Varsity accounted for Southern - although not as comfortably as one would have thought - and it has eased its way into second and is going only one way - up. Dunedin put 30-odd on Zingers to record only its third win of the season in the nightmare from hell that is 2019. Harbour crushed Kaik by more than 40 to sit top and qualify for the four. GI got a scare from AU and was down at halftime but rallied strongly in the second spell to keep its final-four aspirations alive.
So where to from here in this absorbing race to the four? So Harbour is three points clear with one game to go against Taieri and is guaranteed a spot. If it wins, it will get a home semi. Varsity has two games to go in the form of Kaik and Taieri so is virtually guaranteed a home semi. Taieri needs some points against Harbour or Varsity to guarantee a spot; a couple of bonus points would probably do it. GI has the bye this weekend and needs to beat Dunedin the following weekend to be safe. Kaik has to beat Varsity this weekend to make it, I think. It has Zingers in its final game which should take it to 53 points and potentially not enough - it looks the most vulnerable. The other factor is that Otago is defending the Ranfurly Shield against Thames Valley in Wanaka next Saturday, so that will take players out in the crucial last round. Depending on the team Ben Herring picks, this could unduly influence results for the four. Whatever happens, it won't be pretty. As I've already said - this is madness; this game should have been played midweek. I've heard all the excuses why it had to be played at the weekend but frankly none of them wash with me! More next week.
Down on the farm
So Athies defaulted again in the North. That's three for the season now as the winter of discontent continues. Word on the street is that replacement coach Mike Mullins is the highest-paid mentor in the province. Hard to believe when you consider the free-spending clubs in the big smoke - Harbour, Kaik and GI. It begs the question: does Mike get paid when the club doesn't front? Sounds like Athies and Old Boys will merge for next season. There are rumours floating around that Jacko is trying for Eastern to flee prem IIs in town and join North Otago. Don't believe it for a second, as nobody has even talked to Eastern president Nick Terry. And why would it want to? It is just about over the line in making the four after beating West Taieri at the weekend. It is chasing a lucrative home semi in three weeks.
Finals day
Finals day is upon us on July 27 at the Greenhouse. The clubs wanted the four finals to be junior colts, prem colts, prem IIs and prems. Why no women's final, you may say? Well, it is such a small comp in terms of numbers of teams it's normally wrapped up by mid-June. But this year, for some reason, the women's comp has been put on hold as they play a series of bizarre make-up games. New Zealand Rugby has decreed it wants the women's final to be played on finals day and five into four doesn't go. Stadium boss Terry Davies is really stretching resources to have four games played on the hallowed turf. If we have to accommodate a women's final we have to dump one of the other comps which is really unfair on one of those. Looks like junior colts become the victim. The clubs have suggested we play the prem colts final first, then prem IIs, then prems and finish with women's final. This seems to meet with favour and is eminently sensible but when have we been known to make the logical happen sooner? And since when did NZR become interested in grassroots rugby? I certainly can't answer that!
Prop on display
Being stuck in hospital for a week with no sleep means you watch a lot of cricket and that hasn't helped the recuperation process! But I did see former Varsity prem prop Ben Sandall streaking, or more strolling, around naked in the New Zealand-England game. Look it up on theaccnz.com - it's hilarious!
This weekend
Destroyed union Rowena last weekend and on to Kirsty Myhill, who actually knocks this rant into shape on a weekly basis so yes she'll probably beat me! The Sharks (13+) will get it done at home in the Sandpit over AU and begin to expunge some of the nightmares. The Magpies (13+) will get a solid W on the board over wooden-spooner Zingers. Varsity (13+) will consolidate its spot at the top and probably relegate Kaik to also-rans at the High Veldt tomorrow. If Harbour (12-) fronts with the same team as last week it could be too big up front for the Eels but nearly too close to call