Feature - Rugby Clubs - Mar 2019

Page 1

Rugby’s Luisetti Seeds Combined Country Cup Division 1 Competition 32 Ashburton Guardian

Friday, March 29, 2019

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Celtic Celtic may be heading into the 2019 rugby season as the defending Mid Canterbury Rugby champions, but they know they’ll have a job on their hands to defend that title. Coach Shane Enright said of the 25 players who made up the squad which lifted the Watters Cup aloft for the first time in many years last season, 14 had not returned for the 2019 season. Celtic had lost 10 backs and four forwards from last year’s squad, and all for a variety of reasons. Some were overseas, some were injured or simply unavailable, and others had decided to chance their arm up in the Christchurch Metro competition. For a coach, it wasn’t an ideal scenario. He had just 16 fit players at the start of this week ahead of their opening match of the combined country cup competition against Prebbleton at Celtic, and the start of the season at least was going to be a real juggling act with the seniors having to rely on help from players in the club’s B and colts sides. It was going to be a challenge, but Enright was still confident – you had to be, he said. “The goal is always to win the Luisetti Cup and the Watters Cup, and we’re not going out to defend the Watters Cup, we’re going out there to win it,” Enright said. They knew they’d have their work cut out for them, but the players who would form the team known as the ‘green machine’ this season were not lacking in determination. They wanted to do their best, and hopefully retain Mid Canterbury Rugby’s biggest prize at the end of the season. “We’ll be turning up every week and we’ll try our best, and if our best is good enough then that’s great, and if it’s not we’ll reassemble or reassess,” Enright said. Celtic started the season down 14 players from 2018, and the list has just kept growing. Ryan Greenslade – a new player who had come to Celtic after three years with the Timaru Boys’ High School first XV – broke his ankle in the final minute of their first pre-season game against Geraldine, and in their most recent pre-season clash on Saturday against Mackenzie, they lost Alex Hooper to a dislocated shoulder. The list went on – one player had required finger surgery, another had ruptured his achilles, and one had his feet run over in a car park, the most unusual cause on the walking wounded list. Enright said Celtic did have experience and they’d be relying heavily on the likes

Shepherd Mhembere is embarking on his second season as a big part of the Celtic forward pack.

of Hamish Finnie, Angus Lindsay, Shepherd Mhembere, Nick McKain and Uma Tu’uga in the forwards, while Paovale Sofai would go from one of the young guns in the backline in 2018, to one of the more experienced players in a youthful looking backline in 2019. Enright said it was just one of those things – players came and went. This year Celtic had just had a lot go, and not a lot of new blood coming in. Last year’s captain Danny Hurley wasn’t playing this year in order to spend time with his young family, while last year’s firstfive Nathan McCloy was overseas, as was Kirk Chettleburgh. Willie Hintz was out due

to a few too many concussions, while Matt Miller was not playing in order to focus on his new business, and Scotsman Owen Gemmell had returned to his homeland and any plans of returning had been halted by a torn hamstring. Two of Celtic’s standout backs last year had decided to try their luck in the Christchurch Metro competition – Brian Matoramusha had gone to Lincoln University, while Isireli Masiwini had gone to High School Old Boys, as had Celtic’s hooker from last year, Joel Leo. Celtic’s pool C draw is: March 30: v Prebbleton

Looking at buying or selling your home? roud supporter of Allenton Bowling Club Contact me today. I can help.

For all yourTHERESA real estate needs HISLOP call First National Ashburton:

Sales Consultant

The Celtic squad is : Hamish Finnie, Keanu Huria, Mitchell Coyle, Sheridan Hawkins, Mark Tait, Leauma Tu’uga, Alex Hooper, Sam Baynes, Nic McKain, Gus Lindsay, Shepherd Mhembere, Davey Morrison, Henry Miller, Jayden Faunge, Kody Stuthridge, Paovale Sofai, Sean Strange, Lima Senternia, Cam Butler.

Celtic Rugby Football Club

SBW Developments Ltd trading as First National Ashburton Licensed( REA 2008)

MOBILE 0275 141 330

SBW DEVELOPMENTS LTD LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

April 6: v Ohoka April 13: v Saracens April 20: v West Melton April 27: v Hurunui May 4: v Oxford May 11: v Lincoln

Proudly supporting

(03) 307 4222 | 326 East 03 St, 307 Ashburton PHONE 4222

326 East St, Ashburton

PHOTO ASHBURTON GUARDIAN

Phone 03 307 9176 217 West St, Ashburton pb.co.nz

M 027 491 5259 P 03 307 9184 E paddy@pb.co.nz


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
Feature - Rugby Clubs - Mar 2019 by Ashburton Guardian - Issuu