Well it’s official, Taieri are the Speight’s Jug holders, for the winners of the first round and the new favourites to win it all when they put 55 on Varsity at the weekend. That resigned the Bookends to their second straight loss and they need to fix the back wheel punctures. Zingers came off the ‘‘wooden spoon’’ encounter the previous weekend full of confidence against their neighbours Kaik who unceremoniously routed them and posted close to 70 in the process. Harbour came off the bye and continued the run of big scores when they clocked up 60 against a hapless AU to keep the ‘‘Rooster’’ (Ross Godman memorial) in the locker! The Dunedin Sharks were staring into the abyss before Saturday but somehow managed to turn the headlights on at the ‘‘Toolbox’’ against GI and turn in a half-century of their own, but they are still a mile away from the mythical six. I get the feeling the top-five sides should make it through the second round and make the six, leaving Harbour (21 points) and Dunedin (17 points) to act like ‘‘junkyard dogs’’ over the next five weeks.
In Gumboot, the Baabaas were made to work by Marist to remain unbeaten and lead the comp. Pirates Old Boys remain second with a solid win over Star and Woodlands beat Blues by seven points. A remarkable 80-point turn around by Blues from last week — great work lads. Still a bit of a yawn in the South with Clutha and West Taieri unbeaten. Clutha won in a romp for Prison Guards from Toko but West Taieri were made to work by an improving Clutha Valley outfit. Good to see Lawrence awakening from their slumber to put away the Crescent Colliers in the aptly named Miners Cup.
In Central, it all went to script with the favourites all winning Cromwell, Wakatip and Upper Clutha — yawn.
In the North, Valley just keep on winning, when does it all end? The other results just make no sense — it’s beyond me!!!
Loose lips ...
I’ve had coaches up in arms over the delivery of the draw for the second round of Prem Rugby in town. The draw was always going to come out on Monday after being approved by the Match Committee of the CRC. The word on the street is that players from certain clubs knew who they were playing as early as last Saturday night or Sunday morning. I think lips need to be sealed or sewed up and definitely an inquiry into the protocols or lack of — perhaps ‘‘Benedict’’ could lead that!!!
Lock up your sons and daughters
The ailerons have gone off between the clubs in town as ‘‘Spook’’ Herden is trying to pick a North Otago team early as they’ve got a Ranfurly Shield Challenge against Otago on June 16 at the Greenhouse. He’s already trying to lure players from their clubs in town to play in the riveting North Otago comp so they can be treated as ‘‘domestic’’ players rather than imports. My spies also tell me ‘‘Spook’’ after a flash of divine inspiration thought he’d go all the way to the top to be competitive in said Shield Challenge. He apparently contacted Richie Mo’unga to consider playing in the game to meet one of his ‘‘return to ABs requirements’’. Don’t think it was successful!!
But wait, there’s more. He also approached former ABs halfback Brad Weber who was on his way back from France to check on his availability. Brad tells me he thought it was a ‘‘great idea’’ but it clashed with the June Baabaas clash in the UK so he couldn’t make it. But Brad assured me he would have jumped at it!! So, Spook, hats off mate!!
The foibles of refs
There is a Frenchman in town and he’s temporarily joined the ranks of our local refs. So welcome Benoit Lemonnier fresh from Div 2 rugby in France. Benoit did the Cromwell v Arrowtown game at the weekend and he’s doing the Sharks v Harbour game at the Sandpit tomorrow. Matthew Reynal the French international ref has organised this exchange with Brandon Hale and his team at Otago rugby. Good initiative, mate, but you’re still getting a brickbat for last weekend. You brought in a rotund little ref from Southland last week in the GI v Dunedin game and he was wearing a green jersey!!! Hard to pick him out from the GI team!! Sharpen up, mate. Speaking of refs, Southern halfback Wilson Driver was watching the Taieri College seconds game v Otago Boys at the weekend and there was no ref so he stepped in and did the job himself — well done, mate, and the rumour is he was outstanding.
Topp Cup and why no games?
There is no club rugby in South or Central Otago this week because it’s Topp Cup time in Balclutha this weekend.
There are three games — South v Central prems, South v Central Development and an Invitation Women’s game between the Central Does and Big River. I would have said Central would be favourites but if Hore, Dowling and Purvis are coaching them I’m now thinking Southern should be the favourites!!
Just for a change there are no games in Southland or North Otago — do they actually play rugby in these hinterlands? Well they did play one game in Invercargill on Wednesday night which a bus load of players from Dunedin went down for (a local coach’s nightmare). Supposedly it was some sort of Southland trial although no actual Southland regulars played in it — now that’s weird. But of course, when you’re having the season from hell as the Sharks are, you guessed it, Louis Lepionka could have sustained a season-ending ankle injury — get well mate. Really, did this game achieve anything??
Rugby at the races
The famous Rugby at Races day at Wingatui is on again this Sunday with massive fields on display, much to the delight of the punters. Word is there is a lot of rugby clubs represented and a-half dozen netball clubs as well so it should be a great old day. The scoop is the Winning Post Lounge could be sold out. ODT Racing Chat will be there to bring you a wrap of the action (odt.co.nz).
This weekend
I’m back big time, baby!!! After a horror week last week I destroyed Eel Centurion Marc Rooney at the weekend and on to one of the worst tipsters known to man, ‘‘Lukey’’ from Kaik who is ‘‘wallowing’’ in second last in our Super tipping comp, so I just win!! An understrength Varsity scale the mountain to take on Kaik at the high veldt and that will be a ‘‘mountain to climb’’. Kaik (13+) should be too strong across the park. GI have injury problems of their own and couldn’t take on the Magpies at a worse time at the Toolbox. The Magpies (13+) with their big marauding pack could ‘‘peck’’ them to death. Dunedin have no Highlanders to help them out this week at Shark Park and the Hawks will be smelling ‘‘carrion’’ and will go in as dominant favourites. They’ll know if they win this, that could confirm the six. But I can’t pick them the Sharks (12-) by divine intervention. In the battle for the ‘‘spoon’’, I’d love AU to win but they’ve shot their foot off all year. Zingers just (12-).
Up against the big sponsor of the Topp Cup from Property Brokers — Russ Lundy. After annihilating Breeny from Alex last week I’m on a roll. Central (12-), despite the coaches, get it done in the big game. Central Development (12-) do enough to beat South Development and Big River (13+) win the women's invitational game.
