Primary rugby side clean up

The Marlborough under-52kg primary school rugby side cut a swathe through the annual Seddon Shield tournament in Motueka, winning all their matches in fine style.

In total, they scored 261 points and conceded just 24 as they swept aside all four top-of-the-south rivals.

The event, widely-acknowledged as the country’s longest-running rugby tournament, began on Monday, with Marlborough beating West Coast 87-5 first up. On Tuesday they accounted for Golden Bay Motueka 60-12, then raced past Buller 74-0 on Wednesday. After a bye on Thursday, the Red Devils took on a similarly-unbeaten Nelson side today, coming away with a decisive 40-7 victory to claim the coveted shield for the third consecutive year, after sharing it with Nelson in 2021.

Marlborough coach Glenn Blackmore put the team’s success down to their culture and team environment.

“That was the big thing, it is amazing how far that gets you in these tournaments,” he suggested. “Having the guys together for a week in the same accommodation really binds them together.

“We had some great individual performances, but overall the guys gelled really well.”

On the back of their dominance, nine of the Marlborough players were chosen in the tournament team. Player of the tournament was halfback Marshall Coles, who was selected along with prop Fionn Heagney, hooker Theo Large, prop Zavier McDonald, lock Phoenix St George, loosie AJ Moli, No 8 Cooper Murray, first five Tom Heagney and midfielder Jade Joseph.

The Marlborough team comprised: Fionn Heagney, Theo Large, Zavier McDonald, Thomas Andrews, Phoenix St George, Andrew Moli, Adam van Gruenen, Cooper Murray, Marshall Coles, Tom Heagney, Louis Hickman, Jade Joseph, Cyrus Prestage, Jack Wickens, Ash Murrell, Chey Wirepa, Tom Dunne, Toby Rose, Harry Robertson, Dylan Gifford. Management: Glenn Blackmore, Paddy Dowling, Kieran Hickman.

Next year the tournament will be staged in Blenheim.