Club Rugby: Emery brilliance keeps Barbarians' unbeaten record intact
Another week and another last-play thriller in Southland’s premier club rugby competition as the Eastern-Northern Barbarians kept its unbeaten record alive.
Another week and another last-play thriller in Southland’s premier club rugby competition as the Eastern-Northern Barbarians kept its unbeaten record alive with a thrilling win over Marist. Pirates-Old Boys and Woodlands also picked up victories in challenging conditions.
Logan Savory wraps up the happenings.
Marist has been offered up the highs and lows of sports emotional roller-coaster in the space of seven days.
After scoring an intercept try to beat Woodlands in the final act of their clash seven days earlier, the roles were flipped for Marist on Saturday.
Marist this time suffered its own last-play heartbreak in a 14-13 loss to the Eastern-Northern Barbarians at Miller St in Invercargill.
Down 13-7 with time up the Barbarians had lineout five metres from Marist’s try line.
They latched onto the lineout and produced a well-executed drive for replacement hooker Konor Chamberlin to score.
That however wasn’t the match-winning moment. It just set the stage for a bit of Levi Emery brilliance.
With the Barbarians still down 13-12 the replacement first five-eighth had the challenging task of landing the conversion in the last act of the contest.
From out wide, and with a tricky wind to contend with, Emery calmy slotted the match-winner much to the delight of the Barbarians players, management, and supporters.
The reaction that would be fitting for a Galbraith Shield final victory, and it simply highlighted the Barbarians’ eagerness to win and that it is a tight-knit unit.
The thrilling victory kept the country team’s unbeaten 2023 record intact.
“It’s a really good culture at the Babaas, they are really united. There was quite a big will to win in the end [on Saturday],” Taylor said.
As the first half played out it seemed inevitable that the Barbarians’ was going to lose its first game in 2023 and Marist was going to extend his record to six straight wins.
Marist scored early through Riley Hika and through the boot of Scott Eade extended the lead to 13-0 at halftime.
The Barbarians started to take charge in the second half as both possession and territory started to mount in their favour on a bleak Invercargill afternoon.
They first found some reward through a Brenton Howden try midway through the first half.
Despite wave after wave of attack, it took until that final lineout drive try for the next points to come.
The Emery conversion in the last act of the day was actually the first time the Barbarians led at any point in the game.
“If we had lost, I would have still been pretty happy with how we played in the second half,” Taylor said.
“But to nail that kick was pretty exhilarating. It was pretty cool, just reward for a lot of ticker.”
Marist will be hurting after that loss, but they can still remain confident they are genuine title contenders in 2023.
Marist again was extremely physical in another game which seemed to go up a notch in terms of intensity in club rugby.
Many of the forwards in both packs impressed on Saturday, and despite the conditions, there was at least a willingness to use the width.
Pirates-Old Boys’ new Japanese quartet were given a muddy introduction to Southland club rugby on Saturday in conditions that have been described as ‘horrendous’.
The four Toyota Verblitz players - Shunsuke Asaoka, Tamura Kaisei, Rintaro Muriyama, and Shuhei Yamaguchi - all made their first appearances in the 32-10 victory over Blues at Balmoral Dr on Saturday.
Prop Asaoka and fullback Muriyama started with Kaisei and Yamaguchi coming on at halfback and wing respectively.
Blues scored first to go up 7-0 and trailed just 12-10 lead at halftime.
However, played into the wind, and finding it difficult to get out of their own muddy end of the field in the second half, Blues weren’t able to push on to an upset victory.
Pirates-Old Boys scored 20 unanswered second-half points to claim victory and take another step closer to an almost certain semifinals spot.
“It was pretty horrendous the old field, but the boys dug in,” Pirates-Old Boys coach Ben McHugh said.
The Japanese players were quick to inquire after the game if Saturday’s boggy conditions would be normal during their Southland stay.
They were comforted after being told that Saturday would probably be as bad as it gets.
McHugh saw enough of the new recruits on Saturday, in difficult conditions, to suggest the Japanese players could be a real threat in Southland club rugby during the second half of the season.
“They looked dangerous every time they got it, to be fair. It was really good.
“[Asaoka] the prop, he scrummed really well, [Muriyama] was a standout in the backs, he got a couple of points in our MVP, he was really good.
“[Yamaguchi] looked good when he come on at wing, he just didn’t get too many opportunities, it was just so muddy by the end.
“The halfback [Kaisei] was brilliant when he came on, just with his clearance… I think they could be a handful for some teams.”
Loose forward Jabob Harrex was probably Pirates-Old Boys’ best in the win over Blues playing an important role carrying the ball on a tough day out.
Meanwhile, wing Michael Manson continues to be a shining light for Blues in another challenging loss.
Even in muddy conditions Manson looked for work and showed touches of his attacking threats during the first half at least.
He banked another couple of tries on Saturday.
Woodlands are back in the winners’ circle, and more importantly, are starting to welcome back some playing troops.
After setting the pace in the early rounds of the competition Woodlands had lost three straight games heading into Saturday’s showdown against Midlands in Winton Saturday.
Down 7-0 after a Lochie Earland try for Midlands Woodlands coach Richard Jones was well aware the Winton club provided a real banana-skin-type situation in greasy conditions.
However, Woodlands started to gain some control later in the first half and run in six tries in what turned out to be a comfortable 42-7 victory.
While Woodland has had a bit of a midseason slump there’s a feeling they will still be a big threat come the crunch stage as the defending champions welcome back some important assets.
Loose forward Blair Ryall impressed against Marist after returning from a nasty ankle injury but was limited to 40 minutes in that game.
On Saturday Ryall saw out a full 80min stint and again impressed carrying the ball well.
Prop Paula Latu has been away in recent weeks training with Moana Pasifika but returned on Saturday to line up against Midlands. He too impressed.
“He didn’t get to play [for Moana Pasifika] but he travelled with the team when they played against the Hurricanes and warmed up with them, so it’s really cool for him,” Jones said.
“He’s not too far away, he is in great nick and his energy for the group is real good.”
Halfback Liam Howley has also been missing but is close to a return in the coming weeks.
“Once we get a few more guys back we’ll get a bit more consistency, rather than chopping and changing guys.”
Woodlands’ next assignment will be a showdown with Star at Waverly Park on Saturday.
Star had the bye this weekend.
Division One
Pioneer 19, Wyndham 18
Tokanui 7, Edendale 0
Waikaka/Riversdale 60, Te Anau 33
Drummond-Limehills-Star 17, Albion 10
Division Two
(CJ Soper Memorial)
Waiau Star 62, Pioneer 0
Riverton 21, Waikiwi 7
Mossburn 20 - Bluff 18
(Life Members Trophy)
Woodlands 20, Midlands 12
Pirates Old Boys 36, Blues 15
Marist 22, Wakatipu 20
Senior Women
Midlands 46, Pioneer 20
Marist 63, Wakatipu 10