Revived fixture effectively a trial
The once-beloved Town v Country game is back and will allow Luke Herden an opportunity to crystallise his thinking before announcing his first Old Golds squad on Tuesday.
There was a time when the clash — between Old Boys, Excelsior and Athletic Marist players (Town) and the best from Valley, Kurow and Maheno (Country) — formed a regular and important part of the calendar, usually in the middle of the Citizens Shield club season.
It has been mostly dormant for the best part of a couple of decades so there should be some interest in today's game in Maheno.
That is especially the case for those wondering which loan players Herden will recruit as the Old Golds seek a return to the Meads Cup placings after a few lean years. He has named five players from Dunedin club rugby in the Country squad.
Zingari-Richmond flanker Flavius Roberts-Vili is an energetic type, and clubmate Ben Fakava is a robust midfielder.
First five Kenta Iemura and halfback Kodai Okazaki are from the Shizuoka Revs club in Japan Rugby League One who have spent some time with the Harbour club.
Solid prop Steve Salelea has been in consistent form for University and was on the bench for Otago's preseason game against Southland yesterday.
Eight players from Excelsior will back up from their Citizens Shield victory for Town, and there are 10 from beaten finalists Valley in the Country squad.
A pleasing feature is the selection of leading locals Hayden Tisdall, Kelepi Funaki and Junior Fakatoufifita, all of whom were unavailable for the Heartland Championship last season.
The junior game kicks off at 1pm and the senior Town-Country clash is at 2.30pm.
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Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Revived fixture effectively a trial
A blast from the past is back to give the new North Otago coach an effective trial this afternoon. The once-beloved Town v Country game is back and will allow Luke Herden an opportunity to crystallise his thinking before announcing his first Old Golds squad on Tuesday. There was a time when the clash — between Old Boys, Excelsior and Athletic Marist players (Town) and the best from Valley, Kurow and Maheno (Country) — formed a regular and important part of the calendar, usually in the middle of the Citizens Shield club season. It has been mostly dormant for the best part of a couple of decades so there should be some interest in today's game in Maheno. That is especially the case for those wondering which loan players Herden will recruit as the Old Golds seek a return to the Meads Cup placings after a few lean years. He has named five players from Dunedin club rugby in the Country squad. Zingari-Richmond flanker Flavius Roberts-Vili is an energetic type, and clubmate Ben Fakava is a robust midfielder. First five Kenta Iemura and halfback Kodai Okazaki are from the Shizuoka Revs club in Japan Rugby League One who have spent some time with the Harbour club. Solid prop Steve Salelea has been in consistent form for University and was on the bench for Otago's preseason game against Southland yesterday. Eight players from Excelsior will back up from their Citizens Shield victory for Town, and there are 10 from beaten finalists Valley in the Country squad. A pleasing feature is the selection of leading locals Hayden Tisdall, Kelepi Funaki and Junior Fakatoufifita, all of whom were unavailable for the Heartland Championship last season. The junior game kicks off at 1pm and the senior Town-Country clash is at 2.30pm.
RNZ News
4 days ago
- RNZ News
Sports Chat for 18 July 2025
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Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
‘Hugely proud' of development work
Heartland coach Jason Forrest and captain Ralphie Darling lift the Meads Cup in Oamaru in 2019. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES Nearly 15 years ago, Jason Forrest got a tap on the shoulder. After returning home from playing overseas, Forrest was asked by then-North Otago Rugby Football Union chief executive Colin Jackson if he would be interested in coaching. It was clear that was where Forrest — who was wrapping up his playing days as a halfback with Excelsior and the Old Golds — was heading, and Jackson was keen to utilise those skills throughout the region. What started as a role as an activator in schools morphed into a fulltime role with the union, covering countless portfolios, from juniors to secondary school and rugby overall. Tomorrow, the game development manager will say goodbye to the union as he steps down from his role. "It's going to be really, really hard, actually," Forrest said. "I've worked with phenomenal people over the 15, 14 years. "The union's heading in a pretty good direction, but it's time. "There will be some high emotions there — I've loved every minute of it." Jason Forrest finishes up tomorrow with the North Otago Rugby Football Union after nearly 15 years. PHOTO: KAYLA HODGE After initially helping out, Forrest officially joined the union in 2012 as the JAB officer, but got stuck into everything across the board. It was a small team of Jackson, Forrest and Pam Anderson — "you just got on with it" — and he had fond memories through the years. Watching Fenwick School reach the national Rippa rugby tournament, which was called "the world cup for Rippa", in the early days still remained a highlight, he said. "You can name a heap, but it's just been fun. "It's rugby — it's what I love to do." That has never changed. He coached Excelsior through the years, but won his first Citizens Shield title with Maheno in 2019 and returned to his home club last year to lead them to the first of back-to-back titles. Winning three Citizens Shields sat at the top of his list, alongside winning the Meads Cup as Heartland coach in 2019. "The Maheno one was outstanding. "But the last two are just a different feeling when you come back to your own club. "The last two years has been pretty cool, and pretty special for me, and my family. My boys play for Blues now as well and my wife's on the committee." The Old Golds have always been close to his heart. After finishing playing, Forrest joined the North Otago support staff as a trainer, moving through the ranks to assistant coach and head coach from 2019 to 2024. He won the Meads Cup in his inaugural year and regularly made the playoffs. "The Heartland team, in general, has been a huge part of my life. "Hugely proud of everything I've done within those roles. "You have your ups and downs, that's for sure." Coaching had been a juggle with work commitments, but Jackson supported Forrest and encouraged him to join the Highlanders under-20 staff. "He was huge for me and mentoring me through all those years. "Not just with all my work stuff, but with all my coaching stuff as well and giving me opportunities and opening doors for me. "Just a great working relationship and just a great mate," he said. Forrest, who has committed to coaching Blues in 2026, was still interested in pursuing coaching in the future, but acknowledged it was hard in New Zealand. He believed the union was in good heart. He took pride in there still being six teams in North Otago's premier grade — "there's a lot of unions around the country that don't have that, and bigger unions" — and junior rugby continued ticking along, a credit to the hard-working staff. Construction of a new grandstand, attached to the Waitaki Events Centre which is being built, and new offices at Centennial Park in the future were a bonus. "It's got a good future." Forrest finishes up after the Town v Country clash in Maheno tomorrow. He is joining Network Waitaki as an operations co-ordinator and is looking forward to spending more time with his family, wife Victoria, and children Hunter, 11, and Carter, 9.
