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NZ Herald
25-04-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Warriors win over Knights sees rugby league farewell the Showgrounds
'The home of rugby league for Canterbury Rugby League, and I remember the two fields joining together at, at both ends, sharing the in-goal. If it is the last game of rugby league here [it'll] be sad,' said Jones. Jones' thoughts are echoed by his mentor and former coach – Frank Endacott. Few have memories of the park that are as long or as fond as Endacott's. 'I remember playing on that park as a 19 year old right through to first grade over many decades. By gee, we've got some great memories of that park. It's going to be sorely missed,' said Endacott. Rugby League Park in Addington held its first match in 1912 and the code remained there for 100 years. The 'Showgrounds' was the spiritual home of the game in Canterbury until it was transformed into the city's temporary post-quake stadium – hosting the Crusaders, All Blacks, Warriors, Kiwis and some of the biggest names in entertainment. It wasn't as temporary as many had hoped – and Rugby League had to find a new home at Nga Puna Wai, a hub for many sports in Canterbury. According to Canterbury Rugby League, the first-ever rugby league match played in Christchurch – Wellington's 5-4 win over Canterbury (September 7, 1912), was held at what was then known as the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association's Show Grounds. A week later, the visiting NSW side defeated Canterbury 28-15 at the venue in a 'historic international fixture'. Club games were hosted there the following year with Addington, Linwood, Sydenham and St Albans the foundation clubs. The last Grand Final to be played there was in 2018. Endacott remembers running out onto the ground as a teenager, representing his country. 'I played in the schoolboy Kiwi team against Australia in 1963. That was a huge moment,' says Endacott. Those great memories of playing at the Showgrounds would be overtaken by Endacott's achievements as a coach. 'The win against Great Britain with a very young Canterbury side in 1990, and then the best of all was the national final against Auckland in 1993, which packed the Showgrounds out,' recalls Endacott. The fancied Auckland side, featuring big names like Tawera Nikau, Craig Innes, Iva and Tea Ropati as well as George Mann and Se'e Solomona, were overrun by the home side 36-12. 'It was, a game that everyone remembers is the best game I think I was ever part of, or certainly one of the two,' said Endacott. Inaugural Warriors coach John Monie was on hand to watch the match with a handful of the Canterbury side signed by the Auckland-based NRL side - Mike Dorreen, Whetu Taewa, Aaron Whittaker and Logan Edwards. 'It was a terrific day that day. After that game Canterbury actually came up with about another seven new Kiwis and they toured Great Britain and France in '93,' said Endacott. The Show Grounds earned a new nickname during this time – dubbed 'the killing fields'. 'I got told by players when I went up to coach the Warriors, the Auckland players used to say 'oh, we used to hate coming down there',' says Endacott. In 2025, 13 years after it was so generously given up by Canterbury Rugby League, the ground has fallen foul of locals as well. In its current state, the stadium will not be mourned when Te Kaha opens. A short-term fix has become a long-term frustration for Canterbury's sports fans. It is an uncomfortable place to watch either code with cramped scaffolded seating exposed to the elements. But – for all its recent drawbacks, this ground and its rich history will be missed. 'That park means a lot to a lot of rugby league folk. I can tell you that there's even players' ashes spread on that park over the years. That's what it means,' says Endacott. The next chapter for the park is yet to be written – but a rapidly encroaching retirement village looks like an early favourite to make use of a ground that helped grow a game. 'The heart and soul of rugby league is at that park and it will never be forgotten,' says Endacott.
Otago Daily Times
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Pummelled by the Panthers
Sports reporter Sam Coughlan is a footballer who plays in goal, so we decided to take him out of his comfort zone. In the second of a series, he trained with Hornby Panthers, the defending Canterbury Rugby League champions. It's a dreadful evening for training at Hornby's Leslie Park home ground – the rain is bucketing down, making both ball and field slick and slippery. Sports reporter enters the boxing ring My first act is to try and kick a goal from the sideline. As a footballer, it's the one thing I thought I could do well, but my shot falls miserably short although the direction was good. After a short warm-up we get into some passing drills, running up and down the field. Sounds easy? I thought so. That was until a full-contact drill had me charging at speed into four defenders, prompting head coach Corey Lawrie to remind the team I haven't played rugby league before. Copping a shoulder in the cheek on my first run makes me regret my decision not to bother with a mouthguard. I fear for my teeth if I take another heavy hit and I'm thankful to have the soft, muddy ground to cushion my fall. Welcome to the Panthers! Even in the pouring rain, the standard was clear – sharp runs, crisp passes and total focus for the duration of the drills. Except, of course, for the one guy who didn't know where to stand or run or what position he was playing. That's me, in case it wasn't clear. It's an unusual feeling – I'm used to running around on a muddy field, but this is with ball in hand rather than at feet. The team is welcoming and happy to instruct me, where they can, on what I need to do to get more involved. The Panthers were going through attacking formations and moves in preparation for their match, a repeat of last season's grand final with the Halswell Hornets, but with calls of 'wedge', 'China', and 'diamond' around me, I am dumbfounded. Hooker Kyan Rosie throws me a lifeline: 'Just run it up,' he says, tossing me the ball. I obey, only to sprint straight into a brick wall. It hurts, but not much. I can tell they aren't tackling the newbie at 100%, because I'm sure I'd be in a lot more pain. In the end, the only bruise is to my ego after feeling mostly useless for the best part of 90-minutes. I make it out alive with no broken bones, all my teeth intact, and a whole new respect for those who spend their Saturdays smashing into each other and rolling in mud. I'll take that as a win – my influence clearly inspired the Panthers, who won their next game 22-12.
