In the penultimate week of round-robin play there were a couple of big upsets, with one throwing the top-of-the-table race into disarray. Varsity tipped over competition leaders Green Island with a powerful display of running rugby. Forgotten Highlander Thomas Umaga Jensen, the midfielder, was the key element to their 24-point victory as he cut a swathe through the GI defence. Dunedin beat Zingari by 40-plus points to sit second-equal with Kaik. They dominated aerially and their backs cut a merry dance in the second spell as they ran away and hid from Zingari. Kaik fullback Ben Miller banked 22 points for Kaikorai as they ran in eight tries to dismantle Taieri in the second spell. AU stormed home late with a couple of tries to lower Harbour’s colours at the Pony Pit. This was AU’s first win of the season and was richly deserved.
So where will this leave us?
The top four teams play each other this week and three of those teams — GI, Dunedin and Kaik — can still win the Gallaway Trophy. GI take on Dunedin, and Kaik take on Southern. It's too close to call.
Tell me it’s not so?
The word on the street is that Otago are contracting in a winger from Australia to bolster their NPC squad. Surely this can’t be right, and the Otago board has said no? I’ve been banging on for weeks about there being no money in rugby. The NZRU have just announced a $9 million loss for the year to prove that point. If they have allowed this to happen, they really have lost touch with reality and certainly with their clubs. How do you explain this to Aaron McMurray from Varsity, to Kyan Rangitutia from Dunedin, to Mackenzie Palmer from Southern, to Joe Cockburn from Taieri, to name just a few. Pick any of these players and put more bums on seats at the Greenhouse. I truly hope I’ve got this wrong because if it is true we should divest our club scene from Otago and go it alone.
The CRC
We set up the CRC (council of clubs) to run club rugby in this town. We were sick and tired of blaming the union for things going wrong with club rugby and, to be fair, it wasn’t always their fault. But I suspect the CRC is abdicating responsibility and leaving it to the union to make the hard calls. Take the timing of the women’s final and the Taimaiti Williams saga last week, for instance. By the way, Taimaiti played from Burnside, my spies tell me.
We put the CRC in place to make the hard calls because you are at the coal face. If you don’t want the responsibility, put someone on from your club that will take back control of the game we love. At least then we can only blame ourselves.
Milestones
Willis Paterson, from Lawrence, was made a life member of Otago Country Rugby a couple of weeks ago. Richly deserved mate. They don’t hand these out lightly down there, either — it’s easier to be canonised!
Paul Tupa’i is playing his 100th game for Southern this weekend and I don’t know how many he played for Pirates prior to that. Good on ya mate.
Down on the farm
Up north they are into the playoffs this weekend (already, did they play any games?) But as you’d imagine, not without controversy. Valley and Excelsior were first and second and then it got murky. Athies, Kurow and Old Boys were tied for third and nobody knew what the rules were to find the top 4. “Jacko” stormed into town on his white steed dusted off a 1920’s book of rules and declared Athies and Kurow were in, and Old Boys were consigned to the scrap heap.
Suffice to say Old Boys were less than amused. Instead of two semis and a final, "Jacko" has decided to drag it out for three weeks so people will forget about a lack of pool games. I’ll come back to it when they actually have a final. I’ll get back to Central, South and Deep South when they hit the playoffs next week.
Test week
There are a lot of functions on next week. But two are noteworthy. The ODT is holding a test-match lunch with Frank Bunce and Ben Smith next Friday and there are still tickets available. The Otago Old Boys Rugby Club is holding a test match evening next Friday night at GI with Kevin "Smiley" Barrett and his wife Rose as the guests of honour. They’ll have some stories to tell about Beaudie, Jordie and the All Black captain so get along. And remember the quarterfinals in town next week are at 2pm because of the test match.
This weekend
Unbelievably got pulverised by Mayor Jules Radich last week and he sits top of the comp — devastating.
On to Graham Sneddon this week so I bounce straight back. Zinagri (12-) are at home to AU at the cemetery and this could be very close. Zingari look down on numbers but Mika Mafi is back so they may squeak home, but it will be tight with Jona Nareki fronting for the Ponies. Southern (12-) host Kaik and it’s nearly too close to call. I see Jack Leslie is finally suiting up for the Magpies at first five. Southern will come with a late surge as they do every year, and it might start tomorrow.
Harbour are hosting Taieri (12-) and should go in as favourites. There is no love lost between these two clubs so I think the Eels might just get up, but it is hard to win down there. In the top-of-the-table clash, GI host Dunedin (12-) at the Toolbox and again, it’s too close to call. They have the strongest scrums in town, but Dunedin may have the edge at lineout time. The Dunedin backs have pace to burn out wide and might just hold the key but forget mercurial GI fullback Finn Hurley at your peril.
Thrashed Alan Thomson from Crescent last week and on to Logan Dowling from Maniototo this weekend. Logan was a former player and club captain but he’s "cruising" now. Upper Clutha (13+) will be too strong for Arrow Bulls at home. The Maggots (13+) head to Omakau to take on Matak and take home the spoils. Alex (13+) need the points and will get them convincingly over the Cromwell Goats.
