The Star: August 31, 2023

The Star Thursday August 31 2023
26
SPORT
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Light Bears roar into their
first national cup semi-final
• By Jaime Cunningham
A HARD-FOUGHT home
win has propelled the High
School Old Boys Light Bears
into the semi-final of the under-
85kg National Club Cup next
Saturday.
The Light Bears will take on
Grammar TEC Old Boys in the
playoff at Orakei Domain, Auckland,
after beating the Auckland
University Squids 26-19 at Bob
Deans Fields over the weekend to
make the top four.
Despite their close quarterfinal
win, HSOB coach Jack Hyde
said they won’t change much for
the semi-final.
“A lot of our focus will be on
defence,” he said.
With the Canterbury metro
competitions all finished, Hyde
said managing players’ work
loads has become a lot easier.
“It makes a big difference,
especially with player training
loads,” he said.
“Before the boys were playing
three to four games sometimes
within a week, so obviously it’s a
lot more manageable now.”
The Light Bears faced their
most challenging match to date
against the Squids, but were able
to grind out the win.
Auckland University who got
off to a flying start when flanker
Tyrone Stubbs broke through
HSOB’s defence to dot down
after two minutes.
HSOB opted to take a penalty
shot rather than kick for territory
several times. After missing their
first shot at goal in the seventh
minute, halfback Taine Cordell
was able to slot one between the
posts to get them on the board.
The Light Bears closed in on
the Squids with another penalty
shot halfway through the first
ATTACK: High School Old Boys Light Bears form up for a
lineout on attack in their 26-19 victory over the Auckland
University Squids at Bob Deans Fields.
half, before a Preston McSweeney
try, converted by Cordell, saw the
home side get their noses in front
13-10.
But Auckland quickly evened
the score with another penalty.
A head-high tackle by HSOB
hooker Bruno Wyllie saw him
sent off with a red card at the end
of the half, and Auckland went
into the break with a narrow
16-13 lead.
Cordell then slotted one out of
his three penalty attempts within
20 minutes.
Hyde said there were a number
of reasons HSOB kept going
for the three-points rather than
kicking for a lineout near the
tryline.
“We pushed that way with 14
on the field, but it’s a straight
knockout generally if you can’t
get points on the board,” he said.
The Squids hit back once again
in the second half, pulling away
from HSOB into a 19-16 lead.
HSOB managed to even the
score with yet another penalty,
before a Sam Summerfield try
cemented the Light Bears a place
in their first ever national semifinal.
They were knocked out last
season after losing to the Southern
Bush Pigs in the South Island
final. Hyde said the core group of
players involved in that loss are
still with the team.
“A majority of the team are the
same with about five or six new
guys,” he said.
“They’re a great group of lads
with a great culture.”
Despite a national final in their
sights, Hyde is not looking too
far forward.
“As opportunities come up,
we’ve just got to take them, it’s
just step by step now.”
The kick-off time is yet to be
confirmed.
•Quarter-final result:
HSOB Light Bears 26
(Preston McSweeney, Sam
Summerfield tries; Taine
Cordell 2 con, 4 pen) def
Auckland University Squids
19 (Tyrone Stubbs try;
Angus Olliver 1 con, 4 pen).
• By Jaime Cunningham
THE NEXT generation of
Canterbury rugby stars have
been announced in the under-18
girls’ squad for the South Island
tournament.
Canterbury were dominated
by Otago in last year’s final, who
beat the red-and-blacks 52-15 to
secure the title for the first time
in 14 years.
A large number of this year’s
Canterbury squad will feature in
Christchurch Girls’ High’s first
XV in the New Zealand Barbarians
National first XV Championship
this weekend.
Two teams will be announced
from the squad before the South
Island under-18 tournament
starts on September 9.
Finals will be played in
Christchurch at Ngā Puna Wai
between September 24-26.
MOMENTUM: The Light Bears have progressed to their
first under-85kg National Club Cup semi-final following
Saturday’s win.
Canty U18 girls’ squad selected for S.I champs
VALUABLE: Harriet Cochrane has made the Canterbury
under-18s squad again.
PHOTO: GETTY ​
Canterbury U18
girls’ black and
red squads
Ella Allpress
Emma
Anderson
Poppy Baxter
Jaya Bishop
Brigid Cahill
Charley
Campbell
Savannah
Caulfield
Sally Clough
Harriet
Cochrane
Stevie Combe
Lucia Croft
Eliza Dalzell
Elenoa Drulidruli
Salome
Drulidruli
Mereani
Drulildruli
Loren Edwards
Trinity Edwards-
Rea
Hana Fidow
Sienna Flynn
Lucy Gallagher
Alice Geary
Mikayla Glassey
Zoe Gullery
Julia Hutchinson
Maddy Judd
Eilish Keogan
Sophie Kerr
Jade Lamont
Anna Lee
Elsie Loe
Celia McPherson
Grace Meecham
Ropeta Mene-
Vaele
Kelera Qalivutu
Maelle Rossignol
Holly Rossiter
Keighley
Simpson
Zara Stewart
Penelope
Taulafo
Hadassah Timo
Sophie Ward-
Martin
Piper Wilson
Pippa Wiseman
Poppy Yarham
Sophie Yarham
Riko Yoshida
Coaches:
Angie Sisifa
Jono Campbell
Brent Clough
Jayson
McRoberts
Managers:
Sharlene
Wiseman
Alice Dalzell
Jade Cull
Jorja Simpson