Luisetti Seeds country rugby kicks off

• Published date: 06 April 2023
• Publication title: North Canterbury News

Elsewhere Saracens converted a 29-6 half time lead over Hornby to a 67-6 final score, while Ohoka salvaged a bonus point going down 23-27 to Waihora

Also earning a bonus point was Hurunui which went down 31-32 to Methven in a nail biter played at Culverden.

Last seasons cellar dwellers Woodend started its season in a more positive fashion, giving a high profiled Southbridge a fright before succumbing 37-45.

Also earning a bonus point was Kaiapoi which was beaten 19-24 by Prebbleton, while the Ashley / Oxford clash did not eventuate owing to a clash with the Oxford A&P Show.

Results were:

Pool A: Darfield 14 Lincoln Rolleston 19, Hornby 3 Saracens 67, Kaiapoi 19 Prebbleton 24, Southern 30 Rakaia 24.

Pool B: Southbridge 45 Woodend 37, Waihora 27 Ohoka 23, West Melton 26 Ashburton celtic 35, Glenmark-Cheviot 54 Springston 12, Hurunui 31 Methven 32.

Kaiapoi v Prebbleton

Of all the matches involving North Canterbury teams last Saturday, it was the showdown at Kaiapoi Park between the home team and Prebbleton which was most likely to have a bearing on the eventual composition of the top eight teams to contest post section play in the 2023 edition of the Luisetti Seeds Combined rugby competition.

Both teams did enough to suggest they will probably be there at the business end of the competition, although Kaiapoi certainly cannot afford any repetitions of the defensive lapses which let Prebbleton in for three soft tries, within the space of five minutes, midway through the first spell. Kaiapoi began well. Slick passing and hard running in the first five minutes suggested the team had the stamp of class about it.

Prebbleton had to show considerable resilience to prevent the home team from lodging the first points. But it was the visitors, against the run of the play, who scored first when its hooker brushed off two weak tackles. This was to be a sign of worse to come. Even though Kaiapoi had hit the front when No 8, Connor Smith scored after Kaiapoi claimed lineout possession, it proceeded to concede three soft tries in five minutes, and suddenly was staring down a massive 7-24 deficit.

Urged to rectify its attitude and execution on defence, Kaiapoi performed much more creditably in the second half.

Courtesy of two more tries to its impressive No 8, Smith, Kaiapoi closed the gap to 19-24 with five minutes remaining.

It again threatened the Prebbleton line with a series of pick and goes, when Prebbleton pulled off a vital 50/22 clearing kick that gave it possession...