Sav's Sidelines: Will Ethan de Groot have a case to answer?
Sav's Sidelines - the weekly column that looks at Southland sport, from the grassroots to the professional ranks.
In this week’s Sav’s Sidelines column, I highlight how a Ethan de Groot incident has irked some online, I shine a light on a bit of school rugby, point to the next generation of rugby talent at Pirates-Old Boys, and pay tribute to Southland racing stalwart, and a friend of The Tribune.
Will Ethan de Groot have a case to answer?…
Highlanders and Southland Stags prop Ethan de Groot has irked a few in the online world over what some have gone as far as describing as a “grub act” during the Highlanders’ loss to the Crusaders on Friday night.
de Groot cleaned out a Crusaders lock Jamie Hannah in a ruck during the first half, and he appeared to have a second go at Hannah, leading with his head.
Nothing was made of it by the matchday officials as the game continued to play out, but some are now suggesting de Groot might still have a case to answer because of the “head-butt”.
You can view the incident yourself on the above video and make up your own mind.
The Southland Boys’ statement few might have predicted…
Many had one eye on the scores coming out of Alexandra on Saturday.
The Southland Boys’ High School first XV took on a Dunstan High School team that seven days earlier produced arguably the school’s most famous rugby moment.
It beat Otago Boys’ High School 22-19 in what was believed to be the first time it had done so in Dunedin.
Dunstan had quickly been dubbed the giant-killers of the Southern Regions Secondary Schools rugby competition, and its next target was Southland Boys’ High School in Alexandra on Saturday.
It was supposed to be a tense, tight showdown but what we got was a sublime statement from Southland Boys’ which firmed the Invercargill school further as competition favorites.
Southland Boys’ run in 11 tries to one in a 71-5 rout of Dunstan High School.
Wing Ezekiel Hammond-Siolo scored three tries, while first five-eighth Jimmy Taylor racked up 21 points, including a try and eight conversions.
Taylor missed the start of the season with a shoulder problem but has been back in action over the past fortnight.
Southland Boys’ second XV pushed the John McGlashan College first XV in a 28-21 loss on Saturday, while the Central Southland College first XV was beaten 35-17 by Waitaki Boys’ High School.
The Maruawai-Menzies combined team was beaten 53-17 by South Otago High School.
The next generation at Pirates-Old Boys…
The names Dyer, Thompson, and Te Tamaki are synonymous with ripping opposition teams apart with their attacking attributes in a Pirates-Old Boys jersey.
Greg Dyer, Jaye Thompson, and Isaac Te Tamaki have done that damage previously.
But on Saturday it was the next generation’s turn with the trio’s daughters all lining up for the Pirates-Old Boys Year 0-1 Rippa team in their clash against Woodlands at Woodlands.
Rest easy Searlo…
Long-time Southland racing reporter Jamie Searle sadly died on Thursday night.
For 36 years, Jamie worked at The Southland Times, with his byline a regular feature on the racing pages for most of those years.
In later years, he launched the Southland Thoroughbreds Facebook page and was also a regular contributor to this publication - The Southland Tribune.
I thank Jamie for that support, but more importantly, for being a friend.
Not long before Jamie’s death, I caught up with him and put together this article.
Jamie was humbled by the reaction to it.
His passion for Southland, racing, and the journalism industry shone through.
Rest easy Searlo.
