Selwyn_Times: July 05, 2023

Selwyn Times Wednesday July 5 2023
28
SPORT
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Changes worthy for Southbridge
• By Jaime Cunningham
SOUTHBRIDGE’S decision
to make changes to the way
they play a month ago seems to
have paid off as the perennial
Coleman Shield contenders
continue to build momentum
ahead of the playoffs.
Being more clear on attack
and using personnel better has
been the cornerstone of the side’s
strategy.
Arguably the most successful
Ellesmere team of the last
decade, Southbridge held off a
Lincoln-Rolleston second half
fight-back to win their third
match of the last four, 31-20, on
Saturday.
Southbridge co-coach Reece
Allan said Lincoln-Rolleston
were far better than when the
two teams last played a month
ago.
“They were a different side
from when we put 70-odd on
them,” he said of the game
where Southbridge beat Lincoln-
Rolleston 76-12.
“But we got our five points
relatively early. It was good to
get the win to put us back in the
competition.”
With two rounds in the
Ellesmere competition
remaining, Southbridge can
secure a semi-final spot with a
bonus-point win over Hornby on
Saturday – relying on Waihora
and Prebbleton to continue their
winning streaks.
Southbridge fell to eventual
champions Darfield in last year’s
semi-finals, 36-27, following
their dream three-year run
where they claimed the Coleman
Shield in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Although Southbridge
narrowly went down to pacesetters
Prebbleton 18-13 two
weeks ago, the team has seen
a lot of success since making
changes in their play last month.
“In the combined competition,
we were searching to fill those
little gaps,” Allan said.
“We’re always looking to play
better, so we made a change a
month ago.
“Now, we’re a lot more clear on
CLASH: Southbridge centre John McKeefry attempts to step around Lincoln-Rolleston
lock Lachlan Gilbert.
PHOTOS: GILL HAPPER
what we’re doing, which was the
piece that was missing. In our
new form of playing, we use our
personnel well and are direct
in our play.”
Allan believes a settled lineup
for each game and efforts by the
coaching staff to keep the team
energised off the field have also
paid dividends.
“It’s just the fine-tuning of the
minor details.”
Southbridge will host Hornby
on Saturday, who come off a
less-than-convincing loss to table
leaders Waihora, 59-12. The Red
Devils are yet to record a win
against an Ellesmere team this
year, and sit eighth with a single
point on the standings.
Following their dominant
win, Waihora have secured a
semi-final spot. However, they
will look to win their remaining
two games convincingly to finish
ahead of Prebbleton at the top of
the table.
The Magpies face Coleman
Shield holders Darfield on
Saturday. Darfield managed a
hard-fought 29-23 win over West
Melton to keep their semi-final
hopes alive.
West Melton will have the
challenge of facing the in-form
Prebbleton, who sealed a playoffs
spot with a 38-10 win against
Springston last week.
Meanwhile, Lincoln-Rolleston
host Springston at Lincoln
Domain. Both teams will be
searching for their first wins in
over a month.
Weekend results:
Darfield 29, West
Melton 23; Southbridge
31, Lincoln-Rolleston 20;
Waihora 59, Hornby 13;
Prebbleton 38, Springston
10.
Saturday’s draw
(2.45pm):
Prebbleton v West
Melton, Prebbleton
Domain; Darfield v
Waihora, Darfield Domain;
Lincoln-Rolleston v
Springston, Lincoln
Domain; Southbridge
v Hornby, Southbridge
Domain.
Points:
Waihora 25, Prebbleton
24, Darfield 17, Southbridge
16, West Melton
13, Lincoln-Rolleston 9,
Springston 2, Hornby 1.
One-off
jerseys
to be
auctioned
for charity
Southbridge will
celebrate a Pasifika day
on Saturday with special
one-off jerseys worn
by the division 1 and 2
sides. The jerseys will
be auctioned following
the teams’ games at
Southbridge Domain,
with an online auction
for silent bidders also
available. All proceeds
will be donated to
Southbridge and All Black
legend Dan Carter’s DC10
fund, a charity supported
by UNICEF. DC10 is
raising money to deliver
disaster-resilient water
and for sanitation projects
in the Pacific. Auction
details will be available
at www.facebook.com/
SouthbridgeRFC
STRONG: Southbridge second-five Peni Manumanuniliwa
fends off a Lincoln-Rolleston defender.
Fitting win in inaugural trophy match
• By Jaime Cunningham
THE ANNUAL clash between
Lincoln and Southbridge’s
division 2 sides had more
meaning than usual this year,
with a special prize on the line
for the first time.
The Jamie Wheeler Memorial
Trophy was contested between
the two teams on Saturday, in
memory of former Lincoln player
Jamie Wheeler.
Fittingly, Lincoln came away
with the trophy on Saturday,
beating Southbridge comfortably
47-21.
Wheeler died in a singlevehicle
crash in Glenavy in May
last year. He had recently moved
to the Waimate district, but had
been a loyal member of Lincoln’s
division 2 side for a number of
years.
Club president Corran Pywell
told the Otago Daily Times that
the club was “devastated” by the
news of Wheeler’s death at the
time.
“Speaking to quite a few of
the players, they said he was one
of the best, most humble men
around and (you’d) have a lot of
fun with him,” Pywell said.
VICTORY: Lincoln won the Jamie Wheeler Memorial Trophy, beating Southbridge 47-
21 on Saturday. Right – Wheeler had been a loyal member of Lincoln’s division 2 side.