The Star: June 14, 2018

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48 Thursday June 14 2018 Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi The Star Sport in brief Spirit, Tech battle for top spot in WPL The front-runners for the Women’s Premier League will be decided on Saturday when Coastal Spirit and Cashmere Technical meet in a top-of-thetable clash at Cuthberts Green. The two teams have already met twice in this year’s WPL. They played out a 2-2 draw on March 24 and a 1-1 draw on May 19. Tech currently hold a two-point lead in the competition. The winner of Saturday’s match will hold the fate of their title hopes going into the final four rounds Five country players make Canty NPC side Waihora have been rewarded for their run to a fourth consecutive combined country final by having three players named in the Canterbury NPC wider training group. Mark Maintland, Tyler Koning and Harry Kirk are three of just five country players named in the wider training group, along with Tim Murgatroyd (Prebbleton) and Sam Cottam (Lincoln). The selection of the five players is a high number from Ellesmere compared to recent years and is an indication of the increased level of competition in the country competition. Waihora host Rakaia in the combined country final on Saturday. Clarke takes off to Houston • By Jacob Page COASTAL SPIRIT defender Emma Clarke will test her skills in the top-flight of American college football when she takes up a scholarship at the University of Houston next month. The talented defender and former New Zealand under-19 and under-20 player represented her country at the Oceania championships last year and has created a compelling case for a scholarship with dedication to both her sport and studies. The former St Margaret’s College player started playing the game at the age of nine and has made Canterbury age-group teams every year since the age of 12. From next month, she will play for the Houston Cougars. “I’ve always enjoyed the team aspect of football and playing alongside friends. That’s what’s kept me in it,” she said. A normal week last year saw Clarke training with her club team, her school team, the Canterbury men’s football team, at the gym, at pre-season training with the Canterbury women’s team, a game on Saturday and then a social game of futsal on Sunday – not to mention homework. The 18-year-old said the prospect of playing in the United States, one of the powerhouse countries in the women’s game, is what drew her to the opportunity. “The scholarship wasn’t something that has been a long-term dream, but I’ve had teammates earn one and I know the quality will be a big step up there,” she said. Her new coach at Houston, Diego Bocanegra, praised Clarke’s football IQ when he announced her signing. “Emma is an accomplished defender with youth international experience,” said Bocanegra. “She has the rare combination of total athleticism, deft touch and great understanding of the game,” he said. “Her presence on the back line will give us multiple options of how we can line up tactically. She will help to anchor the back line defensively, as well as allowing us to attack more through our defenders,” he said. Clarke’s rise through the ranks has been mirrored alongside friend and Coastal Spirit defender, Rebecca Lake. The duo both made the New Zealand IN DEMAND: Canterbury football defender Emma Clarke has accepted a scholarship to the University of Houston. PHOTO: COASTAL SPIRIT under-19 squad together last year. “We are good friends, and having played so much together over the years, I think that’s helped to push us toward our goals.” Clarke will study engineering at the University of Houston. She has been able to maintain her fitness by playing with Coastal Spirit in the women’s Mainland Premier League but will be going straight into the US season when she lands in Houston. Guide to the weekend sporting action Rugby league With all Massetti Cup games washed out due to the persistent wet weather last weekend, the club competition returns with round nine on Saturday. The most intriguing match-up will see the thirdplaced Northern Bulldogs host fourth-placed Halswell Hornets at Murphy Park. The top-ofthe-table Linwood Keas will Top of the tables Massetti Cup (rugby league) P W D L PD Pts Linwood Keas 7 7 0 0 142 14 Hornby Panthers 7 6 1 0 60 12 Northern Bulldogs 7 5 2 0 62 10 Halswell Hornets 7 3 4 0 -18 6 Aranui Eagles 5 2 5 0 -40 4 Celebration Lions 7 2 5 0 -58 4 Papanui Tigers 7 2 5 0 -70 4 Riccarton Knights 7 1 6 0 -72 2 Metro Premier Cup P W L D Pts Lincoln University 11 11 0 0 52 Christchurch 11 8 2 1 43 Sumner 11 8 3 0 41 welcome Celebration Lions to LInwood Park. The Aranui Eagles look to keep their play-off hopes alive when they travel to face the Papanui Tigers at Papanui Domain. The Riccarton Knights will look to get off the bottom of the ladder when they play the second-placed Hornby Panthers at Crosbie Park. Men’s hockey It’s a battle of second v third in the premier men’s hockey competition as Carlton Redcliffs get ready to battle Fendalton Avon. Harewood will look to maintain top spot when they face cellar-dwellers Hornby. University will play HSOB/Avon and Marist will play Southern United. Sydenham 11 8 3 0 40 University 11 7 4 0 36 New Brighton 11 6 4 1 32 Burnside 11 5 6 0 26 HSOB 11 4 7 0 21 Marist Albion 11 3 8 0 17 Shirley 11 3 8 0 17 Linwood 11 2 9 0 12 Belfast 11 0 11 0 7 Mainland Premier League P W D L GD Pts Cashmere Tech 14 11 3 0 35 36 Coastal Spirit 14 10 1 3 25 31 Ferrymead Bays 14 8 2 4 13 26 Nelson Suburts 14 7 3 4 5 24 Nomads 14 7 1 6 2 22 FC Twenty 14 4 1 9 -19 13 Selwyn United 14 1 3 10 -20 6 Universities 14 1 0 13 -41 3 Women’s hockey Top team HSOB/Burnside have the weekend off, so the rest of the teams have a chance to catch up. Carlton Redcliffs could leap to the top of the standings if they beat fifthplaced H and B Avon. Harewood will stay in touch with the top two if they can knock over Hornby, while Marist and Southern will battle it out. Men’s football Last weekend, Cashmere Technical became only the second team to go through the Mainland Premier League undefeated after the 2008 Nelson Suburbs team did the same. There is no men’s football this weekend as the teams prepare for the start of the Southern Football League next weekend. Men’s premier hockey league P W L D GD Pts Harewood 7 7 0 0 11 21 Carlton Redcliffs 7 4 2 1 7 13 Fendalton Avon 6 3 2 1 -2 10 Marist 6 2 2 2 3 8 Southern United 6 2 3 1 2 7 University 6 2 3 1 -4 7 HSOB / Burnside 7 1 1 4 -1 7 Hornby Vipers 7 0 7 0 -16 0 Women’s premier hockey league P W L D GD Pts HSOB/Burnside 6 5 0 1 27 16 Carlton Redcliffs 6 5 1 0 17 15 Harewood 6 3 1 2 14 11 Marist 5 2 2 1 2 7 H and B Avon 5 1 3 1 -7 4 Hornby 6 0 4 2 -23 2 Southern 6 0 5 1 -30 1
The Star Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi Thursday June 14 2018 49 JUST WHEN we were entertaining the idea that the Cowboys had turned the corner with the previous week’s road win over Manly, they go and get towelled up by the last-placed Eels. It was a huge missed opportunity, given that a victory could’ve lifted them from 14th to 12th and left them just two wins shy of the top eight. After the loss, coach Paul Green told nrl.com it wasn’t down to his team’s ability but questioned where players were at mentally. There aren’t many playing rosters in the NRL that look capable on paper of going on a long winning spree. The Cowboys are one such team, but the magic just isn’t there on the field this year. The Warriors might boast a very tidy record (9-4) but with all due respects to Stephen Kearney and his players, of all the teams in the top eight, New Zealand and Brisbane still seem the most HORNCASTLE ARENA June 29 - July 1 10AM - 5PM TICKETS ONLINE: starhomeshow.kiwi Green questions Cowboys attitude ahead of Warriors likely to slip out. Hampered by injuries over the past month or so, the Warriors showed their fighting spirit with a dominant come-from-behind victory over Manly last week in Christchurch. They don’t have the greatest record in Townsville against the Cowboys but records are there to be broken if the Warriors want it badly enough tomorrow night. •Key match-up: It wasn’t long ago that Jake Granville was being mentioned as a possible replacement for retired Queensland Origin legend Cameron Smith. That isn’t going to happen with the Cowboys travelling so poorly, but he better bring his A-game or he will be taught a lesson by Issac Luke, who is in career-best form at the age of 31. •For the Cowboys to win: For a team that is performing far below expectations, the Cowboys seem to be avoiding in-fighting and finger-pointing (at least publicly), but they are lacking onfield chemistry. They need to get back to basics and try to dominate through their forward pack to allow Johnathan Thurston to do his thing. •For the Warriors to win: If the Warriors forwards can do some damage against a hot-andcold Cowboys pack, it should open up space for Shaun Johnson to create for the likes of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Ken Maumalo and prolific try-scoring winger David Fusitu’a. carpet of the week PLUS MUCH MORE INSTORE tango 4m wide Solution Dyed Nylon, colour kruger $99 per metre 47 Gasson Street Ph 353 8899 Hours: 8.30am-5pm Mon-Fri www.theflooringwarehouse.co.nz • TOOLS • AIR TOOLS • ALLOY JACKS • BATTERIES • OIL & MUCH MORE! OPEN TUES-FRI 9AM - 4.30PM 129 NORTH AVON RD, CHRISTCHURCH www.woodfordglen.co.nz Andy Carr 2018 NRL TIPPING COMPETITION ROUND 15 (June 14th - June 17th) OUR ExPERT’s sELECTIONs Austin Motor Company Rabbitohs Warriors Panthers Titans Dragons Sharks Storm Raiders Currently placed: successfully selected: 1st 66/108 Eels v Rabbitohs Cowboys v Warriors Roosters v Panthers Bulldogs v Titans Dragons v Sea Eagles Sharks v Broncos Knights v Storm Wests Tigers v Raiders Ben Rogers The Flooring Warehouse Rabbitohs Warriors Roosters Bulldogs Dragons Sharks Storm Wests Tigers Currently placed: successfully selected: 3rd 62/108 Mike Olds Rockcote Rabbitohs Warriors Panthers Bulldogs Dragons Broncos Storm Wests Tigers Currently placed: successfully selected: 2nd 64/108 THE SWAMP ISLINGTON TAVERN 670 MAIN SOUTH RD, ISLINGTON P. 349 7337 12 cold beers on tap Bar Meals | 18 Pokies Full TAB Facility Garden Bar | Weekend Music BOTTLESTORE BEST DEALS IN TOWN! LET OUR COURTESY VAN COME TO YOU steve Lennon Andrew McCormick stephen Moffat Woodford Glen Speedway Brandts-Giesen McCormick Islington Tavern $11,990 2003 holden Commodore 3.8, rare 5 speed, alloys, ABS, twin airbags. Rabbitohs Warriors Panthers Bulldogs Dragons Broncos Storm Wests Tigers Rabbitohs Warriors Panthers Bulldogs Dragons Sharks Storm Wests Tigers Rabbitohs Warriors Panthers Bulldogs Dragons Sharks Storm Wests Tigers 275 Colombo St, Christchurch Cnr Colombo & Milton Sts Ph: 337 9629 Currently placed: successfully selected: 4th 61/108 Currently placed: successfully selected: 5th= 58/108 Currently placed: successfully selected: 5th= 58/108
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