbidge will captain the team, which is expecting big things out of midfielder Wes Ma’afu this season. SYDENHAM
Coach: Blair Baxter
Key players: Midfielder Michael Green, midfielder Raymond Nu’u, halfback Josh Lindsay
Outlook: They’ve lost three outstanding backs in fullback Nick Thomson (overseas), centre Anthony Tiatia (overseas) and former Canterbury winger Milford Keresoma (Auckland) during the off-season, and have promoted a bunch of colts players to the premier squad. Otherwise, the core of the squad is still in tact.
Didn’t recruit heavily like some teams, but did lure midfielder Michael Green over from HSOB. He joins 19-year-old excitement machine Raymond Nu’u in the midfield stocks. Nu’u impressed in his debut season a year ago and on the back of a big off-season, the coaching group is expecting plenty from him. Rake Liam Smart will again captain the squad, while brothers Josh and Kieran Lindsay will be key at halfback and fullback respectively. UNIVERSITY
Coach: Sid Tauamiti
Key players: Midfielder James Tofa, centre Braydon Ennor, No 8 Sam Godwin
Outlook: With 13 new faces in this year’s 28-strong squad, the majority who haven’t played division one before, expectations are tempered. Coach Sid Taumaiti is encouraged by the team’s three pre-season outings, including a 31-26 win against New Brighton last weekend. Led by captain and loose forward Sam Godwin, University appears to be more balanced ahead of the coming campaign. With exciting backs such as James Tofa and Braydon Ennor in the mix, they’re not short of x-factor out wide.
University’s forward pack is still a work in progress, but they are set to be boosted by the inclusion of All Blacks captain Kieran Read for their second round match against Linwood next Saturday. The Crusaders No 8, who is slowly returning from offseason wrist surgery, is expected to play 40 minutes.