Selwyn Times: January 31, 2017

16
Tuesday January 31 2017
SELWYN TIMES
League club up and running
• By Tom Doudney
ROLLESTON’S FIRST rugby
league club since the early 2000s
has held its first two events – a
pool party last week and a
nines tournament at Rolleston
Reserve on Saturday.
The inaugural Rolleston Nines
tournament, which featured
the Rolleston Warriors and five
teams from Christchurch, was
won by the Linwood Keas which
defeated the Halswell Hornets
28-6 in the final.
Although the Warriors lost all
three of their games, Rolleston
Rugby League Club president
Nui Ririnui said just taking part
had been a valuable experience
for the players.
The club’s first junior
sides would compete in the
Canterbury rugby league
competition starting in April
and there were plans to have a
senior team within the next five
years.
Mr Ririnui said the club had
chosen to use the Warriors
name in reference to the
Warriors NRL side.
“We wanted to align ourselves
with the New Zealand Warriors
because they are New Zealand’s
top team,” he said.
“Maybe when we have future
events we can get some of [the
New Zealand Warriors players]
down here. Maybe one day
we can be a feeder club to the
BIG HITS: Six teams contested the first Rolleston Nines competition, held at Rolleston
Reserve on Saturday. Linwood Keas were eventual winners.
Warriors.”
The club had originally been
planning to use the Raiders
name associated with the last
rugby league club to be based in
Rolleston but decided against it.
“What we wanted to do was
bring something fresh to the
community.”
An earlier suggestion that the
club could be affiliated to the
Rolleston Rugby Football Club
had also been abandoned as
the club wanted to have its own
identity.
“A lot of kids love rugby
league and love watching it and
they have just had nowhere to
go.”
Mr Ririnui said Saturday’s
nines competition was the first
time Rolleston had staged
rugby league games in about 16
years.
It would be good preparation
for the Crosbie Nines
competition, on February 11, in
which the club would also enter
a team.
Anyone wishing to register
junior players with the Rolleston
Rugby League Club can do so
via its Facebook page.
The club’s next event will be
on March 5 at Brookside Park
when an open day will be held
and the club’s new logo and
uniforms will be revealed.
•More sport, pgs 20 and 23
SPORTS
Lincoln
bowler wins
at Ellesmere
• By Karolyn Boon
LINCOLN’S MARTIN Rowson
has won the Ellesmere Bowls men’s
open singles on his home green.
On Sunday, a field of 16 competed
in good conditions on what is
normally a terrible green to play
when the north-west wind is
blowing.
Rowson had to play all three
playoff games before beating
teammate Mundy Carroll in the
final. Carroll was up 7-5 early in
the game and held two shots, but
in trying to get a third he trailed
the jack to go down by three. He
would have had the edge over his
opponent if he had gone ahead 9-5
and not gone for the extra shot.
Rowson then went ahead to be
12-9 with two ends to go. On the
14th end, Rowson held three shots
so Carroll tried to drive them off.
He missed and they shook hands
with one end to go.
Out of a field of 16, there were
six qualifiers for the playoffs.
Dunsandel player Brian Chapman
had to beat Dave Williams from
Lincoln to meet Rowson in the
semi-final. Rowson’s opponent
in the quarter-final was Leeston’s
Colin Lowery who he beat 16-6.
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Congratulations to the Establishment
Board of Trustees and staff on the
opening of Rolleston College.
We thank you and your community for the valuable contribution
you have made supporting this development.
Welcome to Waitaha School students joining the satellite provision
at Rolleston College and an acknowledgement of the team effort
made by both boards and staff to develop the satellite classrooms.
Welcome to the Canterbury Education Network.
If wet check the Speedway Infoline 03 349 7727
or www.ruapunaspeedway.co.nz or FACEBOOK Ruapuna Speedway
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