President Trevor Gilmore

Vice President Shane Drummond

Board of Directors Ken Beams (Chairman) Warren Cairns Owen Glover Tony Healey Murray Hunt (resigned Nov 2013) Nick Patterson (Chairman resigned April 2013) Pete Watkins Tony Woodall Wayne Young

Auditors Carran Miller Strawbridge

Patrons Ewen Robinson Charles Cowman

Tasman Life Members Peter Baker Errol Beattie Ralph Caulton Charles Cowman Brian Dwyer Kelly Landon-Lane Trevor Marfell Mark Peters Ewen Robinson Doug Saul Max Spence Brian Stretch Murray Sturgeon John Sutherland Ramon Sutherland Graeme Taylor Sandy Templeman Mark Weaver

Tasman Rugby Union Staff 2013

CEO Andrew Flexman (resigned October 2013) Tony Lewis Academy Manager Gary Stevens Club Liaison Officer Jenelle Strickland Commercial & Marketing Manager Les Edwards Finance Manager Leanne Hutchinson (resigned October 2013) Peter Van den Bogaardt Administrator Jo Young Marlborough RDO Gareth Archer Marlborough Rugby Operations Manager Gareth Waldron Tasman Rugby Union Administrator Jo MacLean Nelson Bays RDO Kahu Marfell Nelson Bays Rugby Operations Manager Mike Kerrisk Professional Development Manager Martyn Vercoe Referee Education Officer Nigel Jones

Makos Head Coach Kieran Keane Assistant Coach Leon MacDonald

Manager Jenelle Strickland Assistant Manager Brett Thornalley

Strength & Conditioning Jeremy McIlroy & Glenn Stewart

Doctor Dr Kirsty Stewart Physiotherapist Candace Donavan

Video Analyst Darius Skeaping Sports Scientist Brodie Hewlett Over the last 12 months it has been enormously satisfying to see what can be achieved when the desire is there.

The success of the 2013 season for the Tasman Makos just would not have happened without the support the team gained and earned from the coaches and administrators alike.

The Makos gained respect in rugby by the way they played the game and were justifiably rewarded in winning the championship final in a very tense encounter against Hawkes Bay in Nelson. Congratulations to all the team members on a very fine season.

I take this opportunity to thank Kieran and Leon and their management team for their attention to the task of looking after the welfare of their players.

Thanks must also go to our 30+ Volunteers that helped at all the Tasman Makos home games, without their continued effort the games would not run so smoothly.

Congratulations to the many players who gained higher levels from age group grades through to Super 15 rugby. Proving that the development system within Tasman is working and players can be recognised without leaving the area.

I would like to thank the Marlborough Sub Union Board and the Nelson Bays Council of Delegates for their tireless efforts with rugby from junior to premier grade. To all coaches, managers, administrators and supporters thank you for your continued support in keeping grassroots rugby healthy in our respective unions.

The Tasman Union lost the services of Andrew Flexman who made a very valuable contribution to the Tasman Union. I wish Andrew well for the future and welcome Tony Lewis and look forward to working with him.

The four teams in the Press Cup again performed with great pride and 2013 final was proof that the colleges from the Top of the South can show that they can put it with the best. A Press Cup final played at a very wet Lansdowne Park between Marlborough Boys College and was in my opinion one of the best finals for some years. Congratulations to Marlborough Boys on your win which was a very exciting, hard fought and tight encounter.

To our many sponsors whether small or large who have contributed to the Tasman Rugby Union so rugby can be provided in the region thank you for your support, it is very important to us and much appreciated.

I would like to thank Nick Patterson, Ken Beams and their fellow directors for the time they give to rugby and also to Tony and his staff for their efforts throughout the year.

A huge thank you to the referees, you are very much an integral part of our game. Recruiting of new referees is critical to our game, so a plea to our clubs, please get out there and identify prospective new recruits.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all involved with Tasman and the two sub unions the very best for the 2014 rugby season. As my term as President is up I must thank everyone who has assisted me in enjoying the experience. I wish Shane Drummond all the best with his incoming term as President.

Trevor Gilmore President,Tasman Rugby Union On behalf of the Tasman Rugby Union Board (TRU) and Management it is our privilege to present to you the 8th Annual Report.

The 2013 season will be remembered for the superb result of the Tasman Makos being crowned ITM Championship Champions. The team not only finished the regular season on top of the competition ladder, but also defeated Taranaki, Counties and Waikato from the Premiership and were comprehensive semi-final winners against Southland. They played breathe taking attacking rugby of the highest quality all season, finishing with a nerve racking grand final win against Hawkes Bay. The victory was deserved and reflected

The result was a reflection of the hard work and dedication of the players, the innovative philosophies of the coaching staff, the cutting edge of the strength and conditioning team and the hard work of the TRU staff through 2013. It would be remiss of the Board not to acknowledge the vision, leadership and passion of previous administrators.

Highlights of 2013 Tasman Makos season:  18 players returned in 2013  Quentin MacDonald, Joe Wheeler and joined the 50 game blazer group  A 10 win 2 loss record is our best ever with an amazing 6 wins in a row. The previous best sequence being 2  The coaches named Quentin McDonald as their player of the year, was defender of the year, whilst Joe Wheeler was voted by the players as Mako man of the year.

The 2013 season was also highlighted by having two school 1st XVs from the TRU region playing in the Press Cup Final. This was an incredible achievement by both schools and the TRU congratulates all those involved. The final was a terrific event at Lansdowne Park in front of a huge crowd from both Blenheim and Nelson, despite being played in difficult conditions. Marlborough Boys 1st XV were deserved victors. A difficult aspect for Tasman rugby supporters was to see the best players plucked out of the region by either franchises or bigger provincial unions. We as a union acknowledge that tertiary study is the most important consideration, but we must work with the boys and their families to assist the process. Even accounting for the incredible success of the ITM Cup team financially the union has on-going challenges. The union needs a sponsorship portfolio of $1.6m and a financial income of a minimum of $3.5m to be on equal footing with other PUs in ITM rugby. If the aspiration of the region, union, coaches, players and the community is to be the best then we need to establish a strategy to give our team and coaches the best opportunity.

The development of that strategy is exciting and we plan to involve strategic partners and community members to develop the right plan for the region. The 1st phase will be the employment of a Commercial Manager based in Blenheim.

It would be remiss of the board not to acknowledge the incredible support of the Union including their CEO, staff and board. The level of financial and intellectual support is unsurpassed by other national bodies in sport in New Zealand or in fact worldwide.

Financial and Governance The Tasman Rugby Union enjoyed a financial bonus in 2013 from:  Increased NZRU funding  Bonus sponsorship payment  $65k gate receipt above budget  Commercial cash revenue increased by 5% over previous year  Superb, responsible, tight and prudent management of the financial accounts, and  TRU paid off in full its NZRU $167,000 loan, from the 2013 profit. The board was confident that the 2013 budget would exceed expectation. This proved to be accurate later in the financial year after earlier indications were not positive. Cash receipts in 2013 were in excess of cash expenses. The board and staff at TRU believe that our role is to invest in the game in order to support the rugby community, this includes clubs, players, coaches, referees, administrators and supporters of the great game of rugby union. We believe changes made at TRU in 2014 will assist this process.

In the past the Tasman region has proven to be a difficult one in terms of generating revenue, but we are pleased to announce that sponsorship revenue grew by 5% in 2013. The challenge in 2014 is to adopt a number of strategies to unlock the region and increase our sponsorship dollar. The TRU in 2014 has the goal of $1,000,000 cash in sponsorship dollars. We have employed in 2014 a new Commercial and Marketing staff member in Blenheim and will unveil different strategies for 2014/2015 in the near future to generate more revenue for the growth of rugby.

Gaming revenue is a vital source of income. These funds assist community rugby and development programs in the Tasman region at club, school and JAB levels. The support given to TRU is welcome, needed, appreciated and used wisely with the best interest of the rugby community at heart. We are working closely with gaming revenue trusts to ensure all our applications are meeting the criteria set.

financial year debt free and with cash reserves, but this does not remove the challenge of increasing sponsorship dollars this year.

The board and management has reviewed staffing structures within the union. The decision was made to:  Align staffing structure with budget cost centres for improved management of budget and operational plans  Eliminate crossover of responsibilities  Increase the capacity of Commercial and Marketing in order to increase revenue This has resulted in the development of a management team that includes the three components of rugby within the region: professional, community and competition & operations. The fourth component of the team is financial. This structure will enable the union to better deliver the objectives of the strategic plan.

The board is mindful of the need to maintain and increase our cash reserves whilst delivering on our strategic rugby objectives. This requires discipline around our expenditure and working hard to grow our commercial revenue in 2014. The objective of $1m sponsorship dollars is not only realistic, but essential to bring us up to a level playing field with other PUs in the ITM cup.

In order for this to happen we as a union must engage with the business community in the Tasman region, but also deliver to our partners.

Community Rugby The Bayleys Tasman Trophy competition continues to grow in 2013 and is essential for the players and coaches with aspirations at the next level. The board have approved a new structure in 2014 which will ensure each team is only required to travel out of their region 3 times a season and will include a full round of games. The winner of the Tasman Trophy will be determined by the top team at the end of the regular season. The sub-unions will then revert into a final series within each region. This format has the full backing of each sub-union.

The board would like to acknowledge the hard work, dedication and love of the game of rugby by clubs, administrators, coaches and players. A number of clubs have participated in programs with Club Development Officer Jenelle Strickland and we encourage all Tasman rugby clubs to take advantage of her expertise and knowledge. I have already mentioned the Press Cup and would like to acknowledge the winners of the  Bayleys Tasman Trophy Nelson  Wadsco Marlborough Premier Competition - Central  The Car Company Nelson Bays Division 1 Waimea Old Boys The Tasman Rugby Board would like to acknowledge and thank coaches, referees and administrators. They are our most valuable resource in the rugby community. We are thankful to you all for your commitment, passion and dedication to the game in our region. The success of the union in 2013 is due to your excellent work.

The board acknowledge the efforts of our Judicial Tribunal and referees; they are a vital cog in the wheel and ensure the integrity in our game. Finally without a referee there is no game.

Representative Rugby

The Tasman B

This was a well delivered program by Mike Fraser, Daniel Perrin and Sam Gibbens, that culminated in a semi -final berth against Otago at in . The transition from sub-union to White Pointers was aided by the coaching staff also taking the Nelson Bays coaching roles. An early loss to Canterbury Colts became the difference between a home semi-final and the long trip to Dunedin.

A major objective for the White Pointer concept, developed by the coaching staff, was to create ownership and excitement within the team. This was evident in the way they played, in particular the win against a strong Canterbury Metro team featuring a number of their ITM and Crusader players.

The program supported the Makos well with being promoted out of the group to become a time.

The Under 20 Programme

The TRU acknowledges the efforts of Don Mclean, Lachie Taylor and Gray Cornelius for their time and efforts in delivering the U20 program. The team competed well in the competition, however a couple of close losses to Canterbury and Otago saw them miss the semi-finals.

Player availability between sub- The team unity was well established by the management and the team represented Tasman well on and off the field.

The 7s Team

The two objectives of the 2013 Tasman Sevens program was to qualify and compete in the 2014 National Sevens in Rotorua, and promote players for the national squads to compete on the IRB Sevens circuit and build towards Rio 2016.

Heem was selected for the All Black Sevens team for the 2013 World Cup and 2013/14 IRB Sevens circuit.

Seddon Shield

The Seddon Shield program was the closest contest for some time with West Coast eventually triumphant over Nelson Bays to secure the shield for the summer.

Both Nelson Bays and Marlborough struggled with player commitment through their programs which also clashed with the build-up of the Tasman U20 and White Pointer programs.

Another discussion around the Cecil and Seddon Shield formats is required to ensure effective use of these games within our Tasman representative structure while maintaining their historic significance, and the ability to utilise our best players within these programs to ensure their quality. This discussion and planning is well under way for 2014 and should ensure these historically important matches are given an important window in the first three weeks of August.

The TRU representative programmes are not only critical to our development pathways, but they bring joy to the players who are selected in teams.

These teams are the result of the hard work of volunteers across the union. We would like to thank our representative coaches, managers, trainers and medical staff for their contribution. I personally would like to thank the TRU staff who assist in these projects; without their administration skills these important programs would not happen.

Sponsors The Tasman Rugby Union increased sponsorship revenue by 5% in 2013 and we are indebted to the nucleus of loyal sponsors who are fantastic partners of the union. In 2013, we believe the ITM cup team delivered the results we have aspired to.

TRU must thank Nelson Pine Industries Golden Edge who are our long-term principal partner. Our thanks go to Murray Sturgeon, Chris Turner, Peter Barr and the whole team for their support.

SBS was again a very active and passionate supporter. This was illustrated in the final week when the bank took their partnership to new levels in support of the team and our fans.

Special thanks to Rosco Contractors, The Car Company, Speights, The Turf Hotel, CPR coffee, BLK, Gibbons Constructions and Wadsco Motors.

Also thanks to the trusts who supported all our community rugby programs during 2013 including Mainland Foundation, Canterbury Community Trust, NZ Community Trust, Lion Foundation, Pelorus Trust, Redwood Trust, Air Rescue, Pub Charity and Sports Tasman.

Acknowledgment The Tasman Rugby Union board would like to acknowledge the support of our key stakeholders who have been terrific partners in this ground-breaking season.

Our thanks go to the NZRU for their funding, the franchise, Marlborough District Council, Nelson City Council, Tasman District Council, Marlborough Lines, Nelmac, The Nelson Mail, The Marlborough Express, Nelson Mail and More FM.

The staff and Tasman Rugby Union again delivered all programs, competitions and administrated in a professional and dedicated way. The workload in a small union can become intense and demanding at times, but the staff appetite for hard work was never in question throughout the season. This was never more evident than in the weeks of the ITM Cup semi and final.

The hard work and commitment of the ITM Cup staff Kieran Keane, Leon MacDonald and Jenelle Strickland in 2013 must be acknowledged; their ability has a direct correlation to the success of the team. The Tasman Rugby Union rugby community and the board are delighted to have secured the two coaches in 2014. Finally the rugby community in Tasman is blessed to have a board of quality. Their expertise has assisted the staff within the union; each board member has taken on areas of responsibility to assist with professionalism and governance of the TRU.

We must make a special mention of our long term board member Murray Hunt who stepped down to take a new legal role in the North Island.

Mention must be made of Chairman Ken Beams whose expertise, time and generosity have assisted rugby in Tasman in 2013.

Finally to and the Makos team, the Tasman public, rugby community, staff and board thank you for the joy, style and victorious rugby you gave us in 2013.

Tony Lewis, CEO and Tasman Rugby Union Board 2013

2013 was the most exciting and rewarding rugby season in my lifetime of playing, administrating and working in the game. The performance of the Tasman Makos in winning the ITM Championship Cup

Increase in Makos stories in the mainstream media, and discussions about the team in social media highlighted the impact this team of entertaining competitors had in a break out campaign.

Commercial Highlights

From a financial perspective the kudos, in addition to the players, coaches and management team, lie with our family of sponsors both large and small. It is these businesses that made fielding this team in the ITM Cup financially possible. To you all; thank you very much.

In particular our sincere gratitude goes to the our major sponsors Golden Edge, SBS Bank, AICA, Gibbons Construction, Rosco Contractors, CPR Coffee, Speights and the Turf Hotel.

Because of the generosity of our business communities we were able to increase sponsorship revenue by 5% over 2012, thereby creating consistent growth over the last 3 years.

The success of the Makos on the field translated to a 60% increase in ticketing revenue over budget on the back of hosting a home semi-final in Blenheim and the Final in Nelson.

Marketing Highlight

The Tasman Makos were particularly conspicuous out and about in the community during the season; visiting numerous schools and clubs, business areas and Marae in both Marlborough and Nelson Bays as well as hosting the annual Family Funday (unfortunately in rather wet conditions).

Fans and supporters were able to experience first-hand the many sparkling personalities that make up the squad. The players transformed into disco kings, island boys, super heroes, massage therapists and other amazing themes to improve their appeal and chances of raising good money at auction.

Doing his very best to extract as much money as possible, auctioneer Jeff Rackley was often interrupted by post-season fund.

The master of ceremonies for the evening, lock Joe Wheeler, and roving reporter second-five Tom Marshall, did a superb job of keeping the atmosphere light and humorous, while extolling the crowd to open up their purses and wallets.

According to Joe, the event was such ''a raging success'' the team want to improve on it in 2014. ''Everyone enjoyed their night so we might make it a little annual fixture, maybe turn it into a sit-down dinner and a bit more of a formal affair but still keep the same light-hearted theme with the guys.''

The Tasman Makos brand was embellished greatly in 2013 with strong match attendances, and a huge number of followers in social media, especially Facebook and Twitter.

Les Edwards - Commercial & Marketing Manager

During a Marlborough Rugby Life Members meeting in April 2013, the patron Ewen Robinson reminded members that this year was a very important one in Marlborough Rugby history. Firstly it was the 125th year of rugby in Marlborough and secondly it was the 40th anniversary of the Marlborough Representative team defeating Canterbury 13 - 6 for the .

With the backing of the Tasman Rugby Union an organising sub committee was formed to put together a weekend of appropriate celebrations. The members were Peter Baker, Mark Peters, Graeme Taylor, Ramon Sutherland, Ewen Robinson and Jo Young. This team met fortnightly right through until the weekend of the celebrations which began on Friday 23rd August, that evening a celebratory dinner was held, attended by 370 people. The guest speaker was All Black legend Bryan Williams.

The next day a prematch buffet luncheon was held attended by almost 600 people, the guest speaker for the event was Dick Taylor. The game for the reunion was an ITM Cup clash between Tasman and Canterbury.

At the aftermatch function there was an auction of the commemorative jerseys made specially for the occasion. Each jersey was worn by the Tasman Makos match 22 for the clash against Canterbury and signed by a member of the winning 1973 team.

The aftermatch function also included food, bar facilities and TV to watch the All Blacks play Australia. All of the 1973 winning shield team bar two (one deceased and one due to illness) attended the celebrations.

All the functions were held in a huge marquee behind the Jim Fraser Centre at Lansdowne Park which history.

Ewen Robinson - Patron of Marlborough Rugby Sub Union and Tasman Rugby Union School rippa rugby tournaments have been run successfully in Nelson for many years. It is only recently that it has become a national tournament. It was first introduced as part of the Rugby World Cup programme in ended up winning the Nelson tournament, playing against Witherlea School from Blenheim to qualify as the Tasman entry for that national competition. That game in itself was a highlight for the school, playing under lights at Lansdowne Park as a curtain raiser for a representative game.

The 2013 national tournament in , Richmond School once again did extremely well, in a tough pool. They ended up coming second only losing to the eventual tournament winners, Holy Cross School from . The result put Richmond into the quarter finals once again and this time they had to play their friends from Roscommon School, Counties. One of the closest and most entertaining games of all of the tournaments, they unfortunately lost to them, with the match going into golden point extra time. At this tournament Richmond ended up coming 6th, which is a fantastic result .

most of the All Blacks at the Basin Reserve. There they got to interact with their heroes in games like tug-o -war, bullrush and rippa rugby. At the end they got a team photo with the All Blacks. It was an amazing time and something they will never forget.

To top the year off, there was an opportunity to play a spectacle game of rippa at half time in a ITM Cup game between Tasman and Otago at Trafalgar Park.

The standard of primary school rippa rugby is very good and is something that the Tasman Rugby Union should be very proud of. Many of the top schools in our region would be very successful in the national competitions and talking to many of the teachers from other schools, there are very few who have a tournament as strong as ours and as intense qualification. A great deal of credit needs to go to Kahu Marfell and Gareth Archer in the development of the game in the region. The school programmes they run with a number of the Mako players over the years is the reason why the standard in the region is so good.

Ryan Higgins - Richmond Primary School Academy The Tasman Academy enjoyed another great year with players contributing to the success of Press Cup work attributing to five players being selected for NZ age group teams. and Tom Hill were selected in the NZ Secondary Schools team and Fletcher Matthews, Finn Hart-Strawbridge and Sekope Lopeti selected for the NZ Schools Barbarians team.

Along with Nelson Senior fullback and academy player , further recognition came for Atu with an invitation to the NZ Under 20 camp in . With the critical selection process ahead both players are working hard on required areas highlighted through the November camp.

from these players rubbing shoulders with some of their mentors on the training field was huge, particularly around game and positional understanding.

The physical development of the players this year was impressive and well lead by our strength and conditioning team of Jeremy McIlroy and Glenn Stewart with contributions by Jason Hylkema and Willy McCormick. Strength gains across all players were recorded which was evident on the field.

With the introduction of the National U19 Tournament in 2014 an air of excitement is drifting through our ranks with an opportunity to pit their skills against the best age grade players in the country. Expectation from all corners are high with the success of our Press Cup teams and the challenge to continue our momentum is exciting.

Finally this year we farewell academy members Atu Moli (Waikato), (Auckland) and Tom Hill (Canterbury), players who have taken opportunities to further their personal development and hope their pathways return them to the Tasman in the future.

Gary Stevens - Academy Manager

Referees The season saw the introduction of a new Tasman Referee Executive which oversaw the appointment of referees to Tasman Trophy play-offs and side-line officials for ITM Cup fixtures. Once again recruitment was healthy with 12 new referees starting their time in the middle and we also benefited from 3 experienced referees transferring into the region. This was a welcome trend as we normally export referees to other associations. However a number of referees left the area for work or study, and a number were forced to retire because of injury. Overall there was a net gain of 2 active referees, and the age profile has not really come down!

our volunteer Associate Referees who are the main officials at our JAB games. Richmond Mall acted as a sponsor for these referees and a number received a voucher to recognise their service.

Training meetings were attended regularly and again many of the referees sat and passed Law exams. Both Malcolm Taylor and Chris Wratt are members of the NZRugby Laws committee.

Dave Bishop has completed his term as a South Island Zone selector and the whole system for appointing referees to minor representative fixtures will change in 2014. Wes Malcolm was appointed to the promising referee panel which refereed at the Under 16 Tournament and his talent was acknowledged by the selectors at that tournament.

Chris Wratt has developed as a TMO and he was TMO for the ITM Cup final and is now on the panel for Super-rugby fixtures.

Hadley Peterson and Paul Gurr, were presented with Blazers to recognise the milestone of refereeing 100 Senior Rugby matches in the Nelson Bays sub-union.

Two long serving officials have stepped down from their roles after considerable service. Lyall Daines has been President of Marlborough Referees for 11 years and Mike Monti secretary of Nelson Bays Referees for 15 years. They will both remain as active Referee Coaches helping our newer referees.

Referee Awards Marlborough RRA Fred Phillips Cup Elliott Robinson Doug Hodson Memorial Trophy Lyall Daines Service Certificates Lyall Daines 50 years

Nelson Bays RRA Best 1st year referee Danial Bremner Spalding Cup Wes Malcolm Service Certificate Paul Gurr 20 years Patrick McMahon 10 years

Nigel Jones - Referee Education Officer make shifts from being entertainers to becoming competitors, this was our focus and I think that has come to fruition.

by a 4 day camp in Waikawa Bay was very successful. The assistance of the Waikawa Marae together with Rob Beattie of the Waitohi Club was invaluable in making it the success that it became. Our profile in

It is well documented that our record was the best ever for a Mako team. Played 10, won 8, top qualifier, semi-final and final winner of the championship section. It was a remarkable season with new history and new ground being created everywhere. It was a pleasure to be involved with, however where to from here union does not want to rest on its laurels and bathe in reflected glory. The large majority of our squad have been retained which is pleasing.

allows Tasman to be seen as a creditable option for young budding professional rugby players.

Leon as Assistant Coach has had another very good season. My relationship with Leon is unbreakable as is my respect for the man. We are well attuned to one another and our players have commented on our synergy on more than one occasion. The time will come when he will break away into the super ranks but our partnership is I think a little feeble and does not do it justice, suffice to say it has been nothing but a pleasure to work with him and alongside him. It has also been satisfying to see the growth and potential he undoubtedly possesses come to the fore.

organisation. It has been a wonderful association for me and she has my total respect as a person and handled everything with aplomb. I am sure she will maintain the high standards, efficiency, and calm she has displayed as manager no matter what she chooses to do. I will personally miss her as she has had a big influence on our management team and myself.

Candace once again displayed an incredible work ethic and professionalism. It will be hard replacing the relationship and trust that we have built over the years should she want to take a break. I hope that she avails herself yet again to Tasman and a suitable contract be agreed upon as I know of no-one else who could do the job she has done for Tasman.

This year we had 2 new trainers in Glenn Stewart and Jeremy McIlroy who replaced Simon Thomas. It would be fair to say that this came at the right time. and having 2 trainers proved to be a masterstroke. We should also make mention to Brad at Results Gym here in Nelson. He has been yet again a pleasure to work with and alongside. He is very supportive and valuable to the Tasman organization. I may be biased but I think expertise. We are very lucky in this regard as it plays an important role in development as much as in season.

Nipper is part of the furniture and will always be. A personal thank you and sign of appreciation to Nipper and Kath .

Shane Christie had a fine season and is proving to be a very good captain. Joe wheeler and Tom Marshall group. They are both important members in the team and are likely to return for next season, which bodes well for our future.

I want to personally thank the board, the rugby committee, past CEO Andrew Flexman and everyone who supported our season. You can take a bow for a job well done and reflect with some pride the achievements your flagship team achieved. I am not one for looking back and our challenges are all in the future with that in mind I look forward to that future with a determined attitude.

Kieran Keane - Head Coach, Tasman Makos teams from the Tasman region contested the final of one of the premier schoolboy rugby competitions in the country, the Press Cup at Lansdowne Park in Blenheim.

Both the Nelson College and Marlborough Boys College 1st final. At the semi-final stage Marlborough knocked over an always strong Boys High School with a 15- that no Christchurch side would play in the final for the first time.

The atmosphere in the lead-up to the match was electric with both towns caught up in a rugby fever rarely seen these days. Strong earthquakes in the Marlborough region added to the tension and there were concerns at one stage that the Lansdowne Park facilities might be rendered unusable. The weather on dressed in school colours, crowding into the ground and taking up every covered vantage point.

rugby. Nelson College utilised their superior kicking game well in the first half and Finn Hart-Strawbridge

Campbell and captain Atu Moli. A penalty and a conversion from Mitchell Smith had MBC up 15-6 with time running out. Nelson College struck late through a Reece Fuller try but Marlborough Boys College held on for a 15-11 win and their first Press Cup title.

Marlborough Boys would go on to play Otago Boys High in the South Island schools final at Forsyth Barr Stadium, losing the match 26-20.

Atu Moli of Marlborough Boys and Thomas Hill of Nelson College were rewarded with selection in the NZ Secondary Schools side to play Fiji and Australia Schools. Sekope Lopeti (MBC) and Finn Hart-Strawbridge (Nelson College) along with Fletcher Matthews (Waimea College) made the Secondary Schools team.

Gareth Archer - Marlborough Rugby Development Officer

Maori All Blacks - Shane Christie, Quentin MacDonald, Liam Squire, Joe Wheeler

Australia - Peter Betham

Tonga - Sila Puafisi

All Black Sevens -

NZ Secondary Schools - Tom Hill, Atu Moli

NZ Barbarian Schools - Finn Hart-Strawbridge, Sekope Lopeti, Fletcher Matthews

ITM Cup Championship Winners - Tasman Makos

Press Cup Winners - Marlborough Boys College 1st XV

Referees ITM Cup Premiership FinalTMO - Chris Wratt 50 year service to refereeing certificate - Lyall Daines Refereed 100 Senior A Fixtures in Nelson Bays - Paul Gurr Refereed 100 Senior A Fixtures in Nelson Bays - Hadley Peterson

TASMAN RUGBY UNION Bayleys Tasman Trophy - Galbraith Nelson Under 18s - Nelson College Under 16s - Queen Charlotte College

MARLBOROUGH RUGBY SUB UNION NELSON BAYS SUB UNION

Wadsco Premier The Car Company Division1 Round 1 - Waitohi Round 1 - Nelson Round 2 - Central Round 2 - Waimea Old Boys Club Champion - Central Club Champion - Waimea Old Boys

Wadsco Senior A The Car Company Division 2 Round 1 - Kaikoura Round 1 - Riwaka Round 2 - Kaikoura Round 2 - Murchison Club Champion - Pelorous Club Champion - Murchison

The Car Company Division 3 Under 14.5 - Harlequins Round 1 - Marist Under 13s - Central Round 2 - Marist Club Champion - Marist Under 11.5 - Harlequins The Car Company Womens Division Under 10 - Awatere Club Champion - Waimea Old Boys Under 9s - Harlequins Black Under 15 - High School

Under 14 Takaka