North Canterbury News: August 31, 2023

Percival St, Rangiora
(03) 313-8186
www.rangiora.toyota.co.nz
Proudly supporting sport
in North Canterbury
Acentury of Southbridge Shield rugby
By PETER WILLIAMS
For many years the Southbridge Shield
match, played each season between North
Canterbury and Ellesmere,has been the
pinnacle of the local rugby season.
This is particularly so for this year’s
edition which is beingplayed this
Saturday, September 2, because it is 100
yearssince the Shield was first played for.
Mr P. Delargy donated the Shield—
initially knownasthe Delargy Shield — in
1922 whenitwas awardedtoEllesmere.
But the firstwinner on the field was the
Ashburton County Rugby Sub Unionwho
won it in 1923.
This was to be Ashburton County’sonly
success, as in 1926Ashburton County
became aunioninits own right, the
forerunner of the Mid Canterbury Rugby
Union.
This madeitineligible to competefor
the Shield which is forcompetition
between sub­unions.
In 1932, Mr Delargy agreed to the Shield
beingre­namedthe Southbridge Shield.
Only six sub unions have wonitover the
100 years.Peninsula and Malvern both
won it twice. Peninsula had its moments of
gloryin1926 and 1929, while Malvern
triumphedin1934 and 1948. Hurunui won
it on 16 occasions between 1930and 1980.
Since1988 when the Hurunui Sub
Unionamalgamatedwith North
Canterbury, therehave only been thetwo
sub unions.
This has served to makethe competition
between North Canterbury and Ellesmere
even more intense.Todate Ellesmerehas
won the Shield 32 times,while North
Canterbury has enjoyed the winning
feeling 39 times.
The holderhas the right to hostthe
matcheach season, and North Canterbury,
the currentholders, prevailed 13­0 at
In defence of the shield ... The North Canterbury Rugby senior team leadership group charged with defending the Southbridge Shield
in the 100th edition of this prestigious match up —Andrew Hull (left), Josh Maynard (captain), Mike Keane, and Terry O'Loughlin, North
Canterbury Rugby Sub Union President.
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Lincolnlast season.
This year becauseitisthe 100th
Anniversarymatch,the Canterbury Rugby
Union havecontributed to the historic
occasionbyschedulingits NPC match
against Taranaki next Saturday afternoon
forthe Rangiora Showgrounds. The
Southbridge Shield game as the
curtainraiser. This is believedtobethe
first occasion,certainly in living memory,
thatCanterburyhas scheduledamatch in
the nationalcompetition for Rangiora.
It willalso be anostalgic occasion for
long­time North Canterbury rugby
supporters as there has been no regular
rugbyplayed at the Rangiora
Showgrounds sincethe Saracens Club
transferred its headquarters to
SouthbrookPark 15 yearsago, after the
2008 season.
The CanterburyvTaranaki feature
starts at 2.05pm, while the Southbridge
Shield matchisslated for a12.05 start.
NorthCanterbury will be hopingfor a
differentresult from the lasttime a
Southbridge Shieldmatch was played at
the RangioraShowgrounds, whichwas in
2006 whenEllesmere won 20­13, the start
of aseven­yearwinning streak by
Ellesmere.Thishas only been surpassed
by North Canterbury in the 1990’s,who
won it for nine consecutive seasons.
The traditionallower gradematches
between North Canterburyand
Ellesmere,all of whichalso have soughtafter
shieldsatstake,are set for morning
starts. The day’s rugby extravaganza will
begin with the Under 16 matchonthe No
2field at 9.30amfollowed by the Colts
fixtureat11.00 am,while on No 3the
Under 18s kickoff at 10.00 am followed by
the Development XVs at 11.30 am.
Nth Canty the victor over Otago Country
By LINDSAY KERR
The NorthCanterbury seniorrugby
side overcame ahalf time deficit to
beat Otago Country 34­23 in its clash
at the LoburnDomain on Saturday.
The result continued an unbeaten
2023 programmeand served as an
idealbuildupasitpreparestoface
Ellesmerethis weekend in the
annual SouthbridgeShieldfixture.
With perfect overhead and ground
conditions, it dominated the opening
exchanges, and after 10 minutes
hooker Kafu Masiutata scored atry
from alineout near the Otago line.
As North Canterbury sought to
increase the momentum, errors
begantocreep in.
This allowed the visitors to gain
more ball and territory. Amisdirected
pass in the North
Canterbury back line, ultimately
resulted in an intercept try.
Apenalty for Otagofollowed and
then five minutes before the break, it
scored againafterNorth Canterbury
lost the ball whenattacking.
Otagoscored again following a
well­executed 80 metredash down
the touch linetry.
With half time nearing, North
Canterbury attacked, and from aline
out nearthe Otago line,Ashley’sJosh
Duckworth barged over to score.The
home team went to the break behind
14­17.
Otagoscored first withapenalty
moments into the second half,before
NorthCanterbury regained adegree
of control. Apenaltywas followed by
awell ­executed try from fullback
Kyovei Yamasawatoput it back in
front.
Another penaltyfollowed for
Otago, but thatwas its finalscoring.
ANorth Canterbury penalty
followed, and five minutes before full
time winger SejunKawasaki scored
in the cornertoeffectively put the
game out of reach.
Saracen’s half back Yuta Takagi
againdemonstrated his nimbleness
and bullet like passing credentials
behind scrums and mauls,and his
club mate and captain Josh Maynard
led by example from number eight.
Glenmark centre Matt Jensens
tackling was afeature of the
defensive play and lock Jack Regan,
and hooker Kafu Masitutata,
produced solid efforts, games that
wouldhave enhanced theirselection
chances for thisSaturday’s game.
NorthCanterbury 34 (Kafu Junior
Mastiutata, Josh Duckworth, Kyovei
Yamasawa, SejunKawasaki tries;
Yamasawa3conversions and
penalty, Scott Allin penalty, Patrick
McCallumconversion) beat Otago
Country 23 (twotries, two
conversions, 3penalties).
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RANGIORA