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ASHBURTON GUARDIAN, Monday, April 14, 2013
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By Kris Shannon Dillon Boucher ended his playing career with yet another trophy but there is one more prize he has his heart set on - a Halberg award. The retiring Boucher was a key part of the Breakers’ crunch-time lineup in their nail-biting victory over Perth on Saturday morning (NZT), earning his fourth Australian NBL ring to go with nine championships in the New Zealand national league. But the 37-year-old is already eyeing up another accolade, one he believes the Breakers richly deserve. Boucher and his team-mates, incredibly, have failed to earn a single Halberg nomination the last two seasons, despite becoming the first Kiwi side to win an Australian competition, and backing it up the following year. Now they’ve made it three in a row - to join the 2003-05 Sydney Kings as the only club to achieve the feat - and Boucher thinks it’s about time the Breakers are recognised at New Zealand’s national sporting awards. He’s not just after a nomination, though - he wants the main prize. “One title’s hard to win, two’s bloody hard, three’s near impossible,” he said. “For a team in New Zealand to win an Aussie comp for three years in a row, it speaks volumes about not only the players on this team but this organisation. “There’s no Olympics [this year], there’s no World Cup. “There’s really no reason why we shouldn’t clean up at the Halbergs.” It’s hard to argue with that assessment, considering the dominating
Dillon Boucher: Added his fourth NBL championship ring on Saturday manner in which the Breakers went back-to-back-to-back. After setting a club-best regular season record of 24-4 - including the league’s second-longest win streak of 16 games - the Breakers then went on to sweep both rounds of the playoffs and clinched the title on the home court of their greatest rivals. Boucher is right about timing, too, with previous championships perhaps lost in the afterglow of the Rugby World Cup and London Olympics. But with the rest of the calendar relatively bereft of major international competitions, this may be the Breakers’ year. “We’ve done a pretty special thing that no other New Zealand sports team have been able to do,” Boucher said.
“The New Zealand public has got behind us and supported us, so it’s time for those people that make the decisions to take a look at us and realise what we’re doing is pretty special.” While the Breakers must be considered favourites for team of the year, Andrej Lemanis would have also had a strong case for coach of the year after guiding his side to 28 wins from 32 games, but eligibility criteria prevents the Australian’s nomination. If common sense does prevail and the Breakers are at least invited to the February ceremony, it would only add to the glorious conclusion to a glittering career Boucher has already experienced. “When Paulie [Henare] got the send-off that he so richly deserved and we sent him out on a high, I was very envious,” Boucher said. “I never knew that this team was going to be able to produce a performance like this to send me out the same way. “I’m so proud of this team, so proud of this organisation and I couldn’t be happier.” Boucher’s satisfaction was added to by Daryl Corletto, who had promised the veteran he would get the ball in Boucher’s hands as the clock wound down. That enabled Boucher to hurl it high into the rafters for the last act of his playing career - though that was not his first choice. “I wanted to dropkick it in the stands but I didn’t want to get a technical foul, so I just threw it in the air. “For [Corletto] to give me the match ball to be able to throw it like that was pretty special.” - APNZ
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Craighead’s Julia Rolleston pursues Hampstead’s Shannon Thompson-Laing during their women’s division one match at the Ashburton hockey turf on Saturday.
Local teams fade down the stretch By Jonathan Leask Tinwald and Hampstead were taken to school in the latest round of the Mid-South Canterbury hockey competition on Saturday. The two Wakanui sides had the weekend off for a wedding, letting the Tinwald men and Hampstead women have a shot at the limelight playing in Ashburton, but both were outlasted by secondary school sides. Tinwald and Hampstead were well in contention at half time but as time wore on they both faded. Coming off a harsh 13-0 lesson Tinwald made a strong start but
as the match wore on they were worn down by Timaru Boys’ to go down 5-2. It was an all action first 10 minutes as Thomas White put Tinwald on the board before Timaru boys rattled three goals in quick succession to take the lead. A big score was on the cards, however the floodgates weren’t opened with both teams tightening up on defence until Daniel Snowball was able to add the hosts’ second for a 2-3 halftime score line. The second half shaped as a stalemate with Timaru Boys’ holding their one goal advantage and Tinwald pressing hard on attack, and working well on defence.
As the clock wound down Tinwald tired and the schoolboys struck twice to take a 5-2 win. “We hung in there and had a few chances but couldn’t bang them in the back of the net. “In the end we ran out of steam again and they scored two late goals,” Tinwald coach Ian Snowball said. “It was a big improvement on last week and the team is starting to gel and play some good hockey, so there are positive signs that were headed in the right direction.” Hampstead were next on the Ashburton turf and suffered a similar fate. Craighead opened the scoring in
the match before Sophie Morrow slotted a double to put Hampstead out in front 2-1, only for Craighead to level up the scores before halftime. From there it was all Craighead as the younger, fitter schoolgirls ran away with the game adding a further two goals to win 4-2 as Hampstead faded. “We competed with and it was quite even for most of the game but the telling factor was fitness which is disappointing,” Hampstead’s Rebecca McCloy said. “It was a good game and we are pleased with the way we played but they just kept going and running while we slowed down.”
The Mid Canterbury senior football side marked their first home match of the season with their first win, beating Christchurch United 4-2 on Saturday. Coach of the division one side Peter Roberts said it was a thrilling encounter at the Ashburton Domain, which had the hosts up 3-0 at halftime and having to withhold a strong comeback by the Christchurch side in the final quarter. Greg Feutz led the way for Mid Canterbury with two goals in a man of the match performance. The green and golds made a solid start to the game and created early chances, Diego Ignacio going close after being put through by Feutz. The home team then took the lead in the 15th minute when Ricky Barbosa delivered a free kick into the area and Adam George applied the finishing touch. Feutz got on the score sheet soon after when he ran through and comfortably beat the keeper before he was involved in the third goal playing a neat through ball to the on-running Barbosa, who calmly slid the ball past the advancing keeper for their 3-0 halftime lead. The second half also started well and the hosts were soon 4-0 in front when Feutz latched onto a defensive error and added the fourth goal, and his second. Substitutes Graham Hannon, Edze Bierema and Maxi Soler came on to add some fresh legs but the
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Mid Canterbury’s Adam George brings the ball under control on his way to scoring the opening goal in the senior side’s 4-2 win over Christchurch United on Saturday. visitors came back strongly in the final quarter to score two goals and make for a tense finish. However, the home team hung on for three well-deserved points. In other Mainland competition matches, Methven International bounced back from a 9-2 first round loss to beat Parklands 2-1 in division five while Mid Canterbury Eastern
lost to FC Twenty11 Falcons 0-3 in division four. The 18th division one side was beaten 4-0 by FC Twenty 11 but the division three side beat Waimak 6-2 with the Mid Canterbury Masters crushing Christchurch United 8-0. There were also wins for a majority of the lower grades with 15th grade having a 7-0 romp over St
Bedes B, the 14th grade got up over Coastal Spirit White 2-1, the 13th beat Selwyn 8-0, the 12th beat Selwyn 4-2, the 11th beat Ferrymead Bays Eagles 7-1 and the 10th beat Halswell United Harvards 7-1. The 14th grade girls’ lost to Cashmere Tech 1-2 while the Mid Canterbury women beat Hornby 6-1 yesterday.
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Only points differential is keeping the Warriors from occupying last place in the NRL after six rounds. After going down 20-16 to the Raiders in Canberra on Saturday night Matt Elliott’s men are 15th, and have only a slightly better for and against differential of minus 60 than the Bulldogs (-69) who are at the foot of the ladder. It was hard to fault the Warriors’ commitment but they just didn’t have enough possession during the second half in the Australian capital, as a returning Terry Campese orchestrated Canberra’s comeback win. The Warriors lost centre Dane Nielsen to a rib injury during the game which caused a backline reshuffle, while they were also shorn of forwards Jacob Lillyman and Elijah Taylor and utility Pita Godinet. Elliott praised his side’s defensive effort but in the end they just had to work too hard for too long without the ball. When giant Canberra Raiders winger Edrick Lee flew through the air in the 76th minute to latch on to a pinpoint Campese kick to score it sealed the Warriors’ fate as Canberra pulled off their second come-from-behind win in as many weeks. “I thought Campo’s poise ended
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Results from the ITM 400 Auckland, the third round of the series, at Pukekohe Park Raceway (circuit 2.91km) yesterday: Race 4 (35 laps - 100km) 1. Jason Bright (Holden) 37mins39.1958sec 2. Garth Tander (Holden) 37:44.4948 3. Jamie Whincup (Holden) 37:45.5441 4. Fabian Coulthard (Holden) 37:45.8454 5. Will Davison (Ford) 37:46.5102 6. James Courtney (Holden) 37:49.2043 7. Alex Davison (Ford) 37:49.3147 8. David Reynolds (Ford) 37:49.9782 9. Craig Lowndes (Holden) 37:54.2984 10. James Moffat (Nissan) 37:57.5711 11. Shane Van Gisbergen (Holden) 38:03.5690 Race 3 (35 laps - 100km) 1. Will Davison (Ford) 44mins42.6509sec 2. Shane Van Gisbergen (Holden) 44:43.2537 3. Fabian Coulthard (Holden) 44:43.4649 4. Craig Lowndes (Holden) 44:43.6852 5. Garth Tander (Holden) 44:44.0079
Rugby Super Rugby, Round 9 BRUMBIES 30 (George Smith, Henry Speight, Joseph
Warriors skipper Simon Mannering
up being the difference,” Elliott said of the five-eighth. “I felt pretty confident about our D. “They didn’t look like penetrating it then they scored one try after they had four or five sets in a row. “Unfortunately the errors that we made were individual skill and two really poor decisions on shift plays to try and promote the ball and it doesn’t matter how courageous you are but when you’re down by 50 plays in a half - I don’t know if I’ve experienced that before - not in modern-day rugby league are you going to come close to winning.” The Warriors were impressive through the first 50 minutes as a double to wing Manu Vatuvei and a try to Ben Henry, who was only included when Lillyman and Taylor were scratched, saw them hold a 16-4 lead early in the second spell. But when Lee grabbed his first four-pointer in the 53rd minute, things begun to unravel for the
Tomane tries Christian Lealiifano 3 cons Lealiifano 2, Nic White pens) bt HIGHLANDERS 19 (Aaron Smith try Hayden Parker con 4 pens) at Forsyth Barr Stadium. Referee: Chris Pollock. QUEENSLAND REDS 31 (Rod Davies 2, Quade Cooper, Jake Schatz tries Cooper 4 cons pen) bt CHIEFS 23 (Bundee Aki, Patrick Osborne tries Gareth Anscombe 2 cons 3 pens) at Waikato Stadium. Referee: Steve R. Walsh. BLUES 28 (Frank Halai, Tom McCartney, James Parsons, Charles Piutau tries Chris Noakes 4 cons) bt HURRICANES 6 (Beauden Barrett pen Tusi Pisi drop goal) at Eden Park. Referee: Jaco Peyper. SOUTHERN KINGS 30 (Ronald Cooke, Wimpie van der Walt, Shaun Venter tries Demetri Catrakilis 3 cons 2 pens drop goal) bt MELBOURNE REBELS 27 (Mitch Inman, Angus Roberts, Ged Robinson tries James O’Connor 3 cons 2 pens) at AAMI Park. Referee: Andrew Lees. Crowd: 10,416. WESTERN FORCE 16 (Sam Norton-Knight try Jayden Hayward con 3 pens) bt CRUSADERS 14 (Luke Romano try Tyler Bleyendaal 3 pens) at nib Stadium. Ref: Jonathan Kaplan. Crowd: 16,758. STORMERS 22 (Juan De Jongh try Joe Pietersen con 5 pens) bt SHARKS 15 (Patrick Lambie 5 pens) at Newlands Rugby Stadium. Referee: Craig Joubert. BULLS 26 (Jano Vermaak, Callie Visagie tries Morne Steyn 2 cons 4 pens) bt CHEETAHS 20 (Trevor Nyakane try Burton Francis 4, Francois Brummer pens) at Loftus Versfeld. Standings after Rd 9 Brumbies 8 6 1 1 221 137 84 3 33 Chiefs 7 5 0 2 220 144 76 5 29 7 5 0 2 172 115 57 2 26 Sharks Queensland Reds 8 6 0 2 172 159 13 3 31 Blues 7 4 0 3 189 140 49 7 27 Cheetahs 8 5 0 3 187 195 -8 3 23 Bulls 7 4 0 3 172 171 1 3 23 Hurricanes 7 4 0 3 177 186 -9 3 23 Crusaders 7 3 0 4 189 153 36 6 22 NSW Waratahs 7 3 0 4 162 200 -38 1 21 Stormers 7 3 0 4 154 153 1 4 20 Western Force 8 2 0 6 146 186 -40 3 15 Southern Kings 7 2 1 4 166 222 -56 1 15 Melbourne Rebels 8 2 0 6 162 258 -96 3 15 Highlanders 7 0 0 7 142 212 -70 2 6
Warriors as Campese started to stamp his mark on the contest. The former New South Wales No 6 has been dogged by knee and groin injuries for the past two years but showed touches of his class in the latter stages of the game after he joined the fray via the interchange bench after half an hour. Following Lee’s first try, Sam Williams crossed just after the hour mark as Jarrod Croker’s conversion brought the score back to 16-14 as the Warriors tried to hold on their slender lead. But when Campese connected with Lee with only a few minutes left the result was settled. Warriors captain Simon Mannering, who racked up 40 tackles for the visitors, said they were eventually worn down by a relentless Raiders outfit. “It was just too much on our own line and one set too many.” Mannering’s tackle count was only topped by hooker Nathan Friend who made 61, while Todd Lowrie was also busy as he made 39 tackles. Young centre Ngani Laumape led the Warriors in metres gained with 137 as he continues to make a bright start to his career. Canberra Raiders 20 (Edrick Lee 2, Sandor Earl, Sam Williams tries; Jarrod Croker 2 goals) Warriors 16 (Manu Vatuvei 2, Ben Henry tries; Shaun Johnson 2 goals). HT: 4-10 - APNZ
Rugby league NRL results standings Rod 6 BRISBANE 12 (J Hoffman 2 L Maranta tries) bt NORTH QUEENSLAND 10 (A Graham C Greenshields tries J Thurston goal) at Suncorp Stadium. SYDNEY ROOSTERS 38 (S Williams 2 M Jennings J Maloney D Mortimer R Tuivasa-Sheck tries J Maloney 7 goals) bt BULLDOGS 0 at Allianz Stadium. Referee: Gavin Morris, Ben Cummins. Crowd: 22,552. NEWCASTLE 8 (J McManus try K Gidley 2 goals) bt PENRITH 6 (S Manu try L Walsh goal) at Hunter Stadium. CANBERRA 20 (E Lee 2 S Earl S Williams tries J Croker 2 goals) bt WARRIORS 16 (M Vatuvei 2 B Henry tries S Johnson 2 goals) at Canberra Stadium. Referee: Chris James, Adam Devcich. Crowd: 9,699. MELBOURNE 17 (M Fonua K Proctor G Widdop tries C Smith 2 goals C Cronk field goal) bt SOUTH SYDNEY 10 (A Everingham G Inglis tries A Reynolds goal) at ANZ Stadium. Referee: Shayne Hayne, Alan Shortall. Crowd: 32,671. MANLY 25 (D Cherry-Evans P Hiku J Horo S Matai T Symonds tries J Lyon 2 goals D Cherry-Evans field goal) bt CRONULLA 18 (N Stapleton 2 S Mills tries M Gordon 2 C Townsend goals) at Brookvale Oval. Standings P W D L B PF PA PD Pts 1 Melbourne 6 6 0 0 0 159 86 73 12 2 Manly 6 5 0 1 0 139 54 85 10 3 South Sydney 6 5 0 1 0 137 105 32 10 4 Sydney Roosters 6 4 0 2 0 144 66 78 8 5 Newcastle 6 4 0 2 0 128 85 43 8 6 *Gold Coast 5 3 0 2 0 102 68 34 6 7 Brisbane 6 3 0 3 0 106 90 16 6 8 Canberra 6 3 0 3 0 96 151 -55 6 9 Cronulla 6 2 0 4 0 88 91 -3 4 10 North Queensland 6 2 0 4 0 98 110 -12 4 11 *Parramatta 5 2 0 3 0 87 117 -30 4 12 *St George Illawarra 5 2 0 3 0 77 110 -33 4 13 *Wests Tigers 5 2 0 3 0 81 130 -49 4 14 Penrith 6 1 0 5 0 98 148 -50 2 15 Warriors 6 1 0 5 0 86 146 -60 2 16 Bulldogs 6 1 0 5 0 68 137 -69 2