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<strong>Selwyn</strong> <strong>Times</strong> Wednesday <strong>August</strong> <strong>30</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
24<br />
SPORT<br />
Key to success: Enjoyment<br />
• By Jaime Cunningham<br />
THERE WILL be double the<br />
motivation for Ellesmere to win<br />
the annual Southbridge Shield<br />
clash against North Canterbury<br />
on Saturday with the Tane<br />
Norton Trophy also on the line<br />
for the first time.<br />
Ellesmere have already<br />
clinched two solid wins so far<br />
this season, but head coach Dave<br />
Kettles said the focus has always<br />
been on the match against rivals<br />
North Canterbury.<br />
“There’s no illusions around<br />
North Canterbury, they’re a<br />
really good unit,” he said.<br />
“The guys have worked<br />
really hard but we know North<br />
Canterbury have a powerful<br />
forward pack which we will need<br />
to shut down.”<br />
This year will be the 100th<br />
time the Southbridge Shield<br />
is contested between the two<br />
sides. The match at Rangiora<br />
Showgrounds Oval kicks off at<br />
12.05pm.<br />
North Canterbury currently<br />
hold the silverware after a 13-0<br />
win last year.<br />
Both teams started their<br />
representative campaigns<br />
strongly by beating Cantabrians<br />
CLEARANCE: Fullback Alister Collins boots the ball down<br />
field in their first Tane Norton Trophy fixture earlier this<br />
month.<br />
PHOTOS: JONES PHOTOGRAPHY <br />
and Waitaha earlier this month.<br />
As a result, Ellesmere and North<br />
Canterbury sit at the top of the<br />
Tane Norton Trophy standings<br />
heading into their annual clash.<br />
Neither of the teams have won<br />
the trophy before, with Waitaha<br />
claiming it last year and in 2019.<br />
Kettles said the opportunity<br />
to win the Tane Norton Trophy<br />
for the first time, as well as the<br />
shield, is an extra incentive.<br />
“It’s a great opportunity, we’ve<br />
just got to enjoy the occasion,”<br />
he said.<br />
“I know the boys are really<br />
excited to be the curtain raiser<br />
for Canterbury as well.”<br />
With Saturday’s game the last<br />
fixture of a short season, Kettles<br />
said enjoyment has been a focus.<br />
“From the get-go, we’ve been<br />
working on the culture and<br />
enjoyment factor,” he said.<br />
“After Covid, rep footy lost<br />
a bit of enjoyment so we’ve<br />
been focused on bringing the<br />
enjoyment back into it.”<br />
After taking a break from<br />
coaching at Prebbleton this year,<br />
Kettles said he is relishing being<br />
back in the rugby environment.<br />
“This year I wasn’t going to<br />
coach at all, but the position was<br />
available and I had a few players<br />
ask me to apply.<br />
“It’s been really good this<br />
year, I’ve got some excellent cocoaches<br />
and we’ve had former<br />
players come in and help - so it’s<br />
been a collective effort.”<br />
CHANCE: Ellesmere go<br />
head to head with North<br />
Canterbury on Saturday.<br />
Saturday’s draw<br />
Under-16: Ellesmere v<br />
North Canterbury, 9.<strong>30</strong>am.<br />
Under-18: Ellesmere v<br />
North Canterbury, 10am.<br />
Colts: Ellesmere v North<br />
Canterbury, 10.<strong>30</strong>am.<br />
Development: Ellesmere<br />
v North Canterbury, 11am.<br />
Senior: Ellesmere v North<br />
Canterbury, 12.05pm.<br />
NPC: Canterbury v<br />
Taranaki, 2.05pm.<br />
Tickets available on the<br />
gate for $10.<br />
If it doesn’t<br />
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dial it in.<br />
Exposed wires, open kiosk<br />
doors or broken boundary<br />
boxes can be dangerous.<br />
Tampering with our network puts the<br />
public at risk. If you see something that<br />
looks out of place – dial it in.<br />
Orion runs the electricity network<br />
across Central Canterbury –<br />
safety is our number one priority.<br />
0800 363 9898<br />
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