The Star: June 22, 2023

The Star Thursday June 22 2023
20
SPORT
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Final goodbye for Uni veteran;
battle for play-offs under way
The women’s
premier rugby final
between University
and Christchurch
headlines club sport
this weekend. Jaime
Cunningham reports
RUGBY
University stalwart Sophie
Anderson will look to end her
club rugby career on a high when
her team searches for their 21st
women’s premier title against
Christchurch on Saturday.
By far the two top teams
in the competition, they will
deservedly play-off in metro
rugby’s first final of the season at
Christchurch Park.
It will be the last dance for
Anderson. She has played more
than 200 club rugby games,
including 137 for University
alone.
“I started when I was 14 and
played every season since, so
I think it’s time for a bit of a
break,” the hooker said.
Anderson will continue to be
involved with the club but says it
will be “sweet” to end her playing
career with a win.
“First and foremost, it’s about
getting the win for the young
girls who have never played in a
final before,” she said.
Christchurch and University
have already clashed twice this
season, with each team winning
one apiece. University came out
on top 34-24 when they played
last month.
University have been in hot
form since some narrow wins last
month.
They go into the final on the
back of a 60-0 and 53-0 win
and look poised to win the title.
Christchurch won the 2021 and
2022 titles but will be without
Black Ferns Lucy Jenkins,
Phillipa Love, Amy du Plessis
and Rosie Kelly this time around.
“Things have started clicking
for us at the right time,”
Anderson said.
As the men’s premier
competition heads into the last
two round robin games, HSOB
have come into form.
They beat Belfast at Sheldon
Park last weekend 24-6.
HSOB are now on a threegame
streak and take on secondplaced
Lincoln University in
round 10. Lincoln will want to
secure a top four spot in their
game against Sydenham after a
50-29 win over Shirley.
Shirley now play for their playoff
hopes against University after
the loss to Lincoln. University
narrowly avoided a surprise loss
to Burnside but managed to
hold on to the DCL Shield with
a 33-28 win. Burnside take on
Sydenham, with both looking
FAREWELL: University’s Sophie Anderson will celebrate
her last club game against Christchurch in the women’s
premier final.
to edge into the top eight with
maximum points. Sydenham
went down to Linwood over the
weekend 29-12. Linwood could
also secure a play-off spot with a
large win over Belfast.
Marist Albion host
Christchurch as they search
to get back to winning ways
following a 31-15 loss to New
Brighton. New Brighton defend
the Fulton Shield in the ‘battle of
the beaches’ clash on Sumner’s
club day.
NETBALL
Ahead of their game against
Lincoln University A, Technical
A stomped out a surprise win
in the opening game of the
championship round. Technical
played a promotion-relegation
game last week to stay in the
grade, cruising to a 54-23 victory
over Lincoln University B on
Tuesday. Lincoln University B
were out of sorts following a
stellar first round where they
finished second.
WBOP Magic midcourter
Charlotte Elley was a vital player
for Technical at centre in her first
club game following the end of
the ANZ Premiership.
Meanwhile, Lincoln University
JUMP: Technical A centre Charlotte Elley gets some air.
PHOTO: BR PHOTOS
A continued their undefeated
run with a 50-32 win against
Kia Toa A. Kia Toa will want to
bounce back by beating Kereru B
for the second time this season.
Kereru B comes off a 66-39 loss
to a full-strength University of
Canterbury A side. On Tuesday,
UC take on Kereru A who
beat Hearts St Peters A 56-35.
Southern Steel legend Te Huinga
Selby-Rickit appeared for Kereru
alongside sister Miriama in the
team’s win.
Hearts St Peters meet Lincoln
University B, who they lost 60-
34 to earlier this month, in the
second-round match.
Premier 1 results: Lincoln
University A 50 (K Grant 28/35,
T Day 17/21, E Hargreaves 5/7)
v Kia Toa A 32 (R Petero 4/6, C
Corbett 25/32, M Ruki 3/7). Qtrs:
17-6, 33-14, 43-24, 50-32.
UC A (V Koloto 25/27, K Williams
20/24, T Hassan 21/26) v
Kereru B (S Cusak 27/35, F Ross
12/18). Qtrs: 16-7, 32-22, 47-31,
66-39.
Kereru A (L Clark 39/54, H
Tallentine 8/12, S Adams 9/12)
v Hearts St Peters A (T Dunn
23/27, B Ferguson 12/19). Qtrs:
10-12, 26-23, 45-27, 56-35.
Lincoln University B (A Guard
8/17, E Wilkie 6/15, J Riordan 9/9)
v Technical A (O Wilkie 43/56, J
Prosser 6/7, K Ralph 2/6, M Kay
3/9) ​Qtrs: 3-16, 9-26, 16-39, 23-54.
FOOTBALL
Ferrymead Bays will be hungry
for a win heading into their
Southern League clash against
Nomads after the team came
painstakingly close to pulling off
the upset of the season in round 3
of the Chatham Cup.
Although Christchurch United
progressed to the round of 16
with an extra-time 1-0 win over
Bays, the fact the game was
0-0 by the 90th minute was a
surprise in itself. United captain
Matt Tod-Smith sealed the messy
game in the 96th minute. A total
of 12 cards were dished out, with
three reds in extra time.
United host Coastal Spirit in
the Southern League. Coastal
have been on the rise as of late,
while Bays will be favourites to
notch up their fifth win over Nomads.
Cashmere Technical play
Nelson Suburbs again on Saturday
after beating them 1-0 in the
third round of the Chatham Cup
last week. A late goal by Garbhan
Coughlan saw Technical progress
to the next round.
Selwyn United travel to
Dunedin to play Dunedin City
Royals, while FC Twenty 11 host
Green Island on Saturday.
RUGBY LEAGUE
All six teams descend on Ngā
Puna Wai on Saturday in round
12 of the Masetti Cup. Hornby
and Linwood continue to lead
the competition. The Keas are
favoured to beat the struggling
Northern Bulldogs who have won
just one game this season.
The Bulldogs first half against
the Riccarton Knights was
promising at the weekend
The Bulldogs led 6-0 after the
first period. But they were unable
to capitilise on the lead, losing
24-6.
Both the Keas and Panthers
had wins with similar scorelines.
Linwood’s dominant first half
kept them in the game against
the Eastern Eagles, which they
won 26-12.
Hornby held on to a first
half lead against the Halswell
Hornets to win 26-10. The
Hornets are expected to record
their seventh win of the season
against the Knights, while the
Panthers take on the fourthplaced
Eagles.
HOCKEY
Although well beaten
at the weekend, Southern’s
women’s team have plenty to
take into their Challenge
Shield match against Carlton
Redcliffs after their first goal of
the season.
Southern have struggled in the
premier league and only found
the back of the net for the first
time in their 6-1 loss to Marist in
the heritage round.
Although it was another
loss, Riley Chandler’s field goal
for Southern will boost their
confidence for the five remaining
round robin games.
Southern play shield-holders
Carlton on Saturday, who
recorded a clinical 5-0 win over
Avon. Avon are looking for their
second win of the season against
Hornby.
Hornby come off a narrow
1-0 loss to Harewood in round
8. Harewood have a bye this
weekend.
HSOB/Burnside will look to
hand Marist their first loss of the
season.
In the men’s competition,
University went down 6-3 in
another high-scoring game
against HSOB/Burnside.
University are yet to record a
win in the competition but look
to be edging closer after two
competitive games in the last
rounds.
University take on Harewood
on Saturday, who suffered a 2-1
loss to Hornby in round 8. Fifthplaced
Hornby play sixth-placed
Avon in what is expected to be a
tight clash.
HSOB/Burnside are hungry for
a win over Marist after they went
down to them 4-3 in round 2.
Meanwhile, Carlton will look to
hold on to the Challenge Shield
against Southern.