Bay Harbour: April 04, 2018

Wednesday April 4 2018
Sumner poised to make
strong start to season
• By Gordon Findlater
A HEALTHY roster and strong
numbers at pre-season trainings
has Sumner coach Martin
Dodgson excited for the metro
rugby season which starts on
Saturday.
While the team are sure to
have their eye on a top six spot
after narrowly
missing out last
year, Dodgson
says the club’s
focus this season
is an consistency
across both the
division one and
Martin
Dodgson
division two
teams.
Unlike many
other clubs in the Christchurch
competition, Sumner have adopted
a combined squad of both
division one and two players who
train together.
“Everything we’ve done we’ve
done together,” said Dodgson.
“We’ve gone with a different
model, partly out of desire
and also need. We’re all in this
together and the aim is to see an
improvement across both teams.”
Sumner will go into the
opening round match against
Linwood at Linfield Park on
Saturday with largely the same
squad they finished with last
year. However, the tradition of
using young English talent is
set to continue with two players
from Saracens Football Club
expected to arrive in Sumner
during the season.
The team also has some new
faces in the coaching department,
with former Sumner players
Gareth D’Almeida and Matt
Cruickshank coming on board.
A player to watch once again
will be No 8 Dylan Nel, who
dominated the competition last
year, earning him a call-up to
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
KEY MAN: Canterbury rep Dylan Nel dominated last year’s
metro rugby competition by winning the MVP award and
finishing as the top try scorer. PHOTO: MARTIN HUNTER
the Canterbury and extended
Crusaders squads.
Nel won last year’s MVP race
by the largest margin in the
award’s history. The South African
finished with 27 points – 11
more than any other player. He
also finished as the leading try
scorer in the competition with
16, four more than any other
player.
Sumner’s match on Saturday
against Linwood starts at
2.45pm.
• By Gordon Findlater
FERRYMEAD BAYS bounced
back from a defeat to rivals
Cashmere Technical to win
the Hurley Shield from Coastal
Spirit on Monday.
They last won the shield
in April 2017 by defeating
Cashmere. However, they will
hope to hold it longer than they
did on the previous occasion,
which saw them defeated by FC
Twenty in their first defence just
five days later.
The shield is contested in a
Ranfurly Shield-type format at
home matches by Christchurch
clubs.
Chris Anderson was the man
of the moment for Bays in their
1-0 shield victory.
BAY HARBOUR
SPORTS
PAGE 17
HOLDERS: Ferrymead Bays claimed the Hurley Shield on
Monday.
Bays bounce back
to win Hurley Shield
The forward came on as a late
substitute and scored from six
yards out with 10min remaining
after latching onto a loose ball
following an uncleared corner
kick.
On Good Friday, Bays suffered
their first loss of the season
to Cashmere 0-2. After four
rounds, Bays have two wins, a
loss and a draw to their name.
“We didn’t perform up our
expectations on Friday and
we knew going into the game
against Coastal that we needed
a win to stay with the title contenders,”
said Bays coach Danny
Halligan.
Bays’ first defence of the
shield is on Saturday when they
host the winless Universities
AFC. •More sport, page 18
Sarah, Anita, Grant, Ashleigh and Kellie
Full Service Pharmacy
including...
• Passports Photos
• Revlon Cosmetics and Revlon Club
• Gifts and Gift Wrapping
• Ear Piercing
• Extensive Natural Health range
• Scarves, Hats and Sunglasses
• Focus on Natural Organic Skincare including Trilogy,
Antipodes and Sukin
OPEN SAT & SUN
Dispensary Service
• Medico Packs
• Quit Smoking Quitcards
• Emergency
Contraceptive Pill
• Delivery Service
Owned and operated by
your pharmacist, Grant Bell
CAFÉ
NOW OPEN
1005 Ferry Rd, Ferrymead. Ph:943 9635
OPEN 7 DAYS: Mon to Fri 8.30am - 6pm
Sat 9am - 4pm and Sun 10am - 4pm