Tawa Premiers rewarded for outstanding season at WRFU awards

2013 was momentous for the Tawa Premiers. In their 66-year history they had never won a major title until this season.

Winning just about every Wellington club rugby Premier trophy going - the Swindale Shield and Jubilee Cups, the Bill Brien challenge Trophy, the Andy Leslie Trophy and several interclub trophies -? the Tawa Premiers were a popular pick for this year’s Club Team of the Year at tonight’s end of season WRFU awards.

On a gloomy day at the start of June, Tawa clinched the Swindale Shield outright by drawing their final match with then defending Jubilee Cup champions Marist St Pat’s. Playing with explosive power and tremendous passion, Tawa lost just one game in the first round (8-9 to Poneke) and won notable victories over Petone (44-17), Norths (28-27), OBU (22-19), Ories (33-23) and HOBM (23-17).

Would they be reined in by the pack in the championship round? Most certainly not. Averaging almost 30 points a game in the middle of winter, they won five from seven and qualified top for the semi-finals. They breezed past OBU in their home playoff and then defeated Ories 26-21 in the Jubilee Cup final.

Tawa’s coaches, head coach Matthew Boyd and player-coach Steven So’oialo, who won the Player of the Final Jim Brown Memorial Medal, won the Club Coach of the Year award.

For the Team of the Year award, the Tawa Premiers beat out the Old Boys University Colts Green team that played through their season unbeaten scoring 508 points and conceding 167 en route to the John E Kelly Cup Division 1 final where they beat HOBM 28-12 and the Norths Women’s team that was undefeated all season and beat Ories 18-5 in the Victoria Tavern Trophy final at Porirua Park.

Hamish Mexted, who controlled the Jubilee Cup final between Tawa and Ories, was the Referee of the Year.

Poneke loose forward Sam Tui collected the Billy Wallace Trophy. Although his team didn’t make the playoffs, Tui wrapped up the 2013 Billy Wallace Best and Fairest competition at the conclusion of the 18-week round-robin season. Tui ahead of MSP halfback and former winner Peter Sciascia and Petone flanker Mateaki Kafatolu.

Wainuiomata’s Jimmy Millar won the WRFU Volunteer of the Year award.

Oriental-Rongotai wing Ambrose Curtis was the Most Promising Player of the Year. Curtis, who was sidelined throughout the club season with injury, returned to the field to make the Ricoh Wellington Lions ITM Cup side and was then selected for the New Zealand Sevens team. He scored two tries in the final of the IRB Gold Coast tournament. Blessed with power and blistering pace, a big rugby future beckons for Curtis.

Wellington Pride blindside flanker and Avalon club player Carol Sio was the Women’s Player of the Year.

Wainuiomata 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 Wainuiomata Senior 1 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.

Old Boys University and Wellington Lions midfielder Tim Bateman won the Wellington Rugby Supporters Club Player of the Year, awarded to the most valuable Vodafone Wellington Lions team player of the year, selected by the Wellington Rugby Supporters Club.

Hutt Old Boys Marist and Wellington Lions and Wellington U20 hooker James O’Reilly won the Al Keown Memorial Cup, awarded to the best performed rugby player in the 2013 Wellington Rugby Academy.

Old Boys University and Wellington U20 halfback Luke Campbell won the Ken Comber Memorial Cup, awarded to the 2013 Wellington Rugby Academy member who best embraces the Academy philosophy.

The representative Team, Coach and Player of the Year awards all went to the Ricoh Wellington Lions.

The Wellington Lions won 10 from 11 matches in reaching the ITM Cup final before losing to Canterbury in the home final at Westpac Stadium. They are the Team of the Year, ahead of the two U16 representative teams that won the Hurricanes region 16 A and B titles in the tournament at Ruatoria earlier this month.

Wellington Lions Head Coach Chris Boyd won the Representative Coach of the Year Award, beating out Wellington U16 A coach Justin Gray and Wellington U16 Development coach Tane Langdon-Lane.

Marist St. Pat’s and Wellington Lions captain and No. 8 Victor Vito was awarded the Player of the Year Award.

WRFU 2013 Awards winners at a glance:

Club Coach of the Year?
Matthew Boyd and Steve So’oialo – Tawa Premiers
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Club Team of the Year??
Tawa Premiers

Most Promising Player of the Year?????????
Ambrose Curtis – Oriental Rongotai / Ricoh Wellington Lions

Women’s Player of the Year
Carol Sio - Avalon / Wellington Pride

WRFU Volunteer of the Year????????????
Jimmy Millar – Wainuiomata
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Referee of the Year???????
Hamish Mexted

Representative Coach of the Year??????????
Chris Boyd – Ricoh Wellington Lions

Representative Team of the Year
Ricoh Wellington Lions
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Player of the Year
Victor Vito – Marist St Pats
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Junior Merit Award Trophy
Wainuiomata RFC

AJ Griffiths Memorial Trophy
Wainuiomata RFC

Sir William Perry Memorial Trophy
Hutt Old Boys Marist RFC

Dewar Shield
Old Boys University

Billy Wallace Memorial Trophy?? ?
Sam Tui - Poneke

Wellington Rugby Supporters Club Award
Tim Bateman

Al Keown Memorial Cup?? ?
James O’Reilly - Hutt Old Boys Marist

Ken Comber Memorial Cup
Luke Campbell - Old Boys University

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