Wellington College to Meet SPT in Premier Rugby Final
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Wednesday, August 10, 2016 THE DOMINION POST B13 College Sport Sport Wellington College to meet Hurricanes had the gritz to go SPT in premier rugby final with the glitz RUGBY team of Tana Umaga and Wayne The Wellington Premier 1 first XV Smith would be the perfect fit. But final will be contested by St Pat’s MARK the Hurricanes did get Plumtree Town and Wellington College at REASON back thanks to the appointment of COMMENT Jerry Collins Stadium in Porirua Chris Boyd. Steel and decency is on Sunday afternoon. usually a good combination and First, Matt Atkinson reports the team has grown in their image. from Town’s commanding semi- xpect the unexpected’’ After victory at the weekend final win over Rongotai College was the Hurricanes’ Boyd said, ‘‘They’ve developed a last Saturday, before Chelsea mantra and then great attitude and a great McLaughlin takes us through ‘‘E would follow a year of character amongst themselves ... Wellington College’s win over mind-numbing predictability. There was a group of players that Wairarapa College. There would be some dazzling came in who wanted to work hard St Pat’s Town have given them- tries, some dumb yellow cards, too and do the best they could. selves the chance to defend their much mouth, too much beer and ‘‘Michael (Fatialofa) and Vaea Wellington Premier 1 college an early exit at the pointy end of (Fifita) have been a revelation as rugby title. the season. So how joyous has been the locks. We’ve really played five Town shut down the Rongotai this turnaround. And what a loose forwards and that suited the attack, playing smart tactical different bunch of blokes finally way we played the game. There’s rugby in poor conditions to win brought the Super Rugby title to another generation of boys coming 24-3 at Evans Bay Park. New Zealand’s capital city. and that next group down they’ve St Pat’s coach Glenn Donaldson The fans didn’t want to be told all stood up and done a real good said the gameplan was simple. to expect anything. They wanted to job for us.’’ ‘‘It was about ball retention and throw out expect and replace it using the elements, because the with respect. These are the guys t is worth noting that the southerly wind was quite strong. and girls who were paying good Hurricanes weren’t the only So kick to the short side and be money, some of it they could ill- team in town with a great powerful up front in the first 20,’’ afford, to watch a bunch of good I work ethic and a great team Donaldson said. time charlies prancing about on bond. The Lions have also come The St Pat’s players were the show boat until it sank. How together after a troubled history. listening as Rongotai spent the about the players respecting the Doubtless there were those who majority of the first half playing fans. sneered at the Christian ethic in out of their end of the park. And now it has finally come to this team but many of us were St Pat’s halfback Luke pass. Mark Hammett wasn’t much moved to see them praying Georgeson was instrumental in of a coach, a bit of a control freak together after the match. the victory, controlling his for- and not the best man-manager, but We were equally moved by the ward pack and constantly putting he started the turnaround. He sight of Michael Fatialofa smiling Rongotai on the back foot through didn’t handle Ma’a Nonu well with on the touchline as the long- a strong kicking game. a ridiculous finger-pointing rant suffering crowd chanted ‘‘defence’’ Relentless pressure from St but Nonu was well out of order. while the clock counted down. Pat’s finally took its toll on Rongo- Piri Weepu was overweight. Fatialofa was a bit of a schoolboy tai, with prop Xavier Numea scor- Jason Eaton had gone rogue. star up at Mount Albert with ing next to the posts to put St Pat’s Andrew Hore, ‘‘let’s go shoot some Steven Luatua, but then he began up 7-3. ducks’’, once called Wellingtonians to fall apart. Numea, a 2015 New Zealand who pick against their own team, Fatialofa had back surgery, hip schools representative, was ‘‘some kind of third sex.’’ OK, it surgery, knee surgery. Every year destructive at scrum time, win- was a bit tongue-in-cheek, but he would go back under the knife. ning multiple penalties for his A mud-covered Wellington College player tries to make a break during his side’s win over Wairarapa College on Saturday. PHOTO: ANDY MCARTHUR there was also an element of His pectoral muscle ripped. At one team and making his presence felt privilege about it. point he seriously doubted if he around the ruck on defence. Wellington maintained their Hammett decided that the would play again. But the Leading 14-3 at halftime, St composure while down to 14 men culture had to change. And he Hurricanes saw the qualities that Pat’s scored first after the break, during the first half, and again started by changing the they valued and brought him into which Rongotai coach Dave during a period in the second half recruitment policy. The the wider training squad. By the Meaclem said put his team on the when Wairarapa held all the pos- Hurricanes would no longer select end of the season he was a vital back foot. session. young players on talent alone. part of the team. ‘‘It was an arm wrestle and you They threw wave after wave of That way you could expect the Doubtless other teams will copy don’t want to leak points just attack, but reaped no reward. It unexpected, and the unexpected the Canes and now play with what before and straight after halftime. was very satisfying to see the hard was unreliability. One week the Boyd calls ‘‘five back-row From that point on you have to work they were putting into their ritz, the next week the sh**z. forwards.’’ Certainly it makes for a chase the game.’’ defence pay off, Sharland said. Hammett and the Hurricanes mighty hard defence to break Rongotai did just that, as they ‘‘It’s a big part of our game and executive hierarchy decided that down. I can imagine Vern Cotter looked to attack from anywhere on they back themselves to be able to recruitment would be done on bringing it in for Scotland and the pitch in search of points. do that, whereas in previous years ‘‘work ethic, attitude, talent, in Eddie Jones is already blessed Centre Pena Va’a led his side we’d leak tries at those points of that order.’’ So although Hammett with Maro Itoje in the England with ball in hand, looking for more time. To be dominant and hold the wasn’t much of a gardener, he did second row. work as the game went on and try- opposition to zero points, and to at least plant the right seeds. Now But I am straying from the ing to inspire his team to a come- score 29 points in tough con- the Hurricanes needed a bloke point, just as this Hurricanes team back. ditions, is very, very pleasing.’’ who could grow the team. strayed when some of the players However, St Pat’s were able to Hurricanes forwards coach As Hammett’s era was nearing missed the curfew against the force turnovers constantly as the John Plumtree had come to speak extinction with low crowds, a Sharks. It is hard not to be swayed conditions deteriorated, stopping to the team during the week and he succession of defeats and a team by sun and surf in mid-winter. But the Rongotai game breakers from talked about the importance of that lacked direction – does without that thumping defeat in getting into space. taking it one training session at a anyone remember Alama Ieremia South Africa, this Hurricanes Georgeson added another pen- time, and not getting ahead of lamenting, ‘‘We played silly team may not have come on so alty before the game grinded to the themselves. football. When we needed kick the strong. One week the ritz, the next final whistle. St Pat’s Town’s Keelan Whitman wins a lineout during Town’s over Rongotai College on Saturday. PHOTO: DAVID BROWLIE This was advice Sharland said ball, we ran it and when we needed week the gritz. In the end St Pat’s wanted it they would take into their week of to hold the ball and build phases, Yes, you can’t win Super Rugby more, Meaclem said. Meanwhile, Wellington College contest 22-0 earlier in the season, fired up and certainly ready to get preparation. we decided to kick. Our game without some very clever ‘‘They had a need to win, we are full of confidence as they head but Wairarapa were coming off a out there.’’ Town have some dangerous management was all over the coaching. But you also need a had a want to win. When you need into the final, after a comprehen- strong win against Scots and coach His team’s strong start was cru- backs and were great at moving place’’ – I wondered why John group of players who are willing to to win it’s a lot different.’’ sive 29-0 semifinal win over Greg Sharland said his team did cial in setting the tone for the the ball, he said.