Congratulations to Tana Umaga and the boys from

Sir Peter Leitch’s
Newsletter 39
AT MT SMART STADIUM, HOME OF THE MIGHTY VODAFONE WARRIORS
11 SEPT 2013
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Congratulations to Tana Umaga and
the boys from Counties-Manukau.
You little beauties, that famous old rugby prize,
the Ranfurly Shield, finds a new home in Pukekohe
and South Auckland.
he Log of Wood, as the shield is known, is the most coveted
prize in provincial rugby and Counties have never held it before,
so I was as excited as a kid on Christmas morning when the
famous red, black and white hoops lifted it.
Now, I am no rugby scholar, but I can’t ever remember a time like this in the
Shield’s history. Otago take it off Waikato, Hawke’s Bay take it off Otago a
week later, and then Counties-Manukau take it off the Bay a week later.
I can tell you, even my dyed-in-the-wool league mates had a smile on their
faces. And that is just as well, because nothing we saw from the Vodafone
Warriors put one there. With everything to play for, a win keeping our hopes
of finals footy alive, we played like headless chickens to the extent that even
a committed defender of the boys like me had to admit we got what we
deserved – nothing.
In the end the 19-10 loss to the St George-Illawarra Dragons didn’t
matter, since the Newcastle Knights beat the Eels 54-6 and the Cowboys
sent my mate Benji Marshall out a loser, beating the Tigers 50-22. One
of those results would have had to have gone our way, anyway.
The result that impressed me though was the Penrith Panthers beating
Manly 38-26 to go out with a roar, rather than the whimper we went on.
So the Eels finish up with the wooden spoon, and let me tell you, that is a
tag no one wants. Our season might be over but there is still plenty of quality
footy to be had as the final eight face off to find their way into the Grand
Final, and of course the Vodafone Junior Warriors are into the play-offs
too.
You don’t always get what you want, and those of us who frequent Mt Smart
know all about that. But we can take a leaf out of Tana’s book. One of the
most outstanding All Blacks of his time and a dominant force in provincial
rugby with Wellington, he was never a Ranfurly Shield winner as a player.
And Counties-Manukau had never held the trophy in their entire existence,
which is not even as long as the famous prize has been being played for, yet
there they are, proof that every dog has its day, and an inspiration to me to
never quit on my Vodafone Warriors.
T
Out with a whimper
Needing a win to retain any chance of staying in the race, we were unable
to impose ourselves the way we had a week earlier against the Canberra
Raiders.
Tell the truth, the Dragons deserved to win.
It was tense after Manu Vatuvei’s 16th try of the season and Shaun
Johnson’s wide-angled conversion levelled it at 10-10 with 16 minutes to
play but the Dragons added a one-pointer, then two points from a penalty,
then a try at the death.
It was our 10th straight loss against St George Illawarra at WIN Stadium.
Elijah Taylor showed he will be missed when he takes the Penrith colours
nest season, scoring his eighth try of the season.
We finish 11 and 13
The Vodafone Warriors were forced to settle for a season that ended with
11 wins and 13 losses. It was a strong second half to our campaign but
ultimately the slow start proved too much of a hurdle. Another win or two
here and there – and there were plenty of opportunities – would have made
the world of difference.
Debut for Taukeiaho
Former Vodafone Junior Warrior Sio Siua Taukeiaho at least made his
NRL debut in the final game of the year. Great to see another Junior going
all the way. The 21-year-old is an Otara Scorpion, so one of the boys from
the hood! He became Vodafone Warrior No 184
Ton up for Jacob
The St George match had special significance for prop Jacob Lillyman,
who becomes the 22nd player to appear in 100 NRL matches for the
Vodafone Warriors, after beginning his NRL career with 62 appearances for
the Cowboys from 2003-2008. Last year young front rowers Ben Matulino
and Russell Packer also reached the 100-game mark.
Lillyman has regularly operated in tandem with Matulino from the interchange
since being converted into a full-time prop.
Big Sam stays
Sam Rapira’s week was topped off with confirmation his Vodafone
Warriors contract has been extended to the end of the 2015 NRL season.
The 26-year-old, off contract at the end of 2014, brought up his 150th
appearance against Canberra and again started in Wollongong.
Of the 2013 squad only Jerome Ropati (2003), Manu Vatuvei (2004) and
Simon Mannering (2005) started their careers with the Warriors before
Rapira made his debut as a 19-year-old in 2006.
After becoming the ninth member of the Vodafone Warriors’ 150-game
club, Rapira’s contract extension leaves him on track to join the elite group
of players who have appeared in 10 NRL seasons for the club - Stacey
Jones, Awen Guttenbeil, Lance Hohaia, Ropati and Vatuvei have
already qualified, while Mannering will do so next year, and Rapira in 2015.
The Vodafone Warriors Members’ night at Sky
City on Saturday was a beauty!
Over 100 members turned out!
And one lucky member who won a signed
Vodafone Warriors jersey at Skycity, was
Violet Oliver who has been a member since
day one. She was stoked !
“Thanks Peter had a great day all the way
from Christchurch. Regards, Di De Goldi”
PHOTOS ABOVE: Some of the happy fans at Skycity on
Saturday afternoon. We all had our Vodafone Warriors’
jerseys on at Sky City and were looking great.
Nikki Green, Susan Vujcich, and Violet Oliver had a great time
at the Warriors away function at Sky City.
Jason, from Reporoa (just out of Rotorua), and
Lorna, from England, having a great day at the
members’ function.
ABOVE: Dexter,
Amy, Janice
and Kevin at
the Warriors
Members
function at
Sky City.
Matt, Helina,
Stacey, Ariana,
and Norman,
all Club members,
enjoying the game
at Sky City.
John and wendy from tepuke who come up for every home game
it’s a 3 hour drive each way well done to them both.
Me, Amelia and Lady Janice.
Me and the Birthday Girl.
At Amelia’s Birthday Party
NZ League issue 3
OUT NOW!
Friday 11 October
at the Howick Club
SPEAKERS
LUNCH
Rugby Legend
JONAH LOMU
&
Comedian
MIKE KING
Bar opens 11.30am
Table of 10 $650 –
Single Ticket $65
Includes Lunch
A Great Little Magazine
that deserves our support.
Look out for it at your newstand!
For details phone
09 537 7100
or email
howick.club@xtra.co.nz
Juniors play Souths
The Vodafone Junior Warriors will begin their sixth consecutive NYC
finals campaign against the South Sydney Rabbitohs at ANZ Stadium
on Friday at 7.15pm NZT. The 2010-2011 NYC premiers – the only club
to make the finals all six years – assured themselves of finals football a
few weeks ago but missed out on the chance of finishing in the top four,
slumping to a disappointing 48-4 loss to St George on Saturday.
How it works
The finals formula this year splits the final eight into a top four and a
bottom four. Under the old system, first played eighth, second faced
seventh, third took on sixth and fourth met fifth.
This year first meets fourth and second takes on third. The winners get
a week off and go to week three of the finals.
In the bottom four, fifth plays eighth, and sixth faces seventh. The losers
are out, while the winners meet the losers of the top four games.
The Monty Betham Steps on the Green Charity Golf Day is back in 2013 to
celebrate another successful year of working in the community. Come and
join us for a fun day of golf at the beautiful Akarana Golf Course in Auckland.
1 in 12 New Zealand children are obese with one in five overweight and these
numbers are increasing. Obesity is one of today’s most blatantly visible, yet
most neglected, public health problems. It is a complex condition, with serious
health issues and serious social and psychological effects.
Steps for Life is making a positive change in families lives. With your support
and participation we can continue making a real difference for many more.
Schoolboys put on a show
After a 10-year wait, Kelston Boys High has claimed the New
Zealand Secondary Schools’ Rugby League Nationals title, with
a come-from-behind 26-18 win over Mt Albert Grammar. Kelston
reached the decider by eliminating Otahuhu in the semi-finals, while Mt
Albert caused the upset of the tournament with its second victory of the
year over St Paul’s.
Kelston was in its second big-time final, after losing to St Paul’s in the
College Rugby League competition’s Warriors Cup final last month.
In the Developing Schools’ final, Rotorua Boys’ scored four unanswered
tries to lead 24-0 at the break but St Thomas of Canterbury responded
with three tries of its own in the second, before losing 18-24.
Y
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CHECK BSITE!
NEW WE leitch.co.nz
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s
.
www
CONGRATULATIONS!!
http://www.stepsforlife.co.nz
To my old mate, Dexter Traill,
Traill,
who has now become a
Grandfather!
Deaker on Sport this week
features the Ranfurly Shield and NZ rugby legend Sir Colin Meads.
A player from the successful Counties team will be in the studio to talk about what it means for the Union
to finally win the Ranfurly Shield.
Then Sir Colin Meads will be in the studio to discuss all things rugby – especially the huge changes in
the modern game to when he played and some influential individuals from the 2 eras that have stood out
to him. We’ll also pull out a couple of stories that have been told about ‘Pinetree’ Meads over the years...
WEDNESDAY NIGHTS AT 8.30PM 0N SKY SPORT 2
This programme is repeated throughout the week. Check your SKY PROGRAMME for details
We may have lost, but we had fun, that’s for sure!
This young lady won a signed Vodafone Warriors’ ball at Skycity at the
members function.
Our MC on the day, Peter,
who is a dragons fan, wore
his Dragons’ jersey, so I put
a Vodafone bag over his
head to sort him out!
Here’s a few more
photos of the
Members’ Function
at Sky City on
Saturday.
The RUGBY LEAGUE
SHOP has a few signed
Wellington jerseys for sale
at only $200 each. Phone
Sonny now to grab one
on 021 509 917 or email
sonny@rugbyleagueshop.
co.nz
First in, first served!
rseys
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j
e
s
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are grea
ers
fundrais !
ity
for char
On Friday night I had the pleasure to meet Sophie Pascoe,
the Olympian; and what a lovely lady she is!
Hope you are enjoying the newsletter.
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