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• By Chris Barclay<br />
SOUTHBRIDGE copped some<br />
flak for running Dan Carter in<br />
last year’s Coleman Shield final,<br />
so claiming a third straight<br />
Ellesmere division 1 rugby title<br />
with a makeshift first five-eighth<br />
proved particularly satisfying.<br />
All Blacks and Crusaders<br />
legend Carter made a couple<br />
of late season cameos in 2020,<br />
including the decider – a narrow<br />
win over Waihora – and<br />
12 months on the difference in<br />
the champion’s play-making<br />
role could not have been starker<br />
before Southbridge celebrated a<br />
28-24 triumph on Saturday.<br />
Regular pivot Shannon<br />
Donald was sidelined at Lincoln<br />
Domain after picking up an injury<br />
late in the semi-final victory<br />
over Springston, leaving midfield<br />
back Jack Dawson to start at No<br />
10.<br />
“It was good to win it on our<br />
own merit. We got a fair bit of<br />
stick last year but who wouldn’t<br />
play Dan if you had him in your<br />
squad and he was available?”<br />
asked team manager Wayne<br />
Palmer.<br />
“Jack got thrown into first five<br />
and he hadn’t kicked all year.<br />
He’s only a young fella, 19.”<br />
Regular fullback Cam Sheat<br />
and loose forward Adam Stone<br />
were also unavailable though<br />
injury<br />
Southbridge’s five tries were<br />
all unconverted but Dawson<br />
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz<br />
did slot a penalty to help keep<br />
Prebbleton at bay.<br />
The competition benchmark<br />
built a 15-0 lead after 30min, a gap<br />
Prebbleton were unable to bridge<br />
as Southbridge finished the season<br />
with just one defeat – to Ashburton’s<br />
Southern in the combined<br />
Luisetti Seeds Cup final.<br />
While Southbridge are accustomed<br />
to dealing with the<br />
pressures associated with a final,<br />
Prebbleton coach Dave Kettles<br />
admitted his side were anxious as<br />
they experienced the club’s first<br />
division 1 showdown since the<br />
club won their latest title in 1974.<br />
“They got three really nice<br />
tries pretty quickly. I underestimated<br />
how nervous the boys<br />
were, they felt a bit of pressure<br />
but once they settled into their<br />
groove they came back pretty<br />
strong,” he said.<br />
Prebbleton narrowed the gap<br />
to four points with four minutes<br />
remaining when Southbridge<br />
were reduced to 14 following a<br />
yellow card, but the holders then<br />
monopolised possession to close<br />
out the contest.<br />
The underdogs had three<br />
potential tries disallowed in the<br />
second half, though Kettles was<br />
philosophical.<br />
“The right team won, they<br />
were the better team on the day<br />
and they deserved their victory,”<br />
he said.<br />
Kettles said Leni Taufateau<br />
running water in the final helped<br />
put a disappointing end to the<br />
season into perspective.<br />
The talented back suffered<br />
head injuries after being<br />
knocked unconscious by a<br />
Mongrel Mob member in the<br />
Christchurch CBD on January<br />
31 and has gradually made a<br />
recovery.<br />
“He’s not far from getting<br />
cleared. I’d say he’ll be back on<br />
the field next year,” said Kettles.<br />
“At the end of the day rugby’s<br />
just a game, it’s the people who<br />
are the important part of it.”<br />
•More photos, page 28<br />
SPORT 27<br />
Southbridge secures shield with close win<br />
TRIPLE TREAT: Southbridge celebrate after winning Ellesmere division 1 rugby’s coveted<br />
Coleman Shield for a third successive season. (Right) – Leni Taufateau’s progressive<br />
recovery from head injuries suffered when he was assaulted by a Mongrel Mob member<br />
in January put Prebbleton’s setback into perspective.<br />
PHOTOS: KAREN CASEY<br />
Wednesday <strong>August</strong> 4 <strong>2021</strong> <strong>Selwyn</strong> <strong>Times</strong>
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