Club Rugby: Eastern-Northern Barbarians upset Marist

Friday, 31 May 2019

Marist loose forward Brad Whyte in action against Eastern Northern Barbarians at Gore. (File photo).

Marist's unbeaten run is over.

After racking up 10 straight wins in Southland's premier competition defending champions Marist met its match on Thursday night in Gore.

The Eastern-Northern Barbarians led Marist 9-7 at halftime before running out 24-12 winners in a performance which not surprisingly pleased coach Nathan Howden.

He was delighted with the effort shown throughout the 80 minutes and said the confidence within the team had grown.

* Southland Boys' High first XV tipped up by Otago Boys' High School

* Edendale Rugby Club's stats man set for 200-game milestone**

Young lock Albert Qoro again impressed for the Barbarians highlighting why he is part of the Stags' wider training setup.

Halfback Willie Short had his best game of the season, and the frontrow of Bill Christie, Rory McCall, and James Matheson yet again stood up to the occasion.

Every other team had tried and failed to beat Marist this season and the Barbarians' victory has lifted them into the top four of the Galbraith Shield competition.

Marist still sit clear at the top of the standings, but just five competition points separate second-placed Blues and Woodlands in fifth.

Pirates-Old Boys is in sixth spot on two competition points.

'You would be a brave man to try to pick the top four. Anyone can been anyone,' Howden said.

'Even Pirates-Old Boys, they are going to knock some teams over, I just hope its not us.'

Pirates-Old Boys has been bolstered in recent weeks with the inclusion of some new players, including Stags wing Isaac Te Tamaki.

They pushed Blues in the game played at the Les George Oval on Thursday night but came up short losing 10-0.

Blues led 7-0 at halftime and added just a single penalty to the scoring in the second half.

Thursday night's game marked the return of Stags halfback Jay Renton who lined up for Blues after recovering from a hip injury.

Although it was a case of one halfback in and one out for Blues with Oscar Kanfonoga suffering a season-ending injury in the game.

Star banked an important 23-14 victory over Woodlands in the game played at Woodlands on Saturday.

It was not just competition points at stake with the two teams squaring off for the Scruffy Butt Memorial Shield which Woodlands held before Thursday night.

In the Ack Soper Shield competition Wyndham continue to firm as favorites on the back of a 31-0 win over Waikaka on Thursday night.

Te Anau also recorded a 26-12 win over Riversdale, while Edendale grabbed a 29-19 win over Midlands.