Latest news with #Prems
Otago Daily Times
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Happy hooker's 100th
Wakatipu Prems' Phil Kingsbury, supported by Bradley Cross, pictured during his 100th game for the side last Saturday. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED Leading the Wakatipu Prems rugby side on to the field for his 100th game, there was no one prouder at the Queenstown Rec Ground last Saturday than hooker Phil Kingsbury. It was made more special when his side then beat Alexandra to qualify for this Saturday's final against Upper Clutha. "Semifinal I reckon is sometimes the hardest — statistically we normally bail out at the semifinal, so it'll be good to go back over to Wanaka and have another crack at them." After studying architecture in Wellington, before later setting up his own building company, Wyndham-raised Kingsbury came to Queenstown in 2016. After playing that year for the Wanderers, he joined the title-winning Prems the following season. Nicknamed 'Sweet Chilli', he says playing rugby makes up just a third of what he likes about the game. "I enjoy the camaraderie and I enjoy the fitness. "There's something about the camaraderie — anyone can drink in the clubrooms but only a select few can drink in the changing rooms, and you build a bond down there and it's something special." As for a playing highlight, Kingsbury singles out taking the White Horse Cup off Upper Clutha in Wanaka last year. He turns 40 late this year, after teammates Paulie Tuala and injured Josh Aperahama-Paenganui also bring up that milestone. "I give them beans that they are as old as the hills and need to give up." As for his own future, Kingsbury — who didn't even play when he was 23 till 29 — says "my wife maybe has other ideas, but I always said I'd like to play as long as I could until they politely ask me to leave". But he admits he might be tempted to pull the pin if Waka pick up the Central Otago title this Saturday, after which he'd happily play for the Wanderers again. And if he did step aside, he says the Prems would still be in good stead as young Thomas Hulsman is "absolutely fantastic". "Like I said in my speech the other night, I realise I'm the ghost of Wakatipu past, but if all I'm there to do is 20 minutes at the end, I'm happy." Wakatipu no.8 Anton Huisman about to dot down in last Saturday's semifinal win at the Queenstown Rec Ground. Heading to Wanaka for this Saturday's final against Upper Clutha, Wakatipu coach Jordan Manihera's delighted with the position his team's in, despite losing to them both times this season — including a 17-6 loss over there just two weekends ago. "We're actually in the most perfect position we can be. "I'm really excited for us as a squad to go in as the underdogs this week, because the last time we went over to Wanaka as underdogs, we took the White Horse Cup off them. "So I think our mindset is we've got nothing to lose and everything to gain." Manihera says despite that recent loss, "there were still some good nuggets in defence and some attack play but we just couldn't finish off opportunities we created for ourselves". He adds he was happy with last Saturday's 26-7 semifinal win over Alexandra, and says despite being 7-6 down at halftime "that's probably the first time we've actually started really well as well". Meanwhile, the Wakatipu Wanderers also play a final this Saturday in the Southland division 3 comp, against Pirates Old Boys, after winning their semifinal against Waiau Star 26-23 in Tuatapere last weekend.
Otago Daily Times
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
White Horse Cup humdinger looming
Wakatipu's Conner Hamlin slips the Cromwell defence during the teams' clash in Cromwell last weekend. PHOTO: TRACEY ROXBURGH Stand by for a humdinger when Central Otago's top two rugby sides clash in Queenstown this Saturday. In playing the Wakatipu Premiers, defending champs Upper Clutha will be out to make amends for their surprise 31-27 home loss to Alexandra under lights last Thursday — just their third loss in 32 matches. They'll also be out to take the White Horse Cup off the very team who took it off them in Wanaka last May. Since Upper Clutha are only a point above Wakatipu on the table, the Vincent Shield will also be up for grabs for the winner of the first round, which finishes this Saturday. After losing to Maniototo on April 26 — so far their only loss this season — Wakatipu improved to thrash Cromwell away, 40-8, last Saturday. Their coach, Jordan Manihera, says this weekend's game will be "a massive occasion". "There's a lot on the line, and it's going to be a fantastic occasion and opportunity, especially for those young boys that haven't been a part of a game this big locally." Upper Clutha coach Alex Dickson perhaps surprisingly says they'll be underdogs after their loss to Alex. He says numbers wise "we've been struggling since the start of the season, especially in the front row, but this week we're getting a few players back, so hopefully we'll be close to full strength". Upper Clutha, however, have history in their favour — they beat Wakatipu 28-14 last time they played them in Queenstown, in April last year. Meantime the Wakatipu Ladies lost 45-10 to Invercargill's Blues in Mossburn last Friday. They face Pioneer Women as a curtain-raiser to the Prems, at the Rec Ground from 12.45pm Saturday, while Arrowtown, who've won only one of their five games this season, face a tough battle against Maniototo in Ranfurly, and the Wanderers play Collegiate in Invercargill.
