03-07-2025
Pirates warm favourites to repeat win over Marist
After 13 rounds of premier club rugby in Southland it is time for the Galbraith Shield semifinals at 2.30pm tomorrow.
The Barbarians will play Woodlands in one semifinal while in the other Marist will play the minor premiership winners Pirates Old Boys for the second week in a row.
Pirates Old Boys will start warm favourites on centre stage at Rugby Park.
POB softened up Marist 48-10 last weekend, ending Marist's five-game winning streak against them.
A strong POB lineup took the field and went to work on breaking down the Marist scrum. Marist conceded a pushover try after 25 minutes and then gave up a penalty try before halftime to trail 27-0.
That kind of scrum dominance must have dented some belief among the Marist supporters but they will take some confidence from the fact that their team rested their key players Jackson Bevin (openside), Hunter Areaiiti-Burgess (lock) and Scott Eade (first five-eighth) for the game.
Another top-liner in the Marist backline in Keanu Kahukura took part only in the second half.
Not only does POB have a powerful scrum, but they have two or three of the province's best tacticians in Greg Dyer, Kaea Nikora Balloch and Jaye Thompson.
Marist has their own experienced general in Scott Eade who can combine with Stags halfback Connor McLeod and utility back Faletoi Peni to dictate how the game is played.
Marist's ability to earn an upset win will rely on how well their forward pack can hold together.
Woodlands finished the round-robin in second position and will play the Eastern Northern Barbarians at Oreti Park.
Much of Woodland's success this year was brought about by top quality individual performances from midfielder Fletcher Morgan and lock Alex Yallop. Both these men earned themselves Stags contracts.
Woodlands are fresh for tomorrow's game after their dead-rubber match last week against Invercargill Blues was cancelled.
The Barbarians locked in third position for the finals after they beat Star 26-23 last week.
The Barbarians' best players in recent seasons have been prop Morgan Mitchell and lock Woody Kirkwood.
These two have benefited from having Stag team-mates Leroy Ferguson (openside) and Connor Collins (halfback) rejoin the Baabaas squad in recent weeks.
Utility forwards Lachlan McCall, Jacob Coghlan and Brenton Howden give the Baabaas pack a hard edge, while midfielder Angus Simmers and fullback Tayler Peterson have the skills to create opportunities for wingers Harry McKenzie and Banuve Dretiverata.
