The Dunedin season kicked off on Saturday with the holding of the Otago Rugby League nines tournament at Opoho.
Christchurch’s Aranui Eagles came away with the trophy, beating the East Coast Eagles 10-0 in the final.
The East Coast Eagles’ path to the final was promising. Terrence Reid, Sam Johnstone and Hyrum Martin were key players throughout the day, and their hard work through the middle of the park created a lot of scoring opportunities.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, injuries caught up with two of their quick backs, Rawiri Manley and Sonny McLean, meaning they missed the final, leaving their side vulnerable out wide. The Aranui Eagles’ agility was the main difference between the two sides.
The rest of the tournament saw plenty of exciting action, with three teams from Canterbury mixing it with three of the Otago-based clubs, in a hard and fast tournament designed to display some of the talent in the South.
The East Coast Eagles were clearly the front-runners of the Otago-based clubs, although the South Pacific Raiders and Otago University sides both held their own in the tournament and will take plenty of positives out of the day. A new-look University side made the semifinals against the East Coast Eagles but were not able to match the pace the Eagles brought to the encounter, particularly with Tama Apineru and Sam Johnstone tearing through the field with elusive footwork and strong fends.
The South Pacific Raiders showed they are a side to watch this year as well. Captain Jordan Ruatoe led his side around the field well and grabbed a couple of tries for the day, showcasing the speed and try-scoring capabilities that have earned him a reputation as one of the best backs in the Otago rugby league competition.
With some key players around him, the Raiders are in a good position to build on their efforts from last year.
The premier competition kicks off next weekend at Kensington Oval with the reigning premiers, the Kia Toa Tigers, taking on the Eagles and the South Pacific Raiders up against the University side.
- Ricki Allan
