The Star: April 06, 2023

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The Star Thursday April 6 2023 26 SPORT Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz Matatū coach takes China job FARAH PALMER Cup head coach Blair Baxter has taken up a new role as assistant coach with the China women’s sevens team as they seek to qualify for next year’s Olympics. “Definitely some nerves heading into this opportunity. However, with that comes growth,” said Baxter. “There was a chance here to be a full-time coach, get my hands dirty, and work on the technical and tactical aspects that’s going to help me be a better coach long-term. My main motivation is a chance to grow. It’s so far removed from what I know. The language barrier and a completely different culture will force me to become a better coach.” Baxter has coached the Canterbury FPC side for the last three years, leading the team to three home finals and two titles. He was Matatū head coach during their Super Rugby Aupiki success, where the team secured a last minute 31-33 victory over Chiefs Manawa in the final on March 25. “I was lucky to get the opportunity with FPC three years ago. “It’s provided me exponential growth as a person and coach. “Women’s rugby is a fantastic area of our game to be involved in. Everyone is there for the right reasons and wants the best and I’ve been lucky to work with amazing individuals who consistently drive to be the best they can be.” The shift to a full-time role with China is the next step in a coaching pathway that saw Baxter start at Belfast before spending seven years coaching the Sydenham colts and premiers. He has also coached the Cantabrians, Canterbury B, metro and under-19’s before coaching the FPC side. The vacant FPC head coach role will be addressed in the coming weeks, a Canterbury Rugby spokesman said. Pink Ribbon Breakfast Honoring all of the strong Women in our lives who have been touched by Breast Cancer. Friday 19th of May 8am - 10am $50 per ticket $500 per table of 10 Tickets available via Eventbrite Richmond Club 75 London Street, Richmond, CHCH 03-389-5778, UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP! SATURDAY WOF SPECIALS cARS $38 MOTORBIKES $35 cAR SERVIcING 20% OFF SATURDAYS *Bookings essential, conditions apply Cnr Fitzgerald Ave & Hereford St. Phone: 365-5220 workshop@a1auto.co.nz round SEVEn SUPER RUGBY Pacific 2023 Tipping CompeTiTion Friday 7 april Crusaders v Moana Pasifika Reds v Brumbies Saturday 8 april Highlanders v Hurricanes Rebels v Blues BrougHT To you By THE STar mEdIa ComPany our TIPSTErS SELECTIonS THIS WEEK 2 points for correct winner, plus 3 points if they correctly pick a draw. + 1 bonus point to pick all games in a round correctly SHanE daLLEy Sheffield Cres Auto Centre CruSadErS BrumBIES HIgHLandErS BLuES BrEnT JEffErIES A1 Auto CruSadErS rEdS HIgHLandErS BLuES JamIE HarrIS Venluree CruSadErS BrumBIES HurrICanES BLuES CHrIS SmITH portstone CruSadErS BrumBIES HurrICanES BLuES LEadErBoard CLIff KInraId Cliffys Flame grill & Spa CruSadErS BrumBIES HurrICanES BLuES JamIE young Racecourse Hotel CruSadErS BrumBIES HurrICanES BLuES # Name last week ToTaL 1 Jamie Harris 13 62 2 Marty Fuller 13 61 3 Chris Smith 13 60 4 Jamie Young 13 59 5 Brent Jefferies 10 57 6 Shane Dalley 13 56 7 Cliff Kinraid 10 52 8 Chris Taylor 10 50 CHrIS TayLor Richmond Club CruSadErS BrumBIES HurrICanES BLuES marTy fuLLEr elmwood Trading Company CruSadErS BrumBIES HurrICanES BLuES Autumn is natures planting time Our team are here to help you with your selections ONE STOP SHOP FOR ALL VEHICLE REPAIRS • WOF • Servicing • Full Mechanical Repairs • Latest Diagnostic Equipment • Tyres • Batteries • Auto Electrical Repairs • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance Repairs • Loan Cars Available 12 Sheffield Crescent, Burnside, Christchurch P: 03 3585 580 E: sheffieldcauto@xtra.co.nz What's on! EASTER THURSDAY MEAT RAFFLE THURSDAY 6PM TICKETS ON SALE FROM 5PM. MINIMUM 40 PRIZES DJ CHICK THURSDAY 7-10PM TAB ● GAMING ROOM ● POOL TABLES The RACECOURSE HOTEL & Motorlodge IN THE SPORTS BAR SPORTS BAR HOURS GOOD FRIDAY: CLOSED EASTER SATURDAY: OPEN FROM 10.30am EASTER SUNDAY: CLOSED EASTER MONDAY: OPEN FROM 10.30am Super Rugby LIVE 10 bar screens & SUPER SIZED SCREEN 118 Racecourse Rd Ph 03 342 7150 www.racecoursehotel.co.nz Curtains Blinds Shutters Free measure & quote In home ShoWRoom mobIle SeRvIce Cheers 'n beers! FREE QUOTES PH: 341 1220 465 Ferry Road | P: 03 389 4352 Open 9am-4.30pm 7 Days www.portstone.co.nz Unit 2 / 99 Sawyers Arms Rd 03 365 4666 or 0800 836 587 www.venluree.co.nz
Thursday April 6 2023 The Star Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz Hornby lose rugby SPORT 27 league servant • By Will Evans HORNBY RUGBY league has lost one of its most dedicated servants. Grant Woodgate (right) died last week aged 79. Woodgate gave nearly threequarters of a century to the code and his beloved club. He started playing rugby league for Hornby as a seven-year-old and was named NZRL’s Volunteer of the Month in October last year. In between he was a premiershipwinning player, a coach, manager, trainer, strapper and club president for the Panthers, and was bestowed with life membership of the club. Woodgate’s family has been closely associated with Hornby for more than 100 years. His father, Bill, played 22 seasons of senior football for the club, was a long-serving club captain – as well as representing Canterbury and South Island – and went on to become a coach, manager and Hornby life member. Grant’s older brothers, Brent (who played alongside Bill) and Rex, were in Hornby’s 1952 and ’58 championship-winning teams. Woodgate began playing juniors in the ‘flyweight’ grade, eventually making his premier debut as an 18-year-old and featuring in Hornby teams that took out the last four first-pastthe-post championships from 1963-66. Another brother, Neil, was unable to play rugby league due to injury, but he was club captain when Hornby, coached by Rex, won the inaugural CRL premiership grand final in 1967 with a side that included Grant and youngest brother, Schoolboy Kiwi Billy. Woodgate kicked the matchwinning field goal as Mel Cooke-coached Hornby won the 1969 grand final 10-9 over Marist-Western Suburbs. Billy also shared in that grand final success, scoring a try. Turning down the opportunity to play for Canterbury B in 1967 because it coincided with his wedding, Woodgate was later a player-coach for Hornby’s premier and premier reserves teams, continuing to pull on the boots for the club until 1977. “Grant was a rugged, rangy loose forward – one of those head-down, arse-up, ‘follow me, you buggers’ types that every good team needs,” former Press rugby league reporter John Coffey said. “And he certainly helped make Hornby good in his day. But, unlike most retired players, he never left the scene. Grant was there for decades after his playing days, as a coach, manger, trainer, mentor and bloke who would pick up the discarded bandages if no one else did.” Woodgate was the epitome of the backbone every grassroots sports organisation needs to survive and thrive. Though unassuming, he was central to every success Hornby Panthers have had. That he was October 2022’s NZRL Volunteer of the Monthreflected how much he dedicated to the club to the very end. It was fitting that Hornby’s last match before he passed away was a thrilling, last-minute victory over archival Halswell, while a day after his death the Panthers, with heavy hearts, honoured his memory with a hard-fought win over Eastern Eagles. TITLE: The 1967 Canterbury champions, with Grant Woodgate in the second row from the back, second from the left. CELEBRATION: Cashmere beat defending champions Elmwood in the premier men’s tennis interclub final on Saturday. Interclub tennis title icing on the cake for centenary • By Diane Keenan CASHMERE’S WIN in the premier men’s interclub final was the icing on the cake for the club celebrating its 100-year anniversary last Saturday. Cashmere beat the defending champions Elmwood with the loss of only one match, a result that defied the closeness of the final. “The score really didn’t reflect just how tight it was with two of our wins decided in third set tie breaks which could have gone either way,” a humble Cashmere team captain Matt Meredith says. Rain was a major factor in this year’s final which had to be postponed from being played outdoors at Elmwood’s home courts the previous week. The ham went in the fridge and the buns and sausages into the freezer in anticipation of a final the following week which clashed with Cashmere’s centennial celebrations. However persistent showers last Saturday morning again dogged the best laid plans to play the tie at Elmwood. The decision to go indoors was made mid-morning. The faster indoor court surface suited the big-serving, hardhitting Cashmere players. In the top doubles, brothers James and Tim Meredith were on fire beating Elliot Darling and Tom Batt easily. In the second doubles Matt Meredith and Harry Weeds beat James Spence and Eddie Batt 14-12 in the super tiebreak after surviving a match point. The wins gave Cashmere a huge advantage going into the four singles matches. James Meredith had an easy win for Cashmere, while his team-mate Weeds came back from a set down to win the second set in a tiebreak and then clinch the deciding super tiebreak against Lawrence Darling. Elmwood’s Tom Batt secured his team’s only win beating Matt Meredith in a tight, high quality game. The number two singles between Tim Meredith and Eddie Batt was called off with Meredith leading by a set as Cashmere had an unassailable lead. Matt Meredith says while the centenary was a “driver” to win from a club perspective, it was not the only motivation. “We lost the final to Elmwood last year and we were all determined to turn that around,” he says. “We always want to win when we play them. They are a top team – great mates and very good players.” Meredith says players in both teams have been playing with or against each other for years. “It has been a great season of premier tennis and we now look forward to next year when hopefully we will have eight strong teams in the competition,” he says. CANTERBURY BROUGHT YOU BY SPORTS CORNER WITH NEW ZEALAND WOMEN’S CRICKETER FRANKIE MACKAY SATURDAY 7– 8AM
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The Star: April 06, 2023

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