The Star: June 29, 2023

The Star Thursday June 29 2023
22
SPORT
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Top four spot likely for HSOB
after stellar turnaround in form
After three months,
the Metro Premier
regular season comes
to an end this weekend.
Jaime Cunningham
previews which teams
are still in contention for
the playoffs
RUGBY
When High School Old Boys’
suffered a heartbreaking 37-35
loss in a DCL Shield match
against University last month,
the idea of making the playoffs
seemed like a far-fetched goal for
the 10th-placed team.
Four consecutive wins later,
HSOB are likely to secure a
top-four spot with a win over
Christchurch on Saturday.
The turnaround in form has
seen HSOB achieve the task head
coach Joff Mooar set the team
last month.
“I set the task to win four out
of five games before the Sydenham
game (on May 27) and
we’ve done that,” he said.
“We had a few injured in key
positions who have come back,
but we’ve just knitted as a team.”
In round 11, HSOB managed
to topple Lincoln University 29-
23 in “mudbath” conditions.
“It was pretty tight with the
lead changing quite a bit, but we
dug in deep and came away with
the win,” Mooar said.
And with their last match of
the regular season against the
struggling Christchurch on Saturday,
Mooar is hoping for a fifth
win in a row before the playoffs
begin.
HSOB are likely to break into
the top four with a win – which
means the team get the “extra
cushion” of another game if
they lose a qualifying final next
weekend.
HSOB’s top four hopes rely on
Marist Albion beating Linwood
on Saturday. Marist go into the
match following a comfortable
52-0 win over Christchurch,
while Linwood beat Belfast 26-5.
Although Belfast cannot make
the top eight, the team can give
the playoffs a shake-up with a
surprise win over University.
After defending the DCL
A HOST of new faces will
get the chance to defend
the Farah Palmer Cup
premiership title for Canterbury
this season, with
eight players set to make
their debut. The squad of
35 players contains all five
premier women’s clubs
represented in the side.
*denotes potential debut
ON THE CHARGE: High School Old Boys’ prop Josh Pitt
breaks away in his team’s last loss to University on May 22.
Since then, HSOB have won four consecutive games.
PHOTO: STEVE MCARTHUR ​
Shield successfully for three
weeks, University had a surprise
loss to Shirley 29-19. As a result,
eighth-placed Shirley will make
the playoffs by beating New
Brighton.
Sumner, Burnside and Sydenham
will also need wins to
determine their playoff hopes on
Saturday.
Sumner take on Burnside following
their epic 12-10 comeback
win over New Brighton, while
Burnside managed a 40-35 win
over Sydenham in round 11.
Defending champions Sydenham
take on Lincoln University
on Saturday, who will also need a
win to stay in the top four.
NETBALL
It’s been a perfect start to the
round for Technical A, who
handed defending champions
Lincoln University A their first
loss of the season on Tuesday,
41-34.
The loss marked an end to
Lincoln University A’s eight
consecutive wins.
Technical, who finished seventh
last round, continually built
on their lead throughout the
game. They will look to extend
their winning start to the round
against Hearts St Peters A next
week.
Hearts St Peters suffered a
2023 Canterbury FPC
squad:
Laura Bayfield* (Linwood),
Alana Bremner
(Lincoln University), Chelsea
Bremner (Lincoln University),
Grace Brooker (HSOB),
Rosie Buchanan-Brown*
(HSOB), Emma Dermody
(Lincoln University), Amy
Du Plessis (Christchurch),
nail-biting 40-39 loss to Lincoln
University B on Tuesday. Although
Saints shot at 81 per cent
accuracy, Lincoln University B
ultimately won the game with
almost 10 more shots at goal.
Lincoln University B will look
to continue momentum into
their clash against UC A in week
three. UC A come off a surprise
61-42 loss to Kereru A.
The absence of key players
for UC obviously affected their
game, while Kereru A once again
had the luxury of Te Huinga Reo
Selby-Rickit at goal defence.
Kereru A take on the struggling
Kia Toa A on Tuesday. Kia
Toa blew a halftime lead to go
down to Kereru B 53-38 in the
second game of the round.
Meanwhile, Kereru B will look
to challenge Lincoln University
A following their convincing
win.
Premier 1 stats:
Technical A 41 (D Wilkie
24/33, K Ralph 17/26) def Lincoln
University A 34 (K Grant
27/36, T Day 3/5, T Placid 4/8).
Qtrs: 12-10, 28-17, 35-26, 41-34.
Kereru B 53 (S Cusak 30/36, F
Ross 23/32) def Kia Toa A 38 (P
Radha 18/22, C Corbett 20/27,
M Ruki 0/2). Qtrs: 10-12, 24-22,
38-29, 53-38.
Kereru A 61 (L Clark 44/58, H
Tallentire 14/19, S Adams 3/3)
Di Hiini (University), Sally-
James Houlahan* (HSOB),
Hayley Hutana* (Lincoln
University), Lucy Jenkins
(Christchurch), Rosie Kelly
(Christchurch), Hannah King
(Lincoln University), Atlanta
Lolohea (Christchurch), Pip
Love (Christchurch), Martha
Mataele (Christchurch),
Kelsyn McCook (University),
def UC A 42 (V Koloto 23/26,
K Williams 4/9, M Hill 14/21,
T Rollo 1/4). Qtrs: 13-14, 33-26,
46-34, 61-42.
Lincoln University B 40 (A
Guard 30/38, E Wilkie 7/15, J
Riordan 3/4) def Hearts St Peters
A 39 (T Dunn 28/33, B Ferguson
11/15). Qtrs: 12-10, 22-19, 29-27,
40-39
FOOTBALL
Cashmere Technical managed
to pull off one of the best
comebacks of the season over the
weekend, as they look to qualify
for the National League for a
second consecutive year.
It was a first half to forget for
Technical, who trailed Nelson
Suburbs 4-1 on Saturday.
However, Garbhan Coughlan
managed to not only win the
game with a hat-trick of goals in
the second period for Technical,
but also net his 150th goal for the
club.
Technical will be expected to
bounce back with a win over
eighth-placed Green Island
on Saturday to maintain their
second-place spot.
League leaders Christchurch
United take on Nomads at Tulett
Park on Saturday following a
messy 2-0 win over Coastal
Spirit last week.
Although Nomads have
recorded three wins compared
to United’s nine so far, the hosts
will be confident going into their
round 12 clash after a surprise
2-0 win against Ferrymead Bays.
Selwyn United gained their
first League points since April
with a 1-1 draw against Dunedin
City Royals, and will look to continue
momentum against Bays
on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Linfield Park
will host Coastal Spirit and FC
Twenty 11 on Sunday following
both teams’ losses last week.
RUGBY LEAGUE
After overcoming losses earlier
this season, the Linwood Keas
and Hornby Panthers have
returned into hot form as the
Massetti Cup playoffs near.
Both teams showcased their
defensive talents over the weekend
by keeping their opponents
to zero.
Linwood faces the Halswell
Hornets on Friday night following
their 60-0 thrashing of the
Northern Bulldogs. The last time
Linwood and Halswell met, the
Hornets ended Linwood’s eightgame
winning streak with a 18-8
win.
After a low scoring first half,
the Panthers dominated the
Eastern Eagles with a 24-0 win
last week.
Hornby continue to sit at
the top of the table alongside
Linwood with 22 points and will
look to extend their winning
streak with a win against the
Riccarton Knights on Saturday.
The Knights lead Halswell 10-6
at halftime in round 12, but were
kept scoreless in the second half
while the Hornets ran away to a
30-10 win.
Following their disappointing
losses last week, the Bulldogs
host the Eagles on Saturday.
HOCKEY
Carlton Redcliffs teams continue
to set the standard of the
Canterbury Premier League as
the two competitions enter their
10th round on Saturday.
A double-hattrick by Holly
Gilray led the women’s team to
a 9-0 win and yet another successful
Challenge Shield defence
over Southern last week. Due to
Canterbury under-18 clashes,
Carlton will play Hornby on July
12 while the remainder of the
women’s competition continues
this week.
After narrowly beating HSOB/
Burnside 4-3, Marist take on
Avon on Saturday. Harewood
will return from a bye week and
play HSOB/Burnside. Southern
recover from their large loss with
a bye.
In the men’s competition, the
Marist and Avon clash has also
been deferred due to the representative
matches. Carlton will
play Hornby on Saturday to keep
the Challenge Shield for the fifth
game in a row.
Hornby drew 1-1 with Avon
last week. HSOB/Burnside will
be confident facing Harewood in
round 10, after they beat Marist
3-1.
Meanwhile, Southern and
University will face off in a
bottom-of-the-table clash.
New faces in Canty’s Farah Palmer Cup squad
Amy Milnes (HSOB), Stacey
Niao (University), Winnie
Palamo* (HSOB), Marcelle
Parkes (University), Georgia
Ponsonby (Lincoln University),
Nicole Purdom (University),
Maddi Robinson*
(Lincoln University), Amy
Rule (Lincoln University),
Tayla Simpson (University),
Keighley Simpson* (University),
Sammy Spence (University),
Grace Steinmetz
(Lincoln University), Kalesi
Taga (Christchurch), Erana
Te Moananui* (University),
Jamee Te Moananui* (University),
Izzy Waterman
(Christchurch), Holly Wratt-
Groeneweg* (University),
Karla Wright-Akeli (Lincoln
University).