The Press

Hornby skipper out of grand final

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Christchur­ch’s atrocious wet winter has cost Hornby captain James Baxendale a chance to lead the Panthers into Sunday’s Canterbury Rugby League premiershi­p grand final.

The Canterbury Bulls skipper left for overseas this week on a long-booked holiday timed for after the August 6 grand final. But the weather gods weren’t on his side and Baxendale won’t be there when Hornby take the field at Linfield Park against the defending champion Linwood Keas.

The Panthers captain’s reaction was unprintabl­e when Hornby head coach Jed Lawrie rang him to say the first round of the premiershi­p playoffs on July 22 had to be postponed a week. That pushed the grand final date out another week, leaving Baxendale in limbo.

‘‘Baxy’s away on his OE now,’’ Lawrie confirmed. ‘‘But the guy we’ve brought in has got just as much experience and brings another dynamic.’’

Longtime former Canterbury Bulls hooker Jonny Limmer is pulling on his boots again to fill the void.

Baxendale, a New Zealand Residents representa­tive, has been an inspiratio­nal figure for Hornby with the representa­tive backrower filling the scrum half role at club level.

‘‘His training ethic’s huge and his transition into the half role has been phenomenal. He’s laid a good platform for us this year to get us in this position and the boys are pretty keen to bring it home for him,’’ Lawrie said.

The Panthers coaches are still weighing up where to start Limmer. ‘‘We don’t want to give away too much just yet.’’

The Keas will be at full strength for the final, coach Andrew Auimatagi confirmed.

‘‘Everyone’s pulled up alright. Last [Tuesday’s] session was pretty light because of such a physical game [in the preliminar­y final win over Papanui].

Linwood and Hornby have been the form teams for the last two years with the Keas winning last year’s Pat Smith Memorial Trophy grand final, 29-10.

The two arch rivals had one win apiece in the 2017 Massetti Cup minor premiershi­p but Hornby came out on top, 22-14, in the minor semifinal two weeks ago.

‘‘It comes down to just holding onto the ball. That will give us the opportunit­y to mount some pressure.

‘‘We’ve got to be better defensivel­y, than we were in the semi. ‘‘I’m confident if we can control the ball and work together in defence, we should put ourselves in a good position.’’

Lawrie believes the grand final outcome will depend on who best defends ‘‘those pressure moments on your line’’.

Despite Hornby’s semifinal win, he wasn’t happy with some aspects of that performanc­e and said the week off had given the Panthers’ time to refine some things.

Hornby have had great service from former Warriors backrower Corey Lawrie, who is still one of Canterbury’s top players at the age of 37.

He has moved into hooker this season, allowing Jesse Rogers to play at loose forward and his experience and power up the middle has been an asset for the Panthers.

Former Bulls prop Ross Turi, who will miss the grand final with a knee ligaments injury, had been ‘‘instrument­al in developing’’ younger forwards Damien Papuni, Caleb Tohovaka and Peni Moale this year, Jed Lawrie said.

He said it had been a characterb­uilding year for the Panthers, after losing their home ground, Leslie Park, which is being redevelope­d, ‘‘playing at Branston [Park] and having no [flood] lights to train with’’.

 ?? PHOTO: GEORGE HEARD/STUFF ?? James Baxendale, the Hornby Panthers captain, will miss the Canterbury Rugby League grand final against the Linwood Keas.
PHOTO: GEORGE HEARD/STUFF James Baxendale, the Hornby Panthers captain, will miss the Canterbury Rugby League grand final against the Linwood Keas.

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