Aug 23, 2007

Get along to North Harbour Stadium and back Your Boys, Your Team, as they take on Waikato in the biggest Ranfurly Shield defence of the season. This is OUR SHIELD, OUR HOME TURF and OUR DEFENCE so get behind the team and drown out those Mooloo bells. Kick off is at 7.35pm.

Twenty $100 bills and five $200 dinner vouchers are up for grabs courtesy of game day sponsors Easy Factors and Bracs Restaurant.

Make sure you’re part of the action!The ASB Lounge has sold out and the Grandstand is filling fast! Family pre purchase price from only $40.00. Purchase your tickets here from Ticketek

But wait, there’s more:
• Pucker up for the Spencer on Byron Kiss Cam and be in to win 2 nights luxury accommodation at Spencer on Byron, Takapuna Beach.
• Show your support by creating a Harbour banner and the best banner with the most enthusiastic fan will win $250 worth of NZRPG Gift Vouchers. (Be sure to include the NZRPG logo)
• Get a FREE Speights cap with every 4 Speights purchased. (First thousand in, first served)

Click here to see the QBE Insurance North Harbour 22 man side to play Waikato this weekend. GO HARBOUR!

KIDS ZONE ENTERTAINMENT AREA

Come down to the Stadium a little bit earlier this weekend and enjoy a break while your kids have a blast in the Kids Zone entertainment area. The all new Kids Zone is part of the Harbour Rugby Kids Club and will be open prior to kick off from 5.30 – 7.30pm on the oval behind the grandstand.

Click here to find out how your child can become a member of the Harbour Rugby Kids Club for 2007.

NORTH HARBOUR ALBANY
GRAND OPENING	Be at the Opening on Saturday 1st September at 2pm and win a Mazda SP-23* North Harbour Mazda Main Road, Albany Village PH 09 414 0770	SALES AND SERVICE
*Terms & Conditions Must be over the age of 21, Must have a full, clean drivers licence, No criminal convictions, Excludes staff members of North Harbour Ford & Mazda, Must be able to get insurance approval, Must be at the dealership at time of draw to win, Further terms & conditions apply.

CLUB AND SCHOOL CULTURE

­­The Under 19 Championship (NHRFU Cup) final was won by Marist defeating East Coast Bays 18-10. It was a very close game with a narrow lead to Marist of 5 nil at half time. The big Marist pack set the platform in the final 40 minutes to grind out a good win. In the Plate final (Navy Presidents Cup) Northcote beat North Shore 15-5 after both sides were drawn 5 all at half time.

The Under 85Kg finals saw Marist Black comfortably take the Championship (NHRFU Cup) 30-3 over perennial finalists Massey after a 3 all draw at half time. Marist Black’s flashy backs scored out wide in the second half to take the day. In the Plate final (NHRFU Cup) Northcote just shaded Silverdale 10-3 with a key converted try in the first half.

The Senior Second Championship (Ted Wilson Cup) was an all Massey fixture with Massey Red coming back from a 10-14 deficit to defeat Massey Gold 23-14. In the Plate (NHRFU Cup) Navy defeated East Coast Bays in a close game 17-0.

Womens Championship (NHRFU Cup) was won with a late try by Northcote 10-5 over the favourite and past champion side Massey after the game was drawn at half time 5 all.

For full club grade results click here

The Presidents grade finals day at Glenfield RFC was a good day for all concerned.

Junior club rugby J1-J6 Junior Knockout Tournament quarter finals went well at the various venues. The semi’s are this Saturday (25 August) and finals on 1 September. The J6 semi-finals will be the curtain-raiser to the Ranfurly Shield challenge by Waikato and commences at 6pm with Kumeu vs Marist and Massey vs Silverdale.

Click here for the J1-J6 Junior Knockout Tournament draw for 25 August

Get along and support your Junior knockout tournament teams this weekend!!

The North Harbour Secondary School finals were held Saturday 18 August 2007. Inclement weather during the preceding week meant some games were shifted from East Coast Bays Rugby Club Windsor Park to Freyberg Park Browns Bay.

These finals were notable for Takapuna Grammars first appearance in the First XV final since the inception of the North Harbour Union and Massey High School having an unprecedented 6 teams represented on finals day across the various grades.

The day at Windsor Park started with a rousing display in the 2nd Grade final with Rosmini College winning 11 – 7 over Massey High School. Rosmini were trailing 7-6 going into the dying minutes. A sweeping backline movement started just inside the Rosmini half was finished by winger Nicholas Russell scoring the winning try in the corner.

The 6th Grade game that followed was just as close with Westlake Boys High School winning 13 – 10 again over Massey High School. This game saw Massey High score first but Westlake battled away for the win in a close game.

At Freyberg Park the day commenced with the 7th Grade final with Westlake Boys High winning 11 -0 over Massey High School. Westlake were favourites to win their third 7th grade title in as many years, entering the final without a loss this season. They met a determined Massey side who had run them close in their previous 3 games during the year. Westlake dominated possession and territory for most of the first half, but looked unable to break the Massey defence, however late in the half, good mid-field defence from Westlake led to a turn over, allowing winger Alex Wiggin to run 50 metres to score untouched. The second half was much like the first, with both teams canceling each other out with spirited defence, with Westlake only able to score two penalties, the last, late in the half, putting the game beyond doubt.

The later game had another extremely close game with Rosmini College taking out the 3rd Grade championship 8-3 over Massey High School.

Massey High and Northcote College have dominated the Secondary School Girls competition over the past few years, with Northcote the 2006 champions and Massey winning in 2004 and 2005. In their previous two meetings this season, results have been a draw and a win to Massey, giving them a slight edge leading into the final. True to form Massey dominated early, with first-five Stevie Masiutama scoring two first half tries. Northcote came back to close the gap to 10 – 5 in a very even middle 20 minutes, however Massey put it beyond doubt when fullback Justine Manaia scooped up a loose ball to run 30 metres and scored under the posts with 5 minutes remaining. Despite conceding a late try to Northcote hooker, Ema Eki, Massey High School held on to win 17-12.

The remaining games were played at North Harbour Stadium. Westlake Boys High School 2nd XV won the repeat of last years 1st XV Bowl final beating Long Bay College 25 – 10.

The 1st XV Plate final was again won by last years winners Rangitoto College who scored two tries in their 19 – 3 win over Mahurangi College.

The 4th Grade was another see-saw game with Rosmini finally running out winners 15 – 8 over Westlake Boys High.

The 5th Grade final was played out on the main Stadium field with Orewa College taking on Westlake Boys High School. This was an extremely welled contested game played by two skillful and well drilled sides. Orewa led for most of the match and entered the last few minutes with a 7 – 6 lead. The defining moment coming late in the game resulting in a try to Westlake’s centre Jesse Paddock. Westlake won this one 13 – 7.

The 1st XV championship final was dominated early by Takapuna Grammar who took the lead with a Ben Blucher penalty. Massey eventually broke the well organized back line defence of Takapuna and left wing Fabian Tago scored the first try for Massey for them to take a 5-3 lead into half time.

Early in the second half Massey scored another try to half back Philip Tuigamala and extended their lead to 15- 3. With Takapuna Grammar down their Captain Josh Blucher was forced from the field with a hip injury mid way through the second half. This seemed to galvanise the Takapuna side who stormed back with two late tries to Ben Mune and Greg Pleasant-Tate. The match ending in a 15 all draw.

For full secondary school results for 18 August click here

NORTH HARBOUR MAORI COACHES

The Rakipaewhenua Maori Rugby Board are seeking nominations for coaches for the 2008 North Harbour Maori teams – Seniors, Colts and Women. The Maori representative teams will play pre-season fixtures in early February followed by Northern Region Maori fixtures in late February and early March with the tournament games to be held in Counties-Manukau. Nominations and enquiries to Chairman Jerry Norman 027 5750062 or Secretary Bungy Williams 021 979793.

SILVERDALE UNITED RUGBY COACHES + MANAGERS
2008 RUGBY SEASON

Nominations are now being sought for coaches + managers positions for Silverdale United Rugby Club for the 2008 season. Applications are being sought for Under 21’s, Under 19’s, Restricted, Senior 2nd’s and Presidents.
For all enquiries phone Director of Senior Rugby - Bus: (09) 426 6586 or A/h: (09) 426 7686.

Please post your CV to:
Silverdale URFC
P.O. Box 154, Silverdale
Or email to:silverdalerugby@xtra.co.nz

Applications close Friday 12th October 2007

GLENFIELD RUGBY UNION AND SPORTS CLUB - Kaipatiki Park, Glenfield

Applications are invited for Coaches and Managers for the following teams;
Premiers, Senior 1st, Senior 2nd, U21, U19, Restricted and Women’s 2008 season

Please post your CV to:
Secretary Glenfield Rugby Union and Sports Club
P.O. Box 40-181, Glenfield
Or email to:colin.ross@nzdf.mil.nz

Applications close Friday 14 September 2007

CONGRATULATIONS TO ROGER & LISA DUSTOW

Congratulations to QBE Insurance North Harbour hooker Roger Dustow and his wife Lisa on the arrival of their son. Rylan John Dustow was born on Thursday 23 August at 2.40am weighing 8 pound 11.