The Star: September 21, 2023

18 The Star Thursday September 21 2023
SPORTS NEWS
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Tahlor-made for a big future
• By Jaime Cunningham
JUST OVER a year ago, Tahlor
Cahill’s confidence took a
tumble when he missed out on
the Crusaders under-20s side.
It was a moment Cahill describes
as a “turning point” in
his career.
“When I missed out, it was a
bit of a shock and my confidence
took a hit,” the 20-year-old said.
But since then, the Marist
Albion player has gone from
strength to strength – playing
for the Baby Blacks in the past
two years, training with the
Crusaders and making his
NPC debut for Canterbury this
season.
And it all started with an
unexpected player of the tournament
performance for the
Barbarians in last year’s Super
Rugby under-20 competition.
After training with the
Crusaders under-20s for three
months, Cahill was told he
hadn’t been selected for the tournament
side.
The towering 198cm lock
went on to be named as the
Sir John Graham player of
the tournament following an
unbeaten campaign with the
Barbarians. Past winners include
All Blacks Fletcher Newell and
Luke Jacobson.
“It was definitely wasn’t something
I expected at all,” he said.
“I think (missing out) was
probably a turning point about
how I responded after not making
a team I wanted to make.
“But the Barbarians coaching
group and staff really helped
me play in a way where I could
express myself.”
As a result of the tournament,
Cahill was selected to play for the
New Zealand under-20s in last
year’s Oceania championship.
It was an experience Cahill
believes has been a big part of his
development.
“It’s nice to have been tested
under pressure by the best at
under-20 level,” he said, after
also featuring in the Baby
Blacks’ disappointing world
championship campaign earlier
this year.
The former Shirley Boys’ High
student had a unique rise to agegroup
rugby, deciding to board
at powerhouse school Hamilton
Boys’ High for year 13.
“I wanted to challenge myself
in a broader environment, so I
reached out to them because I
heard about how successful their
programme was.
“But I learnt the most off the
field through the professional attitude
they had towards rugby.”
After spending a year in the
Crusaders Academy, Cahill’s
goal for this season was always to
play for Canterbury.
He has featured six times –
starting in every match but one.
With Blues lock Sam Darry
and Crusader Zach Gallagher
returning to the team after
recovering from injuries, there
has been competition for game
time in Canterbury’s second row
CHANCE: Since
making his
Canterbury
debut in August,
Tahlor Cahill
has featured
in another five
matches for the
province.
Right – Cahill
was awarded
the Sir John
Graham
player of the
tournament for
the Barbarians
after missing
out on the
Crusaders
under-20 side
last year.
PHOTOS: GETTY ​
in recent matches.
Said Cahill: “Competition is
always good, and it’s definitely
pushed me.
“For example, having Luke
Romano there, he’s so good and
a great help.”
While Canterbury have had
some mixed results, including
a shock 31-29 loss to Counties
Manukau last Wednesday, Cahill
believes the team can still go all
the way.
“I’ve got 100 per cent belief in
this team.
“There’s so much experience
in the team and I’m so excited to
see what we can achieve.”
And for Cahill, there are no aspirations
to leave red-and-black
country anytime soon.
“Definitely next on my radar is
to play for the Crusaders.
“It’s the franchise I’ve always
looked up to and wanted to play
for.”
• Canterbury host Tasman
in New Zealand’s first-ever
NPC and Heartland XV
triple header at Apollo
Projects Stadium at
4.35pm on Saturday. South
Canterbury take on Mid
Canterbury at 2.05pm,
before Buller play West
Coast at 7.05pm. Gates
open at 1.30pm and
tickets are available on
Ticketek.
New approach sees Palmer take
• By Neville Idour
CATHERINE PALMER and
Mark Lawson played brilliantly
to win the coveted Foursomes
title at the combined Australian
and Asia Pacific Hickory
Golf Championships in
Melbourne.
The Christchurch club players
together recorded a superb 72
on the new Sandy Links course
on the Mornington Peninsula,
which is renowned for its
sandbelt courses.
They had to beat a strong field
with an international presence
NOTABLE: Catherine
Palmer and Mark Lawson
won the foursomes title at
the combined Australian
and Asia Pacific Hickory
Golf Championships
in Melbourne. Palmer
also won the women’s
individual title.
and some professionals. Their
four-shot margin over seasoned
Australian professional Mike
Clayton, a winner of eight
events in his career, and Terence
Thornton, was impressive.
Palmer went one better,
winning the women’s individual
event over two rounds with
scores of 86 at Woodlands and 83
at Kingston Heath, well clear of
her rivals.
In the overall scoring,
which included the men and
the women, she placed an
impressive seventh. Lawson,
the Christchurch club course
superintendent, finished a
creditable seventh in the men’s
field.
What made Palmer’s efforts
even more notable was the fact
this was the first time she had
played 18 holes with hickory
clubs. Apart from the 12 holes at
the New Zealand Hickory Open
earlier this year she has only been
playing nine holes.
“During Covid in level two
you could play by yourself and
one day I met Peter Van Ekelen
who was playing with his hickory
clubs,” she said.
“We got chatting. He said that
no women were playing hickory
golf and suggested I should give
it a go. I thought why not and
started playing twilight at the
Christchurch club at the end of
2022.
“I think when you play day
to day it is not hard, especially
for a woman, to pick them up
because you don’t change your
swing too much. It is challenging
and different and that is what I
like. Currently I am just happy
relaxing and playing whenever
and wherever. So it is quite nice
for a change and meeting a new
group of people.”
Palmer has been one of
Canterbury’s leading women
players for some years.