Latest news with #HornbyPanthers
Otago Daily Times
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
League makes way for RUNIT
For Hornby Panthers rugby league player Champ Betham, the pros of 'running it straight' outweigh any potential cons. Betham returned home this week from Dubai, after finishing third in the RUNIT Championship League, pocketing AU$25,000 (NZ$27,000) in prize money. It adds to the $20,000 he won at a trial in Auckland in May, qualifying him for the finals – meant to be held at Trusts Arena, which hosted the trials, before the venue pulled out due to safety concerns, and the finals were held in the Middle East. It is life-changing money for the 30-year-old and his growing family, which includes four children and a baby due in August. '(I'll be) stocking up the cupboards and fridges for my young babies, and prepping for my new boy, so (I'm) grateful for that,' he said. RUNIT is a full-contact collision sport where competitors sprint into each other, with the winner decided by who 'dominates the collision'. The format has drawn widespread criticism over its dangers, with sporting bodies and medical experts warning against participation. Last month, a Palmerston North teenager died after sustaining a brain injury while mimicking the sport with friends. At the Dubai event, former Kiwis rugby league international Kevin Proctor was knocked out and reportedly suffered a seizure during an exhibition match against Australian influencer Jordan Simi. Betham admitted there were risks involved, but believes they're no worse than those in other contact sports. 'It's almost like footy – in rugby league you pretty much run it straight from the kick-off, but you're not running into one person, you're running into three or four,' he said. "You've just got to try and prepare for it, and fingers crossed you don't come out knocked out.' He first heard about RUNIT through a friend of his partner, who was working as a videographer and graphic designer at the Auckland event. Organisers were looking for competitors from Christchurch, and Betham was keen. 'It got my attention straight away when I found out. It's pretty much just up the guts,' he said. 'Personally, I've been a guy who likes to crash and bang in the footy game. I didn't think I was going up to win, I was genuinely just giving it a shot.' After his surprise success, Betham is now considering whether he could make a career out of running it straight, especially with the potential for more events later this year. 'I definitely see myself doing it if it does go pro. I definitely think I could do it.' For now, Betham is back to his day job as a youth worker, with one heck of a story to tell people. 'All the kids were pretty shocked when they saw it, they were like, 'that's my youth worker, what the hell?'' He will likely not feature for Hornby in the CRL Premiership this season, wanting to save himself for RUNIT events.
Otago Daily Times
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Call-up for Manu Samoa sees another code switch for Lam
Joel Lam has returned to play for Burnside ahead of linking up with the Manu Samoa squad. Lam switched to rugby league earlier this year, playing twice for Hornby Panthers before a move to Australia. PHOTO: SIDELINE PHOTOGRAPHS Rugby league convert Joel Lam has made a surprise pivot back to union after being named in the Manu Samoa squad to play Scotland next month. The 23-year-old, who previously made eight appearances for Canterbury and one for the Crusaders, switched codes earlier this year to chase a rugby league career. He featured twice for the Hornby Panthers in the CRL Premiership before heading to Australia in April to join Brisbane club Souths Logan Magpies. However, last week Lam was named among 11 uncapped players in the Manu Samoa squad for their match against Scotland at Eden Park on July 18, as well as August's Pacific Nations Cup. The halfback qualifies for Samoa through his maternal grandfather William Lam, who was born in the island nation. 'I've always had the dream to represent Samoa and play for my granddad. He passed away when I was in high school, but he'll be smiling up there, that's for sure,' he said. Lam is related to Samoan international Ben Lam, his brother, Blues midfielder AJ Lam, and their uncle Pat Lam. Joel Lam playing for Burnside ahead of linking up with the Manu Samoa squad. PHOTO: SIDELINE PHOTOGRAPHS Pat Lam played 34 times for Samoa in the 1990s and also coached the Blues from 2009-12. 'We've got 300-plus cousins, uncles and aunties. The Lam family's pretty big over in Samoa, so we're related somewhere down the line,' he said. 'My granddad's one of 21 siblings, and obviously those brothers and sisters have all had children of their own, then those children have had daughters and sons, so we're all related.' Lam marked his return to union on Saturday, coming off the bench to score a try for Burnside in their 64–35 Metro Premier win over Christchurch. He will continue playing for the club until he links up with the Samoa squad on July 9. Lam said despite his switch back to the 15-man game he was still keeping his sporting options open. 'You want to take every opportunity, and I went and gave (league) a crack and there's nothing saying that door's closed either.'
Otago Daily Times
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
From boxing to rugby league - and now the beautiful game
Sports journo Sam Coughlan has been in the boxing ring, trained with champion rugby league team Hornby Panthers and today he reports on his session with Christchurch United. Not that roundball is foreign to him – he is a fairly useful goalkeeper in his own right. Who plays football at seven in the morning? That was my exact thought as I arrived at the United Sports Centre in Yaldhurst with the sky still dark and the birds are yet to start chirping. Pummelled by the Panthers 'Some pretty hefty punches' To make matters worse, I was told we would not be training on the two artificial turfs the club owns. Instead, we head for the dewy, soggy grass fields at the back of the facility, to help the team prepare for their pre-season clash in Blenheim the next day. That came back to bite me. Midway through a quick six-a-side game, I tried to change direction and ended up on my backside. I was more nervous for this session than others I've joined for this series. With other codes, I had no expectations going in, but football's a different story. I've played since I was six, so part of me hoped I could hold my own. Fortunately, I didn't feel totally out of place – even at a club like United, who finished third in the Southern League last year and won it the two seasons before. I leaned on my years of experience to try to keep up. That said, being a goalkeeper hasn't exactly prepared me for the amount of running, passing and shooting outfield players do. Keepers, you know what I mean. It was quick, really quick. One drill had us in a tight space with two defenders trying to win possession from five attackers. I got caught out a few times trying to play the ball under pressure. Later, we moved to shooting drills and with plenty of encouragement from my new teammates, I managed to find the back of the net past goalkeeper Ben Graney on a couple of occasions, exchanging passes with another player before being sent through on goal. It's not something I'm used to. By my calculations, the last outdoor goal I scored was back in primary school. While I didn't quite earn myself a contract offer from head coach Ryan Edwards, I'm confident I didn't completely embarrass myself. Hopefully. But it wasn't all close control and clinical finishing. In a seven-a-side game to finish the session, I found myself one-on-one with the keeper again, only to smash my shot into the crossbar. That's also when I lost my footing on the wet grass trying to turn quickly. Classic. Thankfully for my ego, there didn't seem to be any sense of frustration at my lack of skill, or questions of 'who is this guy?' Just a few smiles and, I suspect, a collective effort to stay in the reporter's good books. Smart lads. Surprisingly, the early start didn't feel so bad by the end of the training session. I had done a solid hour of exercise, and it wasn't even 8.30am yet. Maybe these morning workouts aren't such a terrible idea after all.
Otago Daily Times
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Code-hopping Panthers hooker becomes a Magpie
Hornby Panthers hooker Joel Lam has joined Souths Logan Magpies in Brisbane. PHOTO: SIDELINE PHOTOGRAPHS Hornby Panthers hooker Joel Lam has continued his switch from rugby union to league, joining Brisbane club Souths Logan Magpies. The 22-year-old former halfback played two games for the Panthers this season after making the code change. Lam previously captained Burnside in the Metro rugby competition, was part of the Crusaders academy and earned one Super Rugby cap. Panthers head coach Corey Lawrie wished Lam the best, saying he had been great to work with. 'The second game (for the Panthers) he played real well. Some real big carries for us towards the end of the game,' he said. 'He's a bit of a competitor, I think that's his best attribute.' Lawrie expects Lam, who left Christchurch last week, to start in the Magpies' reserve team, which is still at a higher level than the Canterbury competition. 'He'll start with the BRL, which is one below Queensland Cup, which is probably a couple of levels above our premier grade. 'He might get a shot this year, if he plays a couple of Q Cup games, he'd take that as a success.' While excited to watch Lam's next chapter unfold, Lawrie says his absence is being felt as the Panthers battle injuries. 'We could do with him right now. That's the way the system goes, just lacking a wee bit of firepower.'
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.
