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Well, the big news is the debacle result of the "Wooden Spoon" game two weeks ago — but more shortly. The results were pretty predictable, as Southern put away Zingers quite comfortably to sit third on the table, three points behind leaders Taieri. Varsity have now lost four straight after succumbing to Taieri and letting through close to 60 points. They have tumbled down the table to 4th equal. Kaik were smoking Harbour at the Lobster Pit and were up 40 to zip at the 60 minute mark, but lost the plot after the game went to non-contested scrums and the bench trundled on. Kaik are now only one point behind Taieri. The top three sides — Taieri, Kaik and Southern — are now commanding favourites to scrap it out for the banner. In the last game Dunedin had a smidgeon of a chance to make it into the six when they came close to upsetting GI out at the Sandpit. But the turnover kings lived up to that rep, conceding ball at all the wrong times, and GI held on to consolidate their position in the six. Harbour are now 9 points clear of Dunedin in sixth spot and can’t be caught — thus the top six is confirmed.
Dramatic irony
Way back in 2020 in the "Covid space", the CRC were in a Zoom meeting discussing the "draft" for the new Highlander players for the season. Back in those days, the lowest-ranked side from the year before had the first choice of player, and it moved up from there. AU (funnily enough) had first pick, and traditionally you pick your player based on whether they will actually get game time for the Landers — the less game time, the more clubs want them. Club captain at the time Hugh Tait — now the current chair of CRC and the man in the gun for playing an unregistered player — had first choice. He stunned the group by picking prop Jermaine Ainsley, who at the time was injured. It sent the group into pandemonium as they readjusted their "most wanted" picking list.
Why am I backgrounding this? Well, Jermaine finally played his first game for AU six years later; two weeks ago in the battle of the "wooden spoon" against Zingers, and they won their first game of the season. Roll on one week and their points have been stripped for supposedly playing an unregistered player — the same Jermaine Ainsley. Poor old Hugh Tait, the chair of MCRC, is reliving the same nightmare.
Jermaine has once again signed on as a Highlander for next season and as a protocol he will be allocated to his previous club AU. He requested AU to get him some game time, as he is just back from France and had all his international clearances. AU tried to register him on the infamous "Explorer" site used by Otago Rugby prior to the game, unsuccessfully — which is no surprise as it is notoriously unreliable. The only real mistake they made was not ringing the Union to let them know they couldn’t register him. He played 20 minutes in the second spell. Zingers decided post game to put in a protest (churlish in my opinion), but then later withdrew it (applaud that) — but the Match Committee went ahead and took the five points off AU and handed them to Zingari. Look, I’m not blaming the Match Committee because it does open them up to precedent, but did we need to go this far? Surely a warning and a fine would have sufficed. Even the odd Highlander player in club rugby this year may not have been registered and that is the tip of the iceberg. Do we have to look into that now? Bottom line: AU haven’t had any Landers playing for them this year, while other clubs are smothered in them. Spare a thought for the emotional wreck that poor old Hugh Tait is; he’s considering resigning from the CRC. We need to make this right and I for one won’t let this rest!
Psst, there’s a Shield challenge on!
Did anybody know there is a Shield defence on Tuesday (16th) night at 6.30pm at the Greenhouse? Yes we are playing North Otago, it’s $20 to get in and the kids are free. It’s essentially a club rugby team with some wider squad Landers in the mix, so get along. The down side is that it takes players out of club rugby this weekend with some clubs more affected than others, Kaik, Taieri, Harbour and GI are the worst off but they’ve known about it all year! Kaik aren’t affected because they have the bye tomorrow. But wait, there's more: Spook Herden has signed three local players up for the North Otago team in Corban Agar (Southern), Joe Parkinson (Varsity) and Semisi Ma’asi (Zingari) for good measure.
This weekend
Destroyed Blinky Blair Melrose from Zingers last week, it was frankly embarrassing. On to Riley Lucas the GI midfielder, who played his 50th game for the Spannerheads last week, so it will be more of a challenge.
Top six now confirmed
The Eels (12-) host Harbour at the Eelpit, with both teams having key players out. The word is Harbour are rolling out Saula Ma’u and Abraham Pole in the front row and the Eels will struggle with McNeill out, but I’ll back Taieri (12-) to just do enough. Southern head to the Oval to take on Varsity without Macca Palmer, but the Magpies (12-) maybe strong enough up front to get it done. Zingers are at home to the Sharks at Bastion Point and are missing their first five Ma’asi and hooker Lolofie, so Dunedin may just get up (12-) in the battle of the also-rans. Sharks, make sure your players are registered! A weakened GI outfit with their midfield out take on embattled AU (12-) with Ainsley in this time so I’m tipping the upset!
Destroyed Daryl Mackenzie from the Pigs last week and on to Highlander chair and Goats supporter Peter Kean. The Maggots (12-) will beat Arrow, Wakatip (12-) tip over Cromwell and Upper Clutha (13+) retain the "Horse" over Alex.
Playing tomorrow
Speight’s Challenge Shield
Peter Johnstone Park No 1—2.45pm
Jackson Brierly
Jared Burns
2 Archie Gillies
3 Roney Vanila
4 Harvey Amende
5 Jalen Forgie
6 Tom Bolton
7 Riley Allan
8 Nick Henderson
9 Joel Lam
10 Archie Body
11 Joe Cockburn
12 Josh Munro
13 Thomas Andrews
14 Marc Rooney
15 Caleb Leef
16 Hunter Blackwood
17 Jamin Millar
18 Regan MacDonald
19 Alele Vaihu
20 Jak Morton
21 JeromeBuckley Faatoia
22 Oscar Anderson
1 Ben Fakataha
2 Angus Hewit
3 Abraham Pole
4 Preston Moananu
5 Ryan Palmer
6 Jeff Ikani
7 Lucas Goverts
8 Cody Lokotui
9 Brad Campbell
10 Kyle Kloppers
11 Wiremu Brailey
12 Willie Tufui
13 Viliame Lea
14 Peni Havea
15 Luca Fuller
16 Sonatane Vatuvei
17 Kenny Delai
18 Jerome Misiloi
19 Charles Elton
20 Tetararu Cuthers
21 Sefo Muasika
22 Mone Samate
Miller Park No 1—2.45pm
Ollie Shore
Shane Fikken
2 Felix Frew
3 Aifala Taelega
4 Matt McCutcheon
5 Atu Katoa
6 Dayton Taiala
7 Amos Roddick
8 Ronan Dynes (c)
9 Brook Robson
10 Isaac McAuliffe
11 Jaxon Harvey
12 Bradley McPate
13 Reimana Rurawhe
14 Alex Piebenga
15 Zion Niha
16 Pete Mirrielees
17 Ethan Hippolite
18 Josh Beer Williams
19 Delaney McKenzie
20 Will Hancox
21 Manu Fualau
22 Nelson Yorston
Petelo Amato
2 Sam Smith
3 Jermaine Ainsley
4 Samuel Gander
5 Dominic Vaalotu
6 Theodore Davis
7 Luke Jordan
8 Benjamin Latu
9 Jack McFetridge
10 William Thode (c)
11 Manaia Lesa
12 Tylar Diack
13 Amaziah Mitchell
14 Franklin Barry
15 Isaac Turoa
16 Harley Richards
17 Joshua Taylor
18 Joshua Fitzpatrick
19 Roy Devereux
20 Ramesh Khatri
21 Sam Berry
22 Charles Alston
University Oval—2.45pm
Caleb Neilson
Oliver Taylor
2 Oliver Hatch
3 Couper Killick
4 Zain Newman
5 Jonty Townsend
6 Thomas Spain
7 Aaron Withy
8 Will Stodart
9 Isaac Kramers
10 Cruz Kumeroa
11 Aaron McMurray
12 Will Lawrence Vai-Vai
13 Jay Reihana
14 Caleb Abrahams
15 Neihana Mata'afa
16 Charlie Mathias
17 Charles Engelbrecht
18 Scott Wake
19 Will Voice
20 Matt Thompson
21 Jack Saunders
22 Oscar Gaboriaud
Caleb Hughes
2 Reita Tofaeono
3 Jonah Aoina
4 Kalolo Toleafoa
5 Aron Einarsson
6 Charlie Sadgrove
7 Flavius Roberts-Vili
8 Mika Mafi
9 Charlie Ashford
10 Jimmy Taylor
11 Jeremiah Asi
12 Justin Malifa
13 Niko Boylan
14 Paul Tupa'i
15 Wyndham Patuawa
16 Mike Mata'afa
17 Yoshihisa Sasagi
18 Connor Giltrap
19 Dylan Petaia
20 Jack Trotter
21 Henri Mitchell-Collie
22 Josiah Sakaria
Montecillo No 1—2.45pm
Logan Whitty
Darien Crawford
2 John Vakaloa
3 Evan Roy
4 Ratu Latus (c)
5 James Doyle
6 Rupeni Koroi
7 Maurice Mow
8 Jordan Dale
9 Lachie Jephson
10 Monty Sherriff
11 Dayen Joyce
12 Ropati Sooalo
13 Isaac Dolan
14 Jacob Pollock
15 Bill Temaka
16 Tongakilo-Rhys Tohovaka
17 Va'ai Teofilo
18 Marcel Taani
19 Connor McIver-Rhodes
20 Charlie Stewart
21 Lachlan Collins
22 Jacoby Hooper
Tasman Soanai oeti
2 Hoani Nikora-Wilson
3 Fatai Koloi
4 Alex Arnold
5 Ben Joseph
6 Josh Cairns
7 Jarius Losefa
8 Hame Toma
9 Ashton Booth
10 Brayden Dew
11 Tayne Harvey
12 Gene Te Amo
13 Joe Cooke (c)
14 Jonathon Young
15 Darcy Porter
16 Luka Salesa
17 Jazaius Kalolo
18 Dan Palmer
19 Gus MacKinnon
20 Tim Hogan
21 Henry Smale
22 Luke Reynolds
STANDINGS
| P | W | D | L | F | A | B | Pts | |
| Taieri | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 408 | 199 | 7 | 39 |
| Kaik | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 413 | 237 | 10 | 38 |
| Sthn | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 316 | 274 | 8 | 36 |
| Gr Is | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 326 | 294 | 9 | 33 |
| Varsity | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 352 | 351 | 9 | 33 |
| Harb | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 305 | 273 | 7 | 27 |
| Dun | 10 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 276 | 354 | 6 | 18 |
| Z-Rich | 10 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 204 | 440 | 6 | 14 |
| Al-Un | 9 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 161 | 3369 | 5 | 5 |