Busy schedule ahead for Centurions

Above: Wearing their distinctive club colours, the Centurions U18 team shakes hands with the visiting East Coast U18s after their match last weekend at the Petone Recreation Ground.

UPDATED: While the 2014 rugby season is winding down for many clubs it's getting busy for the Centurions Rugby Football Club, with two teams taking the field over the next few weeks and the club's 75th anniversary celebrations just around the corner.

This year the Centurions club is fielding an U85 kg side as well as an U18 one, with both teams set to be in action next Saturday when the U85 kg team takes the field for a one-off match against North Harbour on neutral territory in Taupo.

This Saturday, the Centurions U18s are in action in their third match of the season, travelling to Palmerston North to take on Hawke's Bay U18 as part of the Hurricanes U18 competition.

The Centurions U18s have had two fixtures so far, losing to a tough forwards-dominated Taranaki Secondary Schools side 17-32 and then beating the East Coast U18s 71-9 at the Petone Recreation Ground. They brought an added intensity and passion to the clash with East Coast and scored 10 tries, scored by eight different players.

They play Hawke's Bay this Saturday and then Wairarapa Bush U18 at Porirua Park the following Saturday, ahead of a possible, yet to be confirmed, additional round on 4 October owing to Poverty Bay's withdrawal and a re-scheduling of the Hurricanes U18 tournament draw.

The Centurions U85 kg match next Saturday, 27 September, in Taupo has been organised in lieu of the New Zealand Barbarians U85 kg tournament, which has been re-organised as a biannual event starting in 2015. It is hoped that this fixture against North Harbour will be held in non-tournament years on a regular basis.

The U85kg team comprises a mix of seasoned U85 kg grade players, some experienced senior1/Premier players and a few young guns thrown in.

Selections came from nomination requests to all clubs and the side was picked by the panel of Hamish Vance, Mick Reedy, Andrew Robinson, Greg Halford and Ian Tulloch. The very successful MSP Blues coach Robinson and OBU's Tulloch are the Centurions U85kg coaches.

The North Harbour team will have played four representative games before playing the Centurions. So far they have beaten North Wairoa 20-12 and Waikato 25-9 and lost to a strong Auckland side 14-6 last weekend in terrible conditions. They are scheduled to play Thames Valley this Saturday.

This season also celebrates the 75th year of the Centurions RFC, with several events lined up with the Ricoh Wellington Lions.

Coinciding with the WRFU Club Day on 5 October, the Centurions club is holding a member's luncheon at Westpac Stadium and two Lions players will be wearing Centurions club socks.

On 9 October they are having a Centurions Club and family BBQ with the Lions at Rugby League Park.

Coinciding with the WRFU Old Timers' Day on 11 October the Lions will all wear Centurions socks, while other events are being discussed, to be confirmed, such as a guard of honour for the Lions when they take the field.

One or both of these matches, against Taranaki on 5 October and North Harbour on 11 October are possible Ranfurly Shield defences, should the Lions get to challenge current holders Hawke's Bay on 1 October.

The Centurions U85 kg team to play North Harbour is (subject to change):

1. Sam Duncan (MSP), 2. Nic Patterson (MSP), 3. Ross McIsaac (MSP), 4. Jack Coles (Petone), 5. Bill Drummond (Eastbourne), 6. Steve Lack (MSP), 7. James McQuin Tan (Poneke), 8. Jordan Wilson (MSP), 9. Corey Draper (Wainuiomata), 10. Chris Thompson (Poneke), 11. Matt Jackett (Avalon), 12.Tony Natoli (Tawa), 13. Kupa Higgott (Waikanae), 14. Jason Love (Wainuiomata), 15. Tim Mowbray (OBU) RESERVES: 16. Jared Martinovich (OBU), 17. Gareth Stokes (MSP), 18. Joel Taylor(OBU), 19. Dan Berry (Wellington), 20. Declan Hay (MSP), 21. Zac Nichols (MSP), 22. Korey Skipper (MSP)

About the Centurions RFC

The Centurions Rugby Football Club has been in Wellington since its formation in 1939. Its membership of almost 300 is made up of people who love the game of rugby union and who have excelled as players, referees, coaches or administrators. This membership represents a huge resource of rugby experience and talent which can be used by rugby clubs and secondary schools in the WRFU area. The Centurions club has always been active in the Wellington rugby scene but since the rise of professional rugby its attention has been increasingly focused on young players between 14 and 19 years old. The club aims to boost enthusiasm among young players of all standards, including the ones who are keen on the game but who do not make the top youth teams and are therefore in danger of losing enthusiasm and even quitting the game. The Club is probably best known for its games against School First XV's and also for its Wellington Centurions Secondary Schools Team.