Club Rugby: Galbraith Shield glory at stake at Rugby Park

Thursday, 11 July 2019

Star and Blues captains before Saturday's Galbraith Shield club rugby final.

The Galbraith Shield can be an elusive piece of wood.

Micheal Peterson has been lining up in Southland's premier club rugby competition since 2007 in attempt to get his hands on the Galbraith Shield, but has yet to be able to do so.

The 30-year-old prop has racked up over 150 games for Blues and was now within just one win away from ticking the Galbraith Shield off his to-do list.

Star captain Brayden Mitchell, left, and Blues captain Micheal Peterson with the Galbraith Shield at Rugby Park in the lead up to Saturday's Southland premier club rugby final.

Peterson will captain Blues in Saturday's 2019 Galbraith Shield final against Star.

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It will be just his second final after also lining up in the 2012 decider which Blues lost 37-17 to Woodlands.

Peterson said the pursuit of Southland club rugby's ultimate prize remained just as special now as it did when he first started out playing for the Blues premier team in 2007.

'It is a huge thing for us, even the young guys in the team are up for it. We can't wait to get stuck in,' Peterson said.

Blues booked its spot in the final on the back of a 15-8 semifinal win over the Eastern-Northern Barbarians, while Star upset defending champions Marist 34-20 in the other semifinal.

Star captain Brayden Mitchell said its motivation heading into Saturday's final centred outside the playing group.

'We've had quite a few life members of Star die this year and it would be awesome to get the Galbraith Shield for them and bring it back to the club.

'I'm sure it would make a lot of people happy,' Mitchell said.

Star will be without one of its key players on Saturday after lock Manaaki Selby-Rickit underwent back surgery on Wednesday.

Peterson expected Blues would be at full strength for the final.

Saturday's final will played at Rugby Park with kick-off at 2.30pm.

Another mouth-watering final is in store at Wyndham on Saturday when Wyndham hosts Midlands in the Ack Soper Shield final.

Wyndham beat Te Anau to advance to the final with Midlands toppling Edendale.

The winner will be the first club to etch its name on the shield given 2019 was the first season the Ack Soper Shield has been played for.