The Star: May 12, 2022

The Star Thursday May 12 2022
30
SPORT
• By Chris Barclay
TWO organisations synonymous
with sporting success revealed
their ruthless streak, but there
was still a feel-good storyline
for one of club rugby’s battlers,
Belfast.
Cashmere Technical reasserted
their dominance in football’s
Southern League with an
11-2 demolition of Mosgiel
AFC, enabling the defending
champions to keep the pressure
on leaders Christchurch United,
the only other unbeaten side in
the competition featuring sides
from Canterbury and Otago.
Rugby League
In the Canterbury Rugby
League premiership, perennial
grand finalists and last season’s
runners-up Linwood posted a
century against Papanui, a 20-
try, 102-0 rout which emphasised
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Cashmere Technical reassert dominance
DOUBLE STRIKE:
Cashmere Technical’s Lyle
Matthysen watches one of
his two goals head for the
net against Mosgiel AFC.
PHOTO: MATT HASTINGS
THIS WEEKEND’S TOP CLASHES
the gulf in class from top to
bottom.
Six tries inside the opening
quarter set the tone as the Keas
powered to a 56-0 lead at halftime
and they far from rested on
their laurels after the break.
Canterbury Bulls forward Kyle
Amer notched four tries while
wing Maka Mohi finished with
a hat-trick as Linwood, who
featured 12 try-scorers - firmed
as competition favourites after
ceding the title to Hornby last
year.
Hornby’s premiership defence
is yet to gather momentum with
the Eastern Eagles adding to
the Panthers early season woes
through an 18-8 victory at Leslie
Park, highlighted by centre Pio
Ioane’s treble.
The Eagles can build on that
momentum on Saturday against
Papanui while Hornby have another
opportunity to get off the
mark against Celebration Lions,
who were shaded in a tight clash
by the Northern Bulldogs, 16-10.
The Kaiapoi-based side now
take on the in-form Halswell
Hornets – who beat Riccarton
36-10 last weekend – while
Linwood, the only unbeaten
team in the quest for the regular
season’s Massetti Cup, are
expected to extend that record
when they are hosted by an
improving Riccarton at Crosbie
Park.
Rugby
Hornby are not alone in experiencing
contrasting fortunes,
with last year’s Christchurch
Metro Premier runners-up
Burnside also unable to replicate
the highs of 2021.
Burnside are the only winless
side in the division one club
rugby competition after Belfast
won their bottom of the table
clash 19-10.
Wooden spooners in 2021, Belfast
have already matched their
solitary win last season with a
spirited performance.
Shirley lock poised for his
300th division one game
• By Chris Barclay
HE’S NOT the tallest lock
bounding around, but when it
comes to experience Phil Watson
is head and shoulders above his
teammates.
The converted loose forward
is a game away from the 300
division one match milestone,
and the Christchurch Metro
Cup stalwart continues to
display the qualities which
make the 37-year-old such a
vital cog in the Shirley engine
room.
When last Saturday’s match
with Christchurch was in the
balance at 24-18 as the clock
wound down, 1.88m Watson was
hoisted perfectly by his lifters to
snatch a lineout against the feed,
an intervention that enabled
the visitors to absorb valuable
seconds before full-time.
The most seasoned campaigner
in Shirley’s top squad, Watson
was constantly cajoling and
directing his teammates around
Christchurch Park, before
celebrating victory – Shirley’s
second from five games – with
a bite-sized chocolate bar, and a
water. Post-match refreshments
will undoubtedly be stronger
this Saturday, as Watson records
the latest landmark appearance
of a one-club career which
started in 2003.
He joined Shirley after moving
from Ashburton to study
at Canterbury University and
debuted against New Brighton as
an openside flanker.
Later that season he harried
former Canterbury, Crusaders
and All Blacks first five-eighths
Andrew Mehrtens; he also
duelled at the breakdown with
some of the province’s other
favourite rugby sons, Matt Todd
and Reuben Thorne.
Watson has been in the wars –
he missed a season after tearing
MILESTONE: Shirley rugby stalwart Phil Watson makes his 300th senior appearance for the club on Saturday.
(Right) – Watson claims a crucial lineout possession in Shirley’s tight win over Christchurch. PHOTOS: CHRIS BARCLAY
an anterior cruciate ligament in
the opening game and endured
three ACL reconstructions
before recording his 200th appearance
in 2016.
Since then, the department
head of physical education and
health at Christchurch Boys’
High School, has proved remarkably
durable.
“I’ve been really lucky with
injuries, I’ve had niggles but
nothing too major,” he said.
“I think the reason is when
you get older, you get a bit wiser.
You know where not to go on the
field and you know what to do
after the game.”
However, the after match
ritual will be more old school at
Burwood Park after Saturday’s
clash with Belfast.
“I’ll have a couple and hopefully
a few boys can come and
celebrate with me. It’ll be a
pretty cool occasion being at
home as well,” Watson said.
He put in an 80min shift
against Christchurch, indicating
father time is yet to catch up on
the father-of-two. Their mother,
however, has gently blown the
whistle.
“This will be the last year, this
is definitely it,” he said.
“I’ve told the wife (Teresa)
about four years in a row: ‘This
is my last year’. It took a lot of
convincing to get it over the line
this year.
“She’s a very, very tolerant
woman. I’m very fortunate she
looks after the kids and let’s me
off on a Tuesday, Thursday and
Saturday.
“I still love the game and I feel
like I can contribute, but I’ve got
two young kids (aged 2-½ and
seven months).”
While proud of his longevity,
his contribution to the team
counted more than any number.
“I don’t really care too much
about numbers. I’m more about
doing what I can to help the
team,” said Watson, who has
transitioned from a fetcher to the
tight five.
“I started as a seven, then went
to six and eight. The last three to
four years I’ve gone to lock. I’m
getting a bit slower. For what I
can do, that’s my best position.”
Watson celebrated his 100-
game milestone with success
over Belfast, and although the
club has been struggling, they
did break their 2022 duck with
victory over last year’s runnersup
Burnside last weekend.
So, there will be no room for
complacency for the milestone
man and his mates.
“I hate to say it, but they are
our bogey team,” Watson said.
“We constantly underestimate
them, and you can’t
underestimate any team. If
they get on a roll they can be
dangerous.”