2008 Pool Games
North Otago are to play Auckland for the Ranfurly Shield on 22 July, in Oamaru
- RS=Ranfurly Shield, HS=Hanan Shield
Horowhenua-Kapiti
North Otago started off their 2008 Heartland Championship season with a 32-11 win over Horowhenua-Kapiti in Oamaru. It was Ross Hay's 100th match for the Turbines and it became Nathan Cunningham's 50th game when he replaced Mike Mavor in the second half. North Otago started the game slowly but managed to go to the break ahead 15-6. The second half was a different story for North Otago, as they pulled away from Horowhenua-Kapiti and picked up a bonus point in their 32-11 Round One win.
(North Otago 32-Hamish McKenzie 2, Mike Mavor, Matt Clutterbuck tries
Horowhenua Kapiti 11-Aloe try, 2 pen)
The 2008 Heartland Championship was a provincial rugby union competition involving 12 teams from New Zealand split into two pools. Matches started on Saturday 23 August 2008 and ended with the final on 25 October.
The Horowhenua-Kapiti Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union in the Horowhenua and Kapiti Coast districts in the Manawatu-Wanganui and Wellington regions. The union was established in 1893 as the Horowhenua Rugby Football Union and was changed to its current name of Horowhenua-Kapiti in 1997, in order to reflect the full extent of the union's districts.
Oamaru is the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand, it is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is 80 kilometres (50 mi) south of Timaru and 120 kilometres (75 mi) north of Dunedin on the Pacific coast; State Highway 1 and the railway Main South Line connect it to both cities. With a population of 13,950, Oamaru is the 28th largest urban area in New Zealand, and the third largest in Otago behind Dunedin and Queenstown.
West Coast
North Otago travelled to Rugby Park, Greymouth for their round two clash with West Coast. After a solid first half from both teams, North Otago managed to hold a halftime lead of 10-6. Very little separated the teams in the second half but after a late serge from West Coast it looked as if the game could have gone to either side, but it was North Otago that held on for the 15-9 win.
(North Otago 15-Tuataina Samisoni, Samisoni TongoTongo tries, Pale Tuilagi penalty, conversion
West Coast 9-Corey Simpson 2 penalties, drop goal)
The West Coast Rugby Football Union, formed in 1890, is the official governing body for rugby union in a substantial part of the West Coast region of New Zealand and is affiliated to the New Zealand Rugby Union. The team is based in Greymouth and plays home matches at John Sturgeon Park.
South Canterbury
North Otago suffered their first loss of their 2008 Heartland Championship when they went down 18-10 to South Canterbury, in Oamaru. North Otago failed to take their chances as South Canterbury defended all day and held North Otago out to take the win. (North Otago 10-Jeremy Te Huia try, Pale Tuilagi con, pen
South Canterbury 18-Malakai Fonua 2 tries, Luke Reihana con, Scott Norton 2 pen)
Buller
North Otago continued their push for the Meads Cup after beating Buller 22-18 in Westport. The win put North Otago into second position in pool A, behind West Coast. (North Otago 22-Mike Mavor, Ekeroma Sifo, Josh Collier tries, Pale Tuilagi 2 con, pen
Buller 18-Mitieli Kaloudigibecki, Simon Lloyd tries, Nathan Thompson con, 2 pen)
Wararapa-Bush
North Otago put together their best performance so far this season with a comfortable win over Wararapa-Bush in Oamaru. North Otago led 10-7 at half-time, but it was an exciting second half that saw North Otago's lead extended. 8 minutes into the second half Ross Hay charged down Cash Lafaele's clearing kick, gathering the ball up on the bounce to cross the line. North Otago held the led throughout the second half despite a late charge from Wairarapa-Bush. Lemi Masoe was at his best, scoring two tries, while Pale Tuilagi proved his worth by not missing a kick all game. (North Otago 44-Lemi Masoe 2, Ross Hay, Samisoni Tongo Tongo, Jone Paumau tries Pale Tuilagi 5 con, 3 pen
Wairarapa Bush 19-Charles Walker-Blair, Junior Togia, Paeto Lafaele tries Paddy Rimene 2 con)
The Ranfurly Shield, colloquially known as the Log o' Wood, is a trophy in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1904, the Shield is based on a challenge system, rather than a league or knockout competition as with most football trophies. The holding union must defend the shield in challenge matches, which are played at the shield holders home venue, and if the challenger is successful in their challenge they will become the new holder of the Shield.
The North Harbour Rugby Union (NHRU), commonly known as North Harbour or simply Harbour, is the governing body of rugby union that encompasses a wide geographical area north of Auckland that includes North Shore City, Rodney District, the Hibiscus Coast and part of Waitakere City. There are 12 rugby clubs from Mahurangi RFC, based in Warkworth, Rodney District, in the north through to Massey the southernmost area of the union.
The Otago Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union for the Otago region of New Zealand. The union is based in the city of Dunedin, and its home ground is Forsyth Barr Stadium. The top representative team competes in the ITM Cup, New Zealand's top provincial competition. The union was to have been liquidated in March 2012. However a deal involving the Dunedin City Council allowed it to keep operating.
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The Hanan Shield is one of the most prestigious trophies in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1946 after being presented by the Mayor of Timaru, A.E.S. Hanan. The Hanan Shield is based on a challenge system played between North Otago, South Canterbury and Mid Canterbury. The holding union must defend the shield in challenge matches, and if a challenger defeats them, they become the new holder of the shield. A rules change at the end of the 2011 season meant that the shield is up for challenge in any meeting between the holders and one of the other two teams.
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