Dunedin eked out a win over a full-strength Harbour outfit.
Taieri nearly racked up 80 over Pirates. Varsity finally cemented a spot in the four with a comprehensive win over a weakened Alhambra-Union team. Ditto for Southern over Kaikorai.
Zingari picked up its third win of the season over Green Island. The top four have pulled clear of the rest, and can anybody else drag themselves up to those lofty heights? I doubt it. It looks like a Taieri v Southern final.
The boot goes in
Everybody loves to put the boot in when clubs are down. Rumours have been rife Pirates is merging with Southern or Green Island, that players are deserting, and that veteran flanker Shaun McCarroll stormed out because he didn't get a 100-game blazer. Not to put too fine a point on it: absolute rubbish.
Pirates has lost seven players (Gavegan, Arthur, Suckling, Davies, Waldron-Smith, Johnson and Cossens) with season-ending injuries. Three other players (Toomalatai, Ailoili and McCarroll) have left the district for work opportunities.
That is 10 players, and tell me what other club would deal with that. I did say McCarroll was playing his 100th game for Pirates the other week and, unbelievably, I got that wrong. It was his 100th premier game as he had played for Varsity and Dunedin prior to joining Pirates.
The powers that be at Pirates headquarters are not considering amalgamation. Club numbers are OK, with 30 players in the premier colts side shored up by a half dozen from Eastern. The open grade side is unbeaten, but admittedly it's a tough road this year for the two top sides.
Hats off to Pirates club chairman Conrad Stedman, who is turning out for the prems in the front row - and he won't see 40 again! Conrad, you're a legend and I've got you in my form XV. Pirates will bounce back next year - you heard it here first.
Common sense
I hear Alhambra-Union was struggling to field a front row against Varsity last week and was in danger of having to go in with golden oldie scrums.
Alhambra-Union exhausted every avenue (it has lost five front-rowers this year) and settled on Esafe Havea, who has played for the club off and on the past four years. Unfortunately, he lives in Oamaru, and has played a few minutes for a club up there.
The club asked the Metro Committee and Varsity if it was OK to play him, and was denied. It ended up with a lock in the front row and, you guessed it, the second half was played with golden oldie scrums. What happened to safety concerns? Where is the common sense?
The ODT Express
Halftime in the Highlanders v Lions game is nearly here. There is $10,000-plus up for grabs and 13 clubs have entered players.
I have completed the following form and betting line. -5-1: Gavin ''the Kid'' Stark (Varsity); 7-1: Bryce ''the Midget'' Morgan (Kaik), Byron ''the Budgerigar'' Dodge (Southern); 8-1: William ''the Elver'' Tagicakibau (Taieri); 10-1: Adam ''he's Broken'' Gavegan (Pirates), Sam ''the Other Brother'' Weber (Dunedin), Hayden ''Who?'' Stephen (Alhambra-Union); 12-1: Aleki ''the Otter'' Morris (Harbour); 20-1: Matt ''the Lock'' McCutcheon (Green Island), Lachie ''the Farmer'' Moore (Zingari); 40-1: Trent ''the Bomber'' Cairns (Brighton); 50-1: Harry ''the Dark Horse'' Frost (Old Boys); 100-1: Adam ''the Musterer'' Johnson (Maheno).
This year's contest is not only about pace. There are also skill and strength elements, and I think a bolter could win. I'll be calling the race live, so get along and support your man.
This weekend
Destroyed Terry Davies from the stadium, and that gargantuan luncheon will be just that. Up against ''the Travelling Wilbury'', Bryan Morris, mine host at Mitchells this weekend. The Sharks (12-) do enough to beat The Colours at Shark Park. Taieri (13+) retains the Gallaway for yet another year (it's got cobwebs!) over a hapless Spannerhead outfit.
Varsity should win but I sniff an upset and Super Coach (III) may finally earn the big pay cheque so the Hawks (12-), just, at the Cockabully Cauldron. The Magpies (13+) retain the Jack Hore over Pirates for the millionth straight year. Kaik (12-) just beat the Onion.
PS: Congrats to Finchy and Arrowtown for snaring the White Horse. Coach Petre was last seen drowning the Big Show in Lake Wakatipu late on Saturday night.
