UNIVERSITIES TAKE ON DEFENCE FORCES IN TRIAL AS THEY PREPARE FOR RLWC2013

By Carey Clements, NZUTRLC

A third quarter rally resulted in the NZ Universities and Tertiary side beating the NZ Defence Force 28- 26 at Wise Park in Wainuiomata, Wellington Feb 9. The game between the two NZRL Affiliates was used as a trial match for both as they start their preparations for going to England later this year to compete in the Student and Defence World Cups. Due to the coaches wanted to ensure that their big squads were used and different playing combina- tions tested, the match was played in four quarters. Very warm conditions with a hard playing surface meant this proved to be a wise choice as the teams battled it out for both team & individual supremacy. Made up of servicemen mainly from the Army and Air Force plus two from the RNZ Navy, the NZDF side held the upper hand in the first half leading 12 -10 at the end of the first 20 minutes before extending the lead to 22-14 at halftime. Although NZTU conceded a further try in the third quarter, they gained an impressive ten points to only trail by 26 -24 going into the final 20 minutes. With time running out and the NZDF defence starting to tire under some opposition counter- attacks, the students (who were made up of players from Auckland to Invercargill), gained ascendancy and with seven minutes remaining, Carlos Kahu- Martin went over for an unconverted try and to put the score ahead for his side for the first and only time in the game. NZDF wing Adam Wilson had a strong game by running in three tries, while Arran Jolly and Troy Hanley both collected two tries for the students. Centre Leaonga Tanginoa and fullback Leon Walker both had prominent as Army representatives in the NZDF side, while the pick of the Air Force players in the team was prop Al Smith and second-row Matthew Phillips. AUT student Hanley had a strong run in the centres, while Victoria University prop Andrew Kslsvoavoa, Waikato University utility outside back Leigh Bristowe and Otago University medical student Dexter Buchanan, also put in some hard work. NZUTRL coach Trevor Clark felt the game showed a true reflection of where some of his players were in terms of skills and fitness, while the NZDF manager, Michael Ziggy Ziarno, said his side played very well, despite missing seven first choice Navy personnel who were at sea, at the time of the game.

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NZUTC SQUAD - RLWC2013

By Carey Clements, NZUTRLC
After looking at players from Auckland to Invercargill in a trial against the New Zealand Defence Force recently, the New Zealand Universities and Tertiary Students Rugby League Council has named a squad of 24 to compete in the eighth Student World Cup later this year. Although it has not played any internationals since the last Student World Cup in 2008, the New Zealand side will not however be considered underdogs on account of having won the inaugural tournament in 1986 together with wins in 1999 and 2005 in the United Kingdom and Australia respectively. A playing member of both the 1999 and 2005 sides and now Chairman of the NZUTRLC, Henry Heke said after finishing in third place in 2008 it was time to bring back the World Cup home. In these tough economic times, it is a big undertaking to send a team and officials over to the United Kingdom for three weeks. But we are positive the New Zealand community will support us given our great track record which has only be- ing overshadowed by Australia through their four World Cup wins. Heke also believed that the squad had a good balance between university and tertiary students. Obviously there are going to be some outstanding players that have missed out that are attending various institutions, but in the end when you see the fact that 13 come from universities and the rest from tertiary institutions such as the Waikato, Wellington and Manukau Institute of Technologies, it reflects a strength of New Zealand student league in a wide geographic sense. The most southern selected player in the squad is Byron Curtis, a Southern Institute of Technology student based in Invercargill. It is the first time in more than a decade since a SIT student has been selected into a New Zealand Student league side, since Riki Ashwell competed at the 1999 Student World Cup, followed by a home series against Great Britain students the following year. The team will be coached by the successful 1999 Student World Cup winning coach, Trevor Clark. The fortnight long Student World Cup will be played in the English city of Leeds in late June and early July. Eight nations will be competing for the title. The New Zealand Universities and Tertiary Students World Cup squad is: Auckland University of Technology Troy Hanley Tony Manoa Richard Niu Derek Sitia Mosese Tuivoavoa Victoria University Bernard Gregorious Andrew Kaulave Saimon Lomaloma Andy McKay Waikato University of Technology Leigh Bristowe Marrian Haggie Carlos Kohu-Martin Nicholas Read Otago University Dexter Buchanan Shawn Gielen-Relph Tyler Schreurs Wellington Institute of Technology Kauri Aupouri Denzil Hokianga Timoti Noble Te Wnanga o Aotearoa Joel Freeman, Aaron Jolley Manakau Institute of Technology: Dominic Prasad Southern Institute of Technology: Byron Curtis Waikato University: Hamiora Mihaka

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