North Canterbury News: April 08, 2021

SPORT
North Canterbury News, April 8, 2021
31
Combined competition returns
RUGBY PREVIEW
By LINDSAY KERR
Areturn to acombined senior
rugby competition with
Ellesmere and Mid
Canterbury awaits the eight
North Canterburysides when
the new championship kicks
off next Saturday.
However, unlike the last
time this competition was
held, the North Canterbury
teams willplay in their own
pool, with the top teams going
into quarter­finals against the
sides from the other two
pools.
The grand final will be
played on June 13,and a
second roundfor the North
Canterbury teams will
culminate withthe traditional
grand finals day for all grades
on July 31.
Defending combined
country and North
Canterbury side Glenmark­
Cheviot faces the season with
considerableexpectation,
Northern powerhouse ... The Glenmark­Cheviot squad celebrates after avictory at home in the grand
final against Kaiapoi last year.
PHOTO: FILE
coming on the back of an
unbeaten run thatdates back
to May 2018.
Thecombined side starts
the season withachangein
coachingstaff,with former
player Jamie Gray taking over
Decider ... Last year’s final saw Glenmark­Cheviot and Kaiapoi
battle out the final at the Omihi Domain in the absence of spectators
because of Covid­19 restrictions. Ahandful of onlookers enjoyed
the match from acherrypicker in an adjoining paddock. PHOTO: FILE
the rolefrom Matt Keane.
Gray reports that the preseason
build­uphas been
good, with asquad that sees
several new players replacing
the inevitable loss of players
who have either moved on or
retired.
Kaiapoi, the beatengrand
finalists in the last two years,
has been preparing for a
season that will hopefully end
a12­year break between
championship victories.
Matt Newton and Simon
Gunn will again lead the
coaching staff.
Newton advises that preseason
activity has not been
the greatest but he is not too
concerned given thatmost of
last season’ssquadhas
returned.
One notableaddition to the
team is exciting Crusaders
outside back JoshMcKay.
McKay played his younger
years with Kaiapoi and
follows his father,who was a
senior stalwart for many
years.
Ben Gorstwill again coach
Oxford.
This team will be keento
break aseries of semi final
departures and return to the
winners podium for thefirst
time since2012.
Saracens has had asolid
season build up under the eye
of headcoach TroyManaena,
as has Ashleywith Al Sim
again in charge.
The Ashley forward pack
again looks strong, with
veteran loosie Richie Hancox
again in themix.
Regrettably,inpre­season
play, they lost promising
outsideback Luke Goldtoa
season­endingshoulder
injury.
Hurunui and Ohoka will be
hoping to build on the steady
growth both sides made last
year. Both sides were never
outclassed, but victories were
scarce.
Ohoka had thesatisfaction
of being the only team to take
points off Glenmark­Cheviot,
when it held the northern side
to adraw.
Arejuvenated Woodend
teamhas secured some
suitablegains and has new
coaching staff, withTom
Tamati and Dewet Nortje in
charge.
Former Glenmark coach
MattKeane,along with
Kaiapoi’s SimonGunnand
James Lowe (Ashley), will
takecharge of the North
Canterbury representative
side.
With the absence againof
any Country programme, the
North Canterbury team will
takepart in the Tane Norton
Cup competition against
Ellesmere, Canterbury
Maoris and aCantabrians XV.
The side will alsoplay a
warm­up game againstthe
Buller invitational side
before theHeartland
programme begins.
NORTH CANTERBURY
RUGBYSUB UNION DRAW
10 th April 2021
Luisetti Seeds Combined Div 1(Pool C)
2.45pm Saracens vs Ashley, Southbrook Park,
Southbrook 1.2.45pm Glenmark Cheviot Rugby vs
Oxford RFC, Omihi, Omihi 1. 2.45pm Woodend RFC
vs Hurunui, Gladstone Domain, Woodend 1. 2.45pm
KaiapoiRFC vs OhokaRFC,Kaiapoi, Kaiapoi Oval
Ellesmere&NorthCanterbury(SectionA)
1.00pmAmberley RFCvsAshley,Amberley,Amberley
1. 1.00pm Hurunui vs Glenmark Cheviot Rugby,
Culverden, Culverden 1. 1.00pm Kaiapoi RFC Div2
Golds vsSaracens, Kaiapoi, Kaiapoi Oval. 1.00pm
Kaikoura Rugby Football Club vs Woodend, Kaikoura
Rugby Club, Field 1.1.00pm Oxford RFC vs Ohoka
RFC, Oxford,Oxford Oval.
Combined Colts (Section A)
1.00pm Hampstead /Southern RFC Combined vs
AshleySol Colts, Hinds Domain, Field 1. 1.00pmCeltic
EuroAgri vs Glenmark Cheviot Rugby, Ashburton
Celtic RFC,Field 1.
Womens(CanstaffWomen’s Round Robin)
2.45pm Kaiapoi RFC Women’s vs Lincoln University
RFC Hoggets,KaiapoiRugby1.
NORTH
CANTERBURY
RUGBY ISBACK!!
No limits
No restrictions
Come ondown and
support your team!
TRYLES MILLS
BODY BALANCE
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PM
During April non members can tryBody Balancefor FREE at
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FREE access is to this class onlyand does not include access to the gym’s cardio or weights
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For all draw information
and updates please keep
up to date with
North Canterbury Rugby
2364200