Seniors lining up for quarterfinals

Otautau and Ohai Nightcaps rugby clubs have fielded a combined senior team for the fifth consecutive year.

Home games and trainings are shared equally, while the two clubs have 10 primary grade teams between them.

The senior team is competing in the division two competition against 10 other teams. OON have won four and drew one of their games to qualify sixth for this Saturday’s quarterfinals.

Coaching the team this year is Shane Robertson with assistance from Tom Anderson and Tyler Johnston. First five Logan Stearne is the team captain, with support from lock Lachlan Dudin.

The combined side opened their season with a confidence-boosting 31-20 win over DLS in Nightcaps. The following week the team earned a 19-point draw against Wakatipu. The standout players in Queenstown were prop Zacson Murray and hooker Dean Hays.

The combined team earned an entertaining 64-24 win over Mataura in Otautau. Runaway tries were a feature of the day, while the key individual contributors were openside Matt Thomson, No 8 Chance Carran and halfback Stearne.

The following week the boys were unlucky to strike an inspired Bush Pirates team on Central Pirates 75th anniversary weekend and lost 20-5.

The team bounced back in a Thursday night game before duck-shooting with a 55-42 win in Mossburn.

Stearne and Carran carried on their good form and tighthead prop Aidan Van Rooijen also flexed his muscles.

A disappointing 19-5 loss to Waiau Star in Tuatapere was followed by a much better showing the following week, which resulted in a 27-17 loss to the unbeaten Riverton team on Club Day in Otautau.

In rough weather the boys earned a 17-7 win over Collegiate in Invercargill. The player of the day was utility back John Taufaalili, with No 8 Matt Thomson and left wing Blake Strachan also impressing their hardy supporters.

All 10 of the junior teams played at Nightcaps on June 8 when the 100th anniversary of Ohai rugby was acknowledged. Nightcaps’ 100th year was in 2002. The seniors lost the afternoon game 40-5 to Midlands. Lock Ryan Sharp played his best game of the season, while halfback Liam King and fullback Ethan Dudin were the next best. Despite the loss, the club had a successful day and evening.

After a week off for the bye the team suffered a 54-10 loss to Waikiwi last Saturday. The big score did not reflect the miners’ competitive effort; Dudin and Sharp carried on their rich vein of form.

Otautau Ohai Nightcaps will play their quarterfinal against Midlands in Winton this Saturday at 3pm.

Looking ahead to next year; Otautau will be celebrating their 150th anniversary over Anzac weekend in April.

Otautau Ohai Nightcaps 2024: 1 J Philpott, 2 S Clark, 3 A Van Rooijen, 4 L Dudin, 5 H Plunkett, 6 R Sharp, 7 S Christian, 8 M Thomson, 9 L King, 10 L Stearne, 11 H Carran, 12 B Adams, 13 R Egan, 14 R Munro, 15 E Dudin, 16 D Hays 17 Z Murray 18 M Buchanon, 19 G Minty, 20 M Dudin, 21 B Strachan, 22 C Carran, 23 M O’Connell, 24 A Levi, 25 S Hassall, 26 J Taufaalili, 27 H Carran, 28 O Clark, 29 B Hunt, 30 Issy Gusuna, 31 R Shaw, 32. C Dudin, 33 T Naulumatua 34. J Robertson. Coaches: S Robertson, T Anderson & T Johnston, Manager: T Phillpott & Roffy

By John Langford