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Marist Albion’s preliminary final clash with University of Canterbury on Saturday does not need any more spice, but for players on both teams the clash is bleeding into their personal lives.
Marist flanker Frankie Meates and University fullback Jay Wilson, both 19, are flatting together in their second year of study at UC.
They met while living in the halls of residence last year and both represented Canterbury under 19 last year.
Flat bragging rights will be on the line again when the pair line up against each other this weekend for the second time this season. University beat Marist 29-27 in the regular season.
Meates told The Star: “I’ll put him on his back, that’s the goal.
“It’s a bit added to the game, a bit more rivalry.”
Replied Wilson: “There’s a lot of banter going on this week, that’s for sure. Frank made the comment that he’s going to cook on Friday night and look to give me food poisoning.”
Marist earned a week off and hosting rights after beating Lincoln University in the qualifying final two weeks ago.
University had to come through a semi-final on Saturday where they left it late to beat New Brighton 24-15. Andre Sula scored a try with 4min to play giving his team the win.
Whichever flatmate comes out on top at Edgar MacIntosh Park will play in next weekend’s final at One New Zealand Stadium. It will be the first club game to be held at the ground.
Meates said it is an “awesome opportunity” to potentially get the chance to play there.
“You’ve got to take it one game at a time, but it’d be a pretty cool experience to be able to play at the new stadium.”
As for what happens when the two flatmates come head-to-head on Saturday, Meates said “I’m looking to run him over”.
But Wilson says “I’ll give him a left-foot step and fend him in the face”.
The winner will play either Linwood or Lincoln University, who meet at Tane Norton Park in Saturday’s other preliminary final.
Linwood have had a week off, while Lincoln beat High School Old Boys 37-15 in their semi-final.
Linwood head coach Brendan Nolan said the break refreshed his team and they are ready for the clash.
“We just used it as a preparation week, really. We tried to change our language around the week off. We kept it as we would normally, a little bit of yoga on Tuesday, train on the grass on Thursday, a group gym session on Saturday, so we stay together.”
Linwood topped the table in the round robin.
“We won the first round, so we’re hungry, the club is hungry for more success. It’s going to be a big day,” Nolan said. “I’m picking it’ll be pumping, it should be a full house.”
Both games kick off at 2.45pm.
The plate final will also take place on Saturday, with Burnside and Sumner squaring off at Burnside Park to determine who is the best of the rest.
Burnside beat Christchurch 28-17 and Sumner took down Sydenham 34-27 on Saturday.
Shirley’s dismal season came to an end at the weekend with a 74-12 defeat to Belfast confirming their 12th place finish in the competition.
They lost all 13 matches, conceding 997 points in the season at an average of 77 a game, with a highly depleted squad compared to last season.
Southern League round 14
Ferrymead Bays v Coastal Spirit, Ferrymead Park, 7.15pm Fri
Nomads v Dunedin City Royals, Tulett Park, noon Sat
Selwyn Utd v Nelson Suburbs, Foster Park, 12.30pm Sat
Northern v Cashmere Tech, Caledonian Ground, 12.45pm Sat
Wānaka v Christchurch Utd, Wānaka Rec Centre, 2pm Sat
Round 13
Dunedin CR 2 Selwyn Utd 1
Cashmere Tech v Wānaka: postponed
Christchurch Utd 0 Ferrymead
Bays 0
Coastal 1 Nomads 0
Points
Cash Tech 34; Bays 26; Coastal 25; Nelson 21; Nomads 21; Northern 17; Chch Utd 13; Dunedin 13; Selwyn Utd 7; Wānaka 7
Women’s South Island League round 9
Nelson Suburbs v Coastal Spirit, Saxton Fields, noon Sat
Cashmere Tech v Universities, Garrick Park, noon Sat
Roslyn Wakari v NW United, Logan Park, 1pm Sun
Round 8
Cashmere Tech 5 Nelson
Suburbs 0
Universities 1 NW United 0
Coastal Spirit 2 Otago University 0
Points
Cash Tech 22; Dunedin 16; Universities 16; Otago Uni 8;
Coastal 7; Nelson 6; Roslyn Wakari 4; NW United 4
Schoolboy rugby
round 11 (Sat)
Timaru BHS v St Thomas, School Park, noon
St Bede’s v Nelson College, SBC, 12.10pm
SIBS points
Southland 47; CBHS 42;
St Bede’s 34; Timaru 29;
Nelson 25; Otago 21; St Thomas 20; Marlborough 16; Shirley 15; King’s 14; Christ’s 14
CRL Premiership round 14 (Sat)
Riccarton v Greymouth, Crosbie Park
Papanui v Hornby, Papanui Domain
Linwood v Eastern, Linwood Park
Round 13
Riccarton 18 Halswell 6
Greymouth 46 Papanui 6
Linwood 50 Hornby 22
Points
Linwood 26; Eastern 22; Riccarton 16; Greymouth 14; Halswell 12; Papanui 8; Hornby 6