Wednesday, August 17, 2016 THE DOMINION POST B11 College Sport Another title for Plumtrees Hegan wins road race after

LIAM HYSLOP challenging few months

How good is the Plumtree family JACOB BELESKI going? Eight days after assistant coach John Plumtree Izzy Hegan won the Wellington helped win the title, senior girls’ secondary schools two of his sons, Taine and Reece, road race last week, only a few were guiding Wellington College to months after she considered giv- their first Wellington first XV title ing up competitive running. in three years. The 16-year-old Wellington Dad John was on hand at Girls’ College student had endured Porirua Park to watch Wellington a patch of poor form, and a track College beat St Pat’s Town 12-9 on season that had not gone as Sunday. planned. He avoided the initial on-field Hegan said her desire to give up celebrations, but proud mum Lara eventually turned into motivation was there to snap a family photo of to get back on the track and her two boys with the trophy. improve. Fullback Reece Plumtree was ‘‘My last track season wasn’t as awarded man of the match thanks good as I was hoping. I had a really to his four penalties pushing his bad patch from about May team to the win. onwards and I wanted to stop, but I The individual award, and the kept it up. It’s a big part of my life title, looked as though it may go to so I didn’t want to give it up.’’ Town when Plumtree missed a She decided to use road racing penalty right out in front on the 22 as a chance to build into some Wellington Girls’ College runner Izzy Hegan on her way to winning the Wellington with 10 minutes to go and his side form for the approaching track secondary schools road race last week. PHOTO: JO MURRAY down 9-6. season, and last Wednesday she But he regained his composure won the 4km under-19 secondary ning career. Her coach, Alastair to knock one over from an almost schools race at Trentham Mem- "I had a really bad Leslie, had been a huge part of her identical spot two minutes later, orial Park in Upper Hutt. patch from about success, she said. before adding the match-winning Hegan finished the race nine- The 800m is her preferred dis- kick after the final hooter had Wellington College celebrate winning the Wellington first XV final against St Pat’s Town on Sunday. Wellington College won teen seconds ahead of runner-up May onwards and tance on the track, and she had set gone. the match 12-9. PHOTO: ROSS GIBLIN/FAIRFAX NZ Bayley Van de Coolwijk of St targets to work towards for the Plumtree said he didn’t have Mary’s College, and said she was I wanted to stop, start of the track season in Octo- time to dwell on the miss. Reece Plumtree said it was High School in the other semi. pleased with how successful the ber. ‘‘That [miss] was a bit of a At a glance special to win the title with his Hastings are undefeated in all race had been. but I kept it up. It's ‘‘I’m looking towards national shocker, but I didn’t stress too brother Taine, who combined well competitions this year, winning ‘‘I was pretty happy and relaxed secondary schools in December Hurricanes top four semifinals: a big part of my much, didn’t let it get to me, and with fellow giant lock Naitoa Ah the Super 8 title with an emphatic beforehand because two of the and hoping to do well in that.’’ Wellington College v Napier Boys’ got the chance to kick the next two Kuoi to disrupt the Town lineout. 30-8 win over Hamilton Boys’ High really fast girls in my age group, life so I didn't Hegan had noticed a decline in High School, 12pm Saturday at and got them.’’ ‘‘It’s the first team I’ve played in School in the final. Tessa Hunt and Imogen Skelton, the number of people competing in Wellington College The points may have come from with him. He’s year 12 and it’s the They beat Wellington College in weren’t there. I wouldn’t say I was want to give it up." competitive events as she came Hastings Boys’ High School v St Plumtree’s left boot, but the win first time we played together this both teams’ second pre-season expecting to win but I was hoping Wellington Girls' College through the age groups, which was Pat’s Town, 12pm Saturday at was built on immense defence year and it was awesome to win game of the year, but Plumtree I’d win and have a good margin.’’ runner Izzy Hegan a concern. Hastings Boys’ which rarely gave Town a sniff of with him.’’ said if they made it past Napier on Road racing provided an ideal ‘‘A lot of people seem to give it their tryline. The aim now is for the team to Saturday they were confident they opportunity for track runners to ability had become obvious at a up in high school. There were Influencing that was John That’s taking nothing away make the national top four tourna- could get the better of Hastings. improve their stamina, she said. young age. probably only 15 people in my race Plumtree, whose defensive from Wellington College’s three ment. ‘‘We actually got hammered in ‘‘Road races are good for more ‘‘I’ve been doing it since about last week and about 30 in my schemes meant the Hurricanes’ talented coaches in Lincoln First, they have to get through that [pre-season] game 33-10, we track-based runners. It’s a hard year nine. younger sister’s. There is a defi- tryline was never breached during Rawles, Greg Sharland and Alex the Hurricanes top four compe- played quite well, but they’re obvi- surface compared to cross-country ‘‘When I got to high school my nite drop off in people as you get their three Super Rugby knockout Taimalietane. tition, starting with a home semi- ously a pretty good team and which definitely suits me better. It other sports weren’t going as well, older.’’ games. But having a coach of Plum- final against Napier Boys’ High haven’t lost either. gives me a chance to build my so I thought I would up my train- Having more people around ‘‘He comes in quite often to talk tree’s pedigree to lean on for School on Saturday. That was quite early in the stamina, which was terrible last ing and see what happens.’’ like one of her current sporting to the team and helps with the advice or point out the odd thing Town have the unenviable task season and we were still experi- season.’’ She continued to play netball, heroes, Usain Bolt, could be a good team and the defence,’’ Reece here and there would have been of travelling to Hawke’s Bay to menting with the team and the Hegan had taken up competi- but had dropped tennis and other way to bring more people into the Plumtree said. invaluable. play the rampant Hastings Boys’ lineup - we’re a lot better now.’’ tive running after her natural sports to concentrate on her run- sport, she said. NPC CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW The 2016 national provincial championship season willll kick off on Thursday.Thursday. Today our FairfaFairfaxx Media rugby writers take a look aatt the seven teams who make up the championship dividivision.

BAY OF PLENTY OTAGO WELLINGTONWELLINGTON NORTHNORTH HARBOURHARBOU Key player: Culum Retallick. The most experienced Key player: Matt Faddes.es. FFreshresh ooffff a ffineine sseasoneason fforor KeyKey plplayer:ayer: BBradrad Shields. The skipperskipper leads an BradBradad SShieldshihieleldsd KeyKeey player:player: BrBrynyn Hall. It’s beenbeen a steadysteady riser for player in the Steamers squad, with 92 caps since his the Highlanders, the 24-year-old-year-old will cause opposing exexperiencedperienced papackck wwhichhich sshouldhould bbee aableble to ddominateominate halfbackalfback Bryn Hall, but with AuAugust Pulu jjoining the debut in 2007, is coming off a Super Rugby season teams plenty of problemsms with his speedspeed and nose forfor manmanyy ofof their ChamChampionshippionship oopponents.pponents. Bluesues next yyear,ear, he needs a stastandout season.seas with the Rebels, and will be vital by securing sound set- the line. piece ball and delivering leadership. WaWatchtch ououtt for:for: GinormoGinormousus lock Sam LousiLousi has arrived WWatchatch ououtt for: Former MelboMelbourneurne StormStorm winger Matt Watch out for: Paul Grantant is back aafterfter two yearsyears ffromrom the Waratahs and could be an unstoppableunstoppable fforce.orce. Duffieuffie took time to ffindind his ffeeteet in SSuperuper Rugby,R but Watch out for: Hugh Blake - the Tauranga-born former playing in Europe. The powerfulpowerful No 8 has earned 57 regulargular action forfor Harbour shouldsho see him excel. Otago and Under-20 flanker represented caps for the blue and goldsolds and hopes a strong season The lowdown:lowdown: Promotion or bust. TheTheyy were fourfour Scotland in several sevens tournaments, and earned a will propel him into the HHighlandersighlanders next year.year. minutes away ffromrom it last season. FallingFalling short againagain test debut last year. wowoulduld be anotheranother sseriouserious ffailure.ailure. ThThee lowdown:lowdown: North The lowdown: Coach CCoryory Brown’sBrown’s ggoaloal this year HarHarbourbour have bbeen an The lowdown: Following a last-place finish in the is simple – win the championship.mpionship. AnythingAnything butbut under-performingunder-perform union championship in 2014, Bay of Plenty made it to fourth promotion won’t sit welll with the blue and ggoldsolds a foforr a decade anand have last year and a semifinal loss, and will hope to make year after making the semifinals.emifinals. With just two new nevernever eevenven mmadea it to the a bit more progress this seasonason with the recruitment caps in his side,side, Otago’sOtago s experienced squad boasts ChampionshipChampm ionship ssemis in of some handy sevens playersyers in , ReganRegan more than 6600 caps. HiHighlandersghlanders the cucurrentrrent proviprovincialn rugby Ware, Isaac Te Aute and Blake,ake, aalonglong witwithh IItaliantalian hooker LiamLiam Coltman, one ooff structure.structure. ButBut SteveSteve Jackson has international first-five Kelly Haimona. nine pplayerslayers to pplaylay SSuperuper JimmyJimmy Cowan been able ttoo steadilsteadilyy bbuild some RRugbyugby tthishis year, wiwillll captain depthdepth anandd exexperienceperience in tthehe teteama and at last, the siside.de. A solid forwardforward ppackack theyey could be involved in somesome playoff rugbyru this year. shshouldould ggiveive speedsters MANAWATU FFaddes,addes, TTonyony Key player: Otere Black. TThehe younyoungg firstfirst ffive-eighthive-eighth EEnsornsor aandnd GaGavinvin will be chomping at the bit aafterfter barely being used by Stark pplentylenty ooff NORTHLANDNNORTHLAND the Hurricanes this year. oopportunitiespportunities to tear iitt uupp KeyKey player:player: Dan Pryor. ToughTough,, tireless aandn Watch out for: Former Irelandand under 20s pplayerlayer ooutut wiwide.de. experienced,experienced, the HiHighlandersghlanders flankerflanker has again proven Harrison Brewer, son of formermer All Black Mike BrewerBrewer,, hihiss quality at Super Rugby levellevel this yearyear.. has moved to the Turbos ass he transitions fromfrom a WWaWatchtch outout for:for: Fleet-footedFleet-footed FijianFijian wing JoneJo Macilai midfielder to a loose forward.rd. scoredscored ffiveive tries fforor the CrusadCrusadersers in 2012016,6 including a The lowdown: The Turboss took pplentylenty ooff lessons hahat-trickat-trick against thethe RReds.eds. from losing their premiership-statuship-status in 2015. They ThThehe lowdown:lowdown: AAfterfter ffailingailing to record a wwin last season, have most of their squad backack minus some old faces. thethe ononlyly wawayy is uupp fforor the TaniTaniwhawha this yyear.ea While they The additions of Kane Thompsonmpson and Ngani Laumape havehave nine Super Rugby-contraRugby-contractedcted playeplayersr in their should strengthen their chances.ances. sqsquad,quad, initial signssigns ooff a better 22016016 have nnot been They will be looking for a returneturn to the top flightflight with a hhugelyugely ppositive.ositive. Northland concededconceded 73 ppoints in 40 spot in the championship pplayoffslayoffs an expectation.expectation. mminutesinutes against the All Blacks inin “The GameGam of Three HHalves”,alves”, where theythey were also bbeateneaten 224545 by Counties MManukau.anukau. A conconfidence-boostingfidence-boosting win earlyearl in their SOUTHLAND ccampaignampaign is crucial. Key player: .. The fformerormer All Black halfback will bring some much-neededuch-needed experience to a young Stags outfit. Watch out for: Western Forceorce lock Matthew Philip,Philip, 22, has linked up with Southlandnd in an attemptattempt to developdevelop his rugby in New Zealand. Otere Black Dan Pryor The lowdown: It is shapingg as a rebuildinrebuildingg season fforor the Stags as they look to introducetroduce some new players to provincial rugby. Southlandand have lost a wealth experience with the likes off and Josh Bekhuis missing. They havee also lost their key attackiattackingngg weapon, Willis Halaholo, whoho has jjoinedoined .Waikato. A semifinal spot in the championshipmpionship would be viewed as a good result..

Major Sponsors: