The Star: August 05, 2021

Thursday August 5 2021 The Star
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
SPORT 31
BIG CLUB MATCH-UPS THIS WEEKEND
Hornets rebound to stay in title race
• By Chris Barclay
HALSWELL CLEARED the
first hurdle as they target their
first Canterbury Rugby League
premier grade grand final
appearance since 2014, and now
another sizable obstacle looms.
The Hornets bounced back
from a heavy loss to Hornby in
the final round of the regular
season to eliminate the Northern
Bulldogs – last year’s runners-up
– from Pat Smith Trophy contention
with a thrilling 28-22 minor
semi-final win after extra time
last weekend.
Composure down the stretch
was just what head coach Walter
Wilson craved as Halswell held
firm after Nick Evans broke a 22-
all deadlock through a try with
the final play in the first period
of extra time.
“We knew we had it in us to go
again, you could tell they were in
the moment,” Wilson said.
“The boys were pretty positive
throughout the whole week
training and when it came down
to another five minutes we just
had a bit of quiet confidence,”
Wilson said.
Confidence levels might
have been compromised after
Halswell copped a 64-12 hammering
by Hornby to complete
the regular season, though a
scan of the respective team lists
indicates the psychological scarring
was minimal due to a severe
injury toll.
Halswell were missing several
first choice players because of
knocks and age group representative
commitments, the bulk
of that personnel were back to
face the Bulldogs.
Wilson hasn’t dwelt on the last
match with Hornby, believing a
24-all stalemate in April was a
more reliable form line heading
into the preliminary final at
Leslie Park.
“The way we played on Saturday
(against the Bulldogs) we
weren’t scarred by the experience.
We had seven out the last
time we played Hornby,” he said.
Top qualifiers Hornby needed
a lifeline after they were edged
14-10 by champions Linwood,
who seek a fifth successive title in
next Sunday.
There will be a new set of
finalists in the 1st XV championship
competition with 2020
champions St Andrew’s College
and traditional powerhouse
Christchurch Boys’ High School
destined to miss next weekend’s
semi-finals.
St Bede’s College head into the
final round of the regular season
against St Thomas of Canterbury
College with a five-point buffer
over closest challenger Nelson
College.
St Thomas appear not quite
secure in third while Timaru
Boys’ High School should secure
a finals berth when they travel
to lowly mid-Canterbury Combined
in Ashburton.
Fifth-placed Christ’s College
can still force their way into the
post-season, though a 31-30 loss
to St Thomas last weekend could
yet sabotage those plans.
St Thomas hit the front with a
HARD
YARDS:
Matt Black
takes the
ball to the
line for
Halswell
against the
Northern
Bulldogs.
PHOTO:
CHRIS
BARCLAY ​
minute to play but missed a
handy conversion to give Christ’s
College a sliver of hope. They duly
scored after a stirring passage of
play only for the match-clinching
conversion to strike an upright.
Cashmere Technical are
through to the semi-finals of
the Chatham Cup following a
successful trip to the Waikato,
where they thrashed Hamilton
Wanderers 4-0.
Mainland Football premiership
golden boot winner
Garbhan Coughlan scored twice
while Luke Tongue also hit the
target before player of the match
Yuya Taguchi completed the rout
in added time.
The other successful quarterfinalists
were Miramar and Wellington
rivals Western Suburbs,
and North Shore United.
With the Chatham Cup taking
precedence last weekend, there
was only one Southern League
encounter, a catch-up game between
Coastal Spirit and Nelson
Suburbs.
Coastal Spirit recorded a
second straight 1-0 victory to
replace Cashmere Technical
in second spot behind Otago
University.
Harewood continue to set the
pace in Canterbury Hockey’s
premier league competitions
with after contrasting wins over
HSOB/Burnside.
The reigning champion women’s
team received the Rose Bowl
Trophy for the leading team at
the end of the regular season
after a 3-1 victory ensured they
could not be caught with a round
of fixtures remaining before the
play-offs.
Harewood’s men pipped
HSOB/Burnside 4-3 to hold a
one-point lead over champions
Marist as they vie for the President’s
Shield.
Lincoln University showcased
their championship-winning
qualities in Christchurch Netball’s
premier grade when the
title holders remained unbeaten
through a 54-47 victory over
second-placed University of Canterbury
on Tuesday night.
They are now the only
unbeaten team in section A
after four rounds; St Nicholas
and Kereru B set the pace in
the competition’s second tier
following wins over St Margaret’s
College and St Andrew’s College
respectively.
TOP
OF THE
TABLES
Brought
to you by
Curtains
Blinds
Shutters
99 Sawyers Arms Rd
03 365 4666 or
0800 836 587
www.venluree.co.nz
Southern League football
P W D L GD Pts
Otago University 2 2 0 0 3 6
Coastal Spirit 2 2 0 0 2 6
Cashmere Technical 2 1 1 0 3 3
South City Royals 2 1 1 0 2 3
Selwyn Utd 2 1 1 0 -1 3
Christchurch Utd 2 0 1 1 -1 1
Nelson Suburbs 2 0 1 1 -1 1
Green Island 2 0 2 0 -7 0
1st XV Championship Rugby
P W L D BP Pts
St Bede’s College 12 11 2 0 11 55
Nelson College 12 10 1 1 9 51
St Thomas 12 9 3 0 13 49
Timaru BHS 12 10 2 0 7 47
Christ’s College 12 8 4 0 14 46
St Andrew’s College 12 8 4 0 10 42
Christchurch BHS 12 6 5 1 10 36
Marlborough BC 12 5 7 0 6 26
Shirley BHS 12 5 7 0 4 24
Rangiora HS 12 4 8 0 4 20
Waimea Combined 12 3 9 0 3 15
Lincoln Combined 12 3 9 0 3 15
Mid Canty Combined 12 1 11 0 3 7
Aoraki Combined 12 0 12 0 2 2
Christchurch Hockey men’s premier league
P W D L GD Pts
Harewood 13 9 3 1 24 30
Marist 13 9 2 2 11 29
Carlton Redcliffs 13 5 6 2 3 21
HSOB/Burnside 13 4 6 3 12 18
Avon 13 4 5 4 14 17
Southern United 13 3 5 5 0 14
Hornby Vipers 13 2 4 7 -9 10
University 13 0 1 12 -55 1
Christchurch Hockey women’s premier league
P W D L GD Pts
Harewood 11 9 2 0 36 29
Carlton Redcliffs 12 8 1 3 30 25
Marist 11 6 3 2 12 21
Avon 11 5 1 5 -1 16
Hornby 11 3 2 6 -16 11
HSOB/Burnside 11 2 2 7 2 8
Southern United 11 0 1 10 -63 1
Weekend match-ups
•Canterbury Rugby League
Premiership, preliminary final
(2.45pm Saturday).
Hornby v Halswell, Leslie Park:
winner advances to August 15 grand
final with Linwood.
Southern League football
Christchurch United v Coastal
Spirit, Christchurch Football Centre,
Friday 7.30pm; South City Royals v
Nelson Suburbs, Caledonian Ground,
Sunday 1pm.
1st XV championship rugby
final round of regular season
(home team first, all Saturday)
Waimea Combined v Shirley BHS;
Aoraki Combined v Nelson College;
Lincoln Combined v Marlborough
Boys’ College; Mid Canterbury Combined
v Timary BHS; Christchurch
BHS v Rangiora High School; St
Bede’s College v St Thomas of Canterbury
College; St Andrew’s College v
Christ’s College
•Canterbury Hockey men’s
premiership (all Saturday)
Carlton Redcliffs v University
of Canterbury, Waimakariri Turf,
11.45am; Harewood v Avon, Marist
Park @ St Bede’s College, 1.15pm;
Marist v Hornby, Nga Puna Wai 1,
1.15pm; Southern United v HSOB/
Burnside, Nga Puna Wai 2, 2.45pm.
•Canterbury Hockey
women’s premiership (all
Saturday)
Harewood v Avon v Marist Park @
St Bede’s College, 11.45am; Marist v
Hornby, Nga Puna Wai 1, 11.45am;
Southern United v HSOB/Burnside v
Harewood, Nga Puna Wai 2, 4.15pm;
Carlton Redcliffs bye