Western News: September 25, 2018

10 Tuesday September 25 2018
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
SPORTS
WESTERN NEWS
DETERMINED: St Thomas’ rower Logan Anderson has made
the Southern RPC for the summer.
Anderson makes
rowing squad
• By Jacob Page
ST THOMAS’ rower Logan
Anderson has achieved his 2018
goal of making the Southern
Regional Performance Centre
squad for the summer.
The year 13 student joins St
Thomas old boy Nathan Flannery
in the squad.
The squad act as the basis from
which all New Zealand crews
are picked from for international
events.
St Thomas’ rowing coach Pat
McQuinn said he was not surprised
by Anderson’s selection.
“He’s a kid who just gives it
everything,” he said. “It was one
of his goals this year to make this
squad so it’s well deserved.”
The 17-year-old who is in his
final year at school said he was
thrilled to make the squad after
making it his aim more than a
year ago.
He said he followed his mates
to rowing trials as a year 10 pupil
and was immediately put into an
eight.
“No one in my family rowed,
it just looked like fun and all my
mates were part of it so I thought
I’d give it a go.”
He has dabbled in a single,
winning the under-17 South
Island title last year.
Anderson earned his only
Maadi Cup medal in April in the
double-sculls with Ben Scarlett.
“You always want to have a
Maadi medal so to have one after
four seasons, was a good way to
GOALS: Logan Anderson with
the bronze medal from the
double sculls at the Maadi
Cup earlier this year.
end things,” he said.
Anderson said he was determined
to see how far he could
go in rowing and he said while
he enjoyed rowing in the single,
he realised he’d likely be part of
a crew.
“I’ll be happy to row wherever
I can get an opportunity.
“The chance to make national
teams and compete overseas is a
big motivator.”
OPTIONS: St Thomas’ rugby league player Caius Faatili appears to have a bright future in the
game.
16-year-old aims to
fulfil NRL dream
• By Jacob Page
ST THOMAS’ rugby league
player Caius Faatili is open
to any future offers – except
playing for the Linwood Keas.
The staunch Hornby Panther
has been signed to a youth
development deal with the
NRL’s North Queensland
Cowboys but will be off-contract
next year.
While his secondary school
coach is Keas and Canterbury
Bulls coach Andrew Auimatagi,
do not expect the schoolboy to
be switch allegiances.
“Andrew has been great but I’d
never play for the Keas, no way,”
he said.
The 16-year-old was selected
for the Kiwis under 18s team
but has pulled out because he
wants to play in front of numerous
NRL scouts at the national
age group tournament in a fortnight.
“The plan is to head to Australia
after high school,” the year
12 student said.
“Since I’m off-contract, I want
to play in front of as many eyes
as I can so I thought playing for
the Southern Scorpions was the
best choice.
“I’m open to all offers, I just
want to show what I can do up
there.”
Faatili has played for Hornby
since he was seven-years-old.
“A friend was playing league
and dragged me down to a
game.
“I was playing rippa rugby
at Springston at the time but
in league you go straight into
tackling and I just loved the
physicality.
“I asked my parents if I could
play and that was it.”
He said his aim was to make
the Hornby Panther premier
team next year and help them
win a title.
“That would mean a lot to
be able to achieve that,” he
said.
“I was a ball boy for that team
when I was a lot younger so it
would be great to play for them.”
Faatili was also a national
under-16 representative and
made the tournament team last
month at the national secondary
schools tournament in Auckland.
He was presented with his
jersey by former Kiwis and
Warriors centre Nigel Vagana.
Faatili said he looked up
to Cowboys enforcer Jason
Taumalolo.
“I’ve had a few chats with him
when I’ve been to some of the
Cowboys’ camps.’’
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