Mid Canterbury Combined’s Alex Roderick crashes over for the side’s only try against Shirley Boys’ High. Photo Robyn HoodA second half surge by Shirley Boys’ helped overpower Mid Canterbury Combined during their UC Championship clash in Ashburton at the weekend.

The Christchurch school ran out 43-7 winners after scoring 26 unanswered points in the second spell, as their big boys proceeded to dominate the physical battle.

“We ended up again letting the floodgates open to a very big and hard-hitting team,” head coach Shane Enright said in his post-match assessment.

Combined, backing up from an impressive performance against St Andrews a week earlier, were competitive in several areas, particularly at scrum time.

The team scrambled well on defence in the first half, and were immersed at the breakdown as they were able to operate with plenty of front foot ball.

However the home team struggled to go with Shirley as the game wore on, as the visitors found another gear to run in seven tries in the game, which was again played behind closed doors.

Again the team’s playing stocks were tested with Alex Barnaby, Sam Ree and Cade Whittaker unavailable for selection due to injury.

Shirley drew first blood after seven minutes, when halfback Sam Nicholls scored in the corner following a breakout from about halfway.

The lead extended to 10-0 when first five Jordan Soli broke the last line of defence in midfield, following a string of penalties and a concerted period on attack.

Mid Canterbury Combined however is a markedly improved outfit compared to earlier in the season, and were rewarded with a try after Michael Hennings went blind from an attacking position to send an inside ball to Alex Roderick, who dived over near the left-hand upright.

At 10-7, the battle for field position ensued, again an indication of the gains Combined have made by forcing the opposition into a more circumspect mode in attack.

Shirley’s set piece clicked into gear as halftime approached when they rumbled over from a lineout drive, making it 17-7 at halftime after the referee mistakenly went beyond the allotted 35 minute mark.

Combined continued to frustrate Shirley early in the second spell, often going on the charge through the middle of the visitors.

However Shirley went to their bench as they utilised their size advantage.

Replacement prop Jayden Horgan barged over as Combined struggled to keep the towering frontrower in check, and the gap opened up between the two sides.

“We were very much in the game, but the second half was a different story with them bringing their strong runners into play,” Enright said.

“The quick ball they produced, spinning it wide again caused us issues and allowed them some simple tries.”

With the game slipping away, unforced errors began to creep in to Combined’s game as Shirley intensified the pressure around the breakdown.

Openside Brodie Barsby’s try for Shirley effectively killed the game off as the visitors streaked out to 31-7.

The Mid Cantabrians were not without opportunities, however were unable to finish.

Classy Shirley centre Ethan Faitua notched up a spectacular second half double – the first following a clever chip in behind the defenders and a superb ranging run from lock Fin Ocheduszko-Brown before receiving the inside ball, and his second was a blazing 40-metre breakaway, as he outpaced Combined’s weary cover defence right in the shadows of full time.

“We were beaten by a better team, but we are learning and having a look at the squad,” Enright said.

“The silver lining this week was the chance to blood three more under-16 players.”

It gets no easier for the Spartans this weekend as they face the competition’s second-placed Christchurch Boys’ High in Christchurch.

By Adam Burns © The Ashburton Guardian - 25 August 2020

Getting a close-up look of the Watters Cup are Jonathan Watters (left) and Colin Morgan in Ashburton on Sunday. Photo Adam BurnsChasing family history.

The name Watters is held in high esteem in the rugby-mad Mid Canterbury.

It is of course the name of Mid Canterbury rugby’s showpiece trophy and remains the symbol of regional club supremacy.

Methven are the current holders of the cup after beating Rakaia in the senior club final three weeks ago.

However it has offered further reverence for a Waikane man who has been on a recent fact-finding excursion of his family history which led him to Ashburton at the weekend.

Jonathan Watters stopped off in the town as part of his family history travels, where he got up close and personal with the Watters Cup at Mid Canterbury Rugby headquarters.

The trophy is named after his grandfather, William Fitzgerald Watters.

“I had known about it, and I had believed that my grandfather was related to it,” he said.

However it was only in the past few weeks as he examined documents and made inquiries with the Mid Canterbury Rugby Union (MCRU) that his family connection to the trophy was verified for him.

“I didn’t know that my grandfather was so into sport,” he said.

“He was president here from 1922 to 1929 and saw that he donated the Watters Cup.

“There are family members who are desperate to catch up with all this information.”

The late Watters, who died in 1952 was a school teacher, who worked for some years as headmaster at the former Ashburton High School.

“It’s been bloody good,” he said. “I’ve been talking to people who know people who know people and so on. I’ve found out stuff that I never knew because I never met him.”

Jonathan’s grandfather passed away in 1952, a year before Jonathan was born.

Jonathan’s father William was also a house surgeon in Ashburton after he finished his studies at Otago.

As part of his research, Watters said he was attempting to track down a portrait of his grandfather painted by artist John Oakley.

It is understood that Ashburton College was conducting a search for the historical painting.

Watters said it was a massive source of pride that his family name was held in such high esteem in Mid Canterbury.

“You can’t take that history away.

“That cup has been around the traps.”

By Matt Markham © The Ashburton Guardian - 22 August 2020

Mid Canterbury Combined will be wanting a similar push against Shirley Boy’s High at Ashburton College today. Photo supplied.If one could magically bottle previous weeks’ performances it would probably be a fairly simple game.

However, undoubtedly the biggest test for Mid Canterbury Combined is channelling another big performance against another daunting opponent.

The Mid Cantabrians host Shirley Boys’ High in Ashburton today in what will be another significant challenge for the side.

The Christchurch school currently sits sixth on the ladder, and last week put Roncalli Aoraki Combined to the sword.

Unlike St Andrew’s last week, Shirley should be unburdened by faltering motivation levels as it looks to stay with the UC Championship frontrunners.

The irony of Mid Canterbury Combined’s brave display against a table-topping STAC side last week is that it put the competition on notice.

Which makes Shirley Boys’ that much more dangerous at Ashburton College today.

Last week’s 35-30 heartbreak at AshColl should renew confidence levels to significant heights for Combined, and the side will be wanting to recycle the things they did well in the game.

On the other side of the coin, the side should be wary of how they back up from an impressive performance.

Case and point is when Combined registered their first win of the season against Roncalli, only to be whacked by 70 points a week later by St Thomas.

By Adam Burns © The Ashburton Guardian - 22 August 2020