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Otago Daily Times
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Heavenly kicks and the names we give to teams we love
Forget the French. This season's great moment in rugby was seen by only a handful of spectators, and I was one of them. Underdogs Maniototo were playing Alexandra on a sun-filled ground at Ranfurly and with minutes on the clock they hammered away at the opposition line and finally fullback Daniel Adam crashed over for a try in the corner which put his team ahead 16-15. But wait. There's more. Ben Maxwell's sideline conversion added the extra couple of points. But what a kick that was. The ball hit the righthand upright, bounced back to connect with the other upright, then hit the crossbar before going over so the locals notched a win by 18-15. There's probably no video of that great moment, so it lives on only in Maniototo memory, although the scoreboard still shows the score two weeks later. Of course, I talked about the conversion all the next week but those who hadn't been there just shrugged it off with "aww, that happens all the time". It doesn't. Sometimes a kick comes close enough to such immortality and gets a headline. In April one kick almost surpassed that Ben Maxwell Ranfurly triumph. England international, Philippines-born Marcus Smith, playing for Harlequins, tried a sideline conversion. The ball clipped one post, bounced down, smacked the opposite upright, ricocheted back on to the first post again and had a fourth touch, this time on the crossbar, before dropping back into the field of play. No points. To match his kick, we go back to 2013 and a game between Newcastle and Bedford when New Zealander Jimmy Gopperth, playing for Newcastle, took a penalty kick which also hit the post, the crossbar and the other post before going over. Sadly, I wasn't there so the Maggots' kick is the one I cherish. The Maggots? In this sheep-farming country everyone knows maggots are pests which feed on sheep's flesh and cause severe tissue damage. Only the laid-back, dry humour of Maniototo could produce such a nickname for a rugby team. Nicknames for sports teams are nothing new, All Blacks, Wallabies and Springboks have been around for years and even Japan's moniker, the Brave Blossoms (once the Cherry Blossoms) is gaining traction as that country's rugby improves. Locally, I'm coming to grips with the nickname business. I didn't have too much trouble with a recent ODT item about Green Island being beaten by Harbour which told me that "the Hawks beat the Grizzlies" but it's the lively weekly column Club Rugby Chat by the irrepressible Paul Dwyer which often has me flummoxed. When Paul writes stuff like "Macca Palmer is set to play his 100th game this weekend for the Magpies against the Eels out at the Eelpit and the Prison Guards are back on the Prison Square facing off against West Taieri but I think Toko will have their hands full against the Pigs", I realise I'm out of touch with what's happening in other parts of the province. The same goes with sports names on a wider stage: in Australia there's a backlash against these artificial brands which proliferate in professional sport. There has been a move back to animal names after years of names like Glory, Power and Storm and now the likes of Perth Bears and Tasmanian Devils are finding favour. The T20 games polluting the cricket landscape have produced stuff like Brisbane Heat, Sydney Thunder, Hobart Hurricanes and Perth Scorchers but at least Cricket Australia insist the place name remains part of the nickname. And there lies the nub of the issue. Supporting a team is easier if you know where they come from. When players actually came from a province loyalty needs no public relations and fancy nicknames. Otago teams are almost always mainly locals and even the Highlanders are predominantly from Otago and Southland. The made-up names rarely have the same magic, although the Auckland Blues is probably a fair reflection of the mood of that benighted metropolis. If the Crusaders would kindly stop winning then the Lambs would suit their Canterbury base perfectly, reflecting the province's most famous export. There's history, too, in some English football team names. That Arsenal, founded by munitions workers at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, are called The Gunners makes sense and Sheffield Wednesday reminds us that the club grew out of a cricket team which was formed when Wednesday became a half-holiday to be filled in with recreation. As an aside, I always look forward to the St Kevin's College/Waitaki Boys' High School rugby game when over the hill from the college comes a band of supporters bearing the placard "up the Doolies!". Perhaps not a good nickname in these politically correct times but, in the meantime, the Maggots can remind us that the team, locals to a man, come from sheep country. ■ Jim Sullivan is a Patearoa writer.
Otago Daily Times
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Anyone's guess who makes top 6
The wrap Dunedin, Taieri and Southern all flexed their muscles at the weekend as they put themselves in the frame to go into the top six as the top qualifiers. What order they will finish is anyone's guess. Southern put 80 points on a seriously under-strength Zingers outfit which was not much more than a training run up at Bastion Point. In the game of the round, Taieri did enough with their resolute defence to deny Varsity any points at the University Oval. Varsity for some reason just can't get past the Eels. They sit on 27 points and are on life support to make the six! On a dreadfully cold Friday night at Logan Park, Dunedin, on the back of some impenetrable defence, did enough in the second half to come away with a comfortable victory over Kaik. They've now won eight straight but I did say in an earlier column nobody goes through this second round unbeaten. Finally AU put in their best performance of the season when they kept defending champs GI to a miniscule 12-point victory at the Pony Pit. Still too early to predict the final make up of the six, with three points separating four through seven. What are the board doing? I see the Otago Rugby Union have announced a new competition to be played between teams from Invercargill, Southland Country, Otago Country and two from Dunedin. Was there any consultation on this? I understand the MCRC (town clubs) were informed of it as a fait accompli a few days before it appeared in the ODT. Purportedly the aim is to give players wider exposure. To what, one may ask? It is also to help pick Otago B and Southland B — really? Will players really want to play? The big question is where is the Otago board with this? Presumably they've given this comp the green light — but what is the strategy here? The MCRC a few years ago came up with a proposed early round competition to be played between North Otago, Dunedin, Central, South and Southland Clubs as precursor to the local competitions. Both Otago Rugby and Southland Rugby felt they were swallowing cyanide they were so anti the concept. What's changed? Who is picking up the tab for this comp? We have no money! Will the board roll out the ''old turnip'' it's all about pathways for players. We have already selected our 27 players for Otago at the start of the season. The only way to have a true pathway is no provincial signings for any team until June 1. That is a pathway and New Zealand Rugby needs to wake up and smell the roses. The clubs in Dunedin are doing it harder than ever this year to make ends meet. The proliferation of Friday night games, Varsity exams, the lack of referees is killing us. I get the feeling the clubs will vote for two full rounds next year to get some revenue coming in. That will mean the comp won't finish till August 9-10. What then with this comp? Enough from me but watch Rugby Chat next week as I'll get Moxy Smith and Warren Kearney from the union to argue their case for the defence — it'll be a must see. Women's final It's only halfway through June and we already have our first final. The women's final is being played at 4.30pm at the Greenhouse on Saturday between AU and Dunedin. This is the fourth consecutive final between these two teams. Dunedin have won two and AU one in the last three. They have both won a game against each this year and traditionally the margin is normally a couple of points at best. Both teams play an exciting brand of rugby and under the roof it will be some spectacle, so get along if you can. AU go in as favourites on current form and, let's face it, the club needs some building up!! I'm afraid I'll tip the Sharks but only by the barest of margins, but really it goes either way. Brotherly love Word on the street is that two Eel players are hitting a milestone against AU this weekend. Not too unusual, you would have thought, but it is if they are brothers! Hooker Brady Robertson hits the century tomorrow and younger brother Shea plays his 50th and blazer game. Shea is also in the tight five at lock for the Eels. Fantastic double achievement lads. Hope you have a great night at the Eelpit tomorrow night. Loose ends Colts rugby (junior and premier) finishes up this week for a month with the Varsity holidays kicking in. It's been a tough couple of weeks with varsity exams as well, so congrats to clubs for just getting players on the park. I promise next week we'll get back on the farm and find out who is doing what in the country. I'll also update the standings for the other grades in town and I'll update out form XV for June. This weekend Got absolutely pumped again last weekend by Volt Llew Johnson who now has a differential against me of +30 and will be hard to catch. Up against wicketkeeper Max Chu this week so doubtless I'll right the ship. Taieri (13+) will slither into town to the Pony Pit and dismantle AU with venom to garner another five points. Dunedin (13+) are at home at the Sandpit and defending the Speight's Challenge Shield hopefully from their point of view, for the last time this season. GI are still struggling with injuries and Sharks should get it done comfortably. Harbour (13+), coming off the bye, really need five points and should get it over Zingers at the Lobster Emporium all things being equal. Southern (13+) were too big and strong up front for Kaik in the first round and at Bog Bathgate I think this game only goes one way — the Magpies eight get them home in a canter. In the country last week I was robbed by Wally Lees when Matak conceded a last-gasp try to Wakatip but I move on with good grace. Up against Dribbles Parker from Owaka this week who needs no introduction and I feel that winning feeling. Unbeaten Clutha (13+) will be too good for Lawrence at Gabriels Gully. Put your nuggets on it. The prison guards from Toko (12-) are just tougher than the Coalminers from Crescent and get it done but not without heart murmurs. Clutha Valley (12-) are due and may get it done at Owaka but there will only be an electric fence in it. West Taieri (13+) are starting to show some form and the Heriot farmers will struggle in the market garden.
