Old Boys University Green wins Club Team of the Year

Club Rugby | 31 October 2014 | Steven White

The Old Boys University Green side dominated their grade in 2014, and they were deserved winners of the club Team of the Year award at the union’s awards held tonight.

In beating rivals Hutt Old Boys Marist Green 35-8 in the John E Kelly Cup Memorial Cup Colts final at the start of August, OBU Green won the Division 1 U21 grade for the third year in succession and registered their 35th straight win going back to 2012.

Earlier this season, OBU Green swept to the first round Paris Memorial Trophy U21 title by scoring 241 points and conceding 54. In seven round-robin games in the second round, the on fire Junior Goats scored 303 points and let in 76 before putting 50 points on Petone Blue in their semi-final and then beating HOBM in the final.?

For the Club Team of the Year Award OBU Green beat out the Ories women’s team, who won the first and second round Women’s competition titles, and the Hutt Old Boys Marist Premiers, who won the Jubilee Cup.

Marist St Pat’s Blues U85kg coach Andrew Robinson was recognised for his terrific work in preparing his side to their defence of both the first round JC Bowl and second round Paul Potiki Shield U85kg Division 1 titles. In beating the Tawa Titans 6-3 in the second round final, the MSP Blues won their fifth straight title.?

The MSP Blues won all their 19 competition matches in 2014, scoring 665 points and conceding 112.?

Other Club Coach of the Year nominees were Lui Aukuso (Ories Women) and Matt Lee (HOBM Premiers).

Hutt Old Boys Marist won the Junior Merit Award Trophy, awarded to the club with the highest average aggregate points per game awarded by referees in club matches.

The Johnsonville Colts team won the A J Griffiths Memorial Trophy, awarded to the team with the highest average aggregate points per game awarded by referees in club matches.

Hutt Old Boys Marist won the Sir William Perry Memorial Trophy, awarded to the club with the highest average of championship points per team.

Old Boys University won the Dewar Shield, awarded to the club scoring the highest aggregate of championship points in all grades.

Wainuiomata No. 8 Ben Tupuola collected the Billy Wallace Best & Fairest award, as decided on a 3, 2 and 1 points basis by newspaper reporters throughout the season. Tupuola won this award a week before his side featured in their maiden Jubilee Cup final against HOBM.

Petone and Wellington Lions captain Brad Shields won the Wellington Rugby Supporters Club Player of the Year, awarded to the most valuable Wellington Lions team player of the year, selected by the Wellington Rugby Supporters Club. Shields also won the overall Player of the Year award.?

Northern United, Wellington U19s and Wellington Lions hooker Leni Apisai won the Al Keown Memorial Cup, awarded to the best performed rugby player in the 2013 Wellington Rugby Academy.

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Apisai came a long way in 2014. Just several months out of school at Wellington College, he played for the Wellington Lions, aged 18. He played a handful of Premier club games for Norths in 2014, before getting the call-up to the Wellington XV and made his full Wellington debut against Manawatu in a pre-season match at the start of August 2014. Injured for several weeks, he came back to play for the Wellington U19s at the national tournament and helped them win the title.?

Old Boys University and Wellington U19 captain and halfback Luke Campbell won the Ken Comber Memorial Cup, awarded to the 2014 Wellington Rugby Academy member who best embraces the Academy philosophy. Campbell won this last year as well.?

Hutt Old Boys Marist, Wellington U19 and Wellington Lions wing-first five-eighth Chase Tiatia was the Most Promising Player of the Year. A brilliant season by the first year school leaver, Tiatia scored 18 tries for HOBM Premiers this year, including a double on debut in the pre-season Spillane tournament and at least one try against every side he was played. Tiatia's acceleration, quick footwork and intelligence saw him quickly become one of the most exciting players in the competition. After prematurely debuting for the Wellington Lions in the ITM Cup he was a key cog in the Wellington U19s winning team at their national tournament in Taupo.?

Oriental-Rongotai and Wellington Pride first five-eighth and fullback Elizabeth Goulden was the Women’s Player of the Year. At club level, Goulden Scored 74 points in five games in the first round Fleurs Trophy and 109 points in second round Victoria Tavern Trophy, playing predominantly at fullback. A swift counter attacker and a safe pair of hands, Goulden was the Pride’s first choice pivot in the Women’s NPC, and was the competition’s fifth highest points scorer with 59 points.

The Wellington U19s beat out the Wellington Sevens team and the Wellington U18s for the 2014 Representative Team of the Year

The Junior Lions provided a bright light in a difficult season for their Senior ITM Cup counterparts, winning the inaugural National U19 tournament in Taupo.

The Wellington U19s went to Taupo with high hopes after defeating the Bay of Plenty U19s 60-12 (pre-season), and Manawatu 33-15, Taranaki 25-20 and Hawke's Bay 67-0 on consecutive weekends in the lower North Island qualifiers.?

On arrival in Taupo they dispatched North Harbour 46-0 and held off Auckland 19-15, setting up a final with Canterbury. The Junior Lions lifted the inaugural Graham Mourie Trophy with a convincing four tries to two 32-21 victory, pulling clear after leading 10-6 at the break.

The Wellington U19s Head Coach Clayton McMillan was named as the Representative Coach of the Year.?

Ben O’Keeffe, who controlled the Jubilee Cup final between HOBM and Wainuiomata, was the Referee of the Year.?

Mike Dilnott, representing the Wellington Referees Association, won the WRFU Volunteer of the Year award. Mike Copeland (OBU) and Robin Dodd (Poneke) were the other nominees in this category.

A special award was also presented to Scots College for their phenomenal season, while recently retired referee Garratt Williamson received a special award for his contribution to the whistle.

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Junior Merit Award Trophy – Hutt Old Boys Marist RFC

AJ Griffiths Memorial Trophy – Johnsonville RFC Colts

Sir William Perry Memorial Trophy - Hutt Old Boys Marist RFC

Dewar Shield - College Old Boys –Victoria University

Club Coach of the Year – Andrew Robinson (Marist St Pats U85kg Blues)

Club Team of the Year – College Old Boys-Victoria University RFC Colts Green

Billy Wallace Memorial Trophy – Ben Tupuola (Wainuiomata)

Wellington Rugby Supporters Club Award – Brad Shields

Al Keown Memorial Cup – Leni Apisai

Ken Comber Memorial Cup - Luke Campbell

Most Promising Player of the Year – Chase Tiatia

Women’s Player of the Year – Elizabeth Goulden

Dominion Post WRFU Volunteer of the Year - Michael Dilnott

Referee of the Year – Ben O’Keeffe

Representative Coach of the Year – Clayton McMillan (Wellington U19)

Representative Team of the Year – Wellington U19

Player of the Year – Brad Shields