Plenty at stake for Zingari Richmond

Zingari-Richmond upset Dunedin at Kettle Park today. Photo: Gerard O'Brien
Zingari-Richmond upset Dunedin at Kettle Park in the opening game of the season but haven't claimed another victory since. Photo: Gerard O'Brien
Zingari-Richmond has plenty to play for when it takes on Green Island at Montecillo tomorrow.

The club will be playing for the Hellyer Memorial Trophy and will also be looking for a win to get back on track after a run of losses. It is also old timers' day at the Zingari-Richmond clubrooms.

The side opened the season with a good win over Dunedin but has yet to claim a second win.

It played Taieri last week, losing 36-8 after being in the match at halftime, down 14-0.

The Colours created chances and had some possession in the first half but an inability to fashion together a movement which led to points was the side's Achilles heel.

The side has some quality in its backline. Keenan Masina is a hard-working midfielder while Thomas Johnson has just returned from a season in England and shows some nice touches at first five-eighth.

Shae Tucker started the season at No10 and helped win the game against Dunedin but with the arrival of Johnson he has moved back out to the midfield and is a quality player.

The side has some size up front with the likes of captain Matt McCormick and Eli Tonga.

Veteran loose forward Chris Bell was set to play his 250th premier club game tomorrow but is duck-shooting and will bring up the mark in two weeks when the club plays Alhambra-Union.

In a quirk of the draw, the two sides bottom of the table - Zingari-Richmond and Alhambra-Union - will play only once this season.

The trophy being played for is named after former Otago flanker Bert Hellyer.

Hellyer played for Zingari-Richmond and represented Otago on the side of the scrum from 1946 to 1950, playing 26 games for the province.

Living in Abbotsford, he did not hesitate to help the Green Island club on any working bees when required. At Miller Park he was considered as an associate member of Green Island.

Upon his death, the Hellyer family presented the trophy to be contested annually between Green Island and Zingari-Richmond's top sides. The cup was contested for the first time in 1984 with Green Island winning the match.

Green Island won the contest last year and holds the trophy.

 

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