Mainland sports wrap: Ex-Warriors forward a premiership winner at 44; First XV heavyweight showdowns; 38-year drought over for old country club

Welcome to the first instalment of what will become a regular weekly South Island sports column for The New Zealand Herald, with a focus on clubs, schools, representative teams and matches across all sports and from across the Mainland. Today, senior journalist Mike Thorpe speaks to an ex-Warriors forward who is a grand final winner at 44, two tantalising First XV showdowns, and a drought-breaking run for one of Canterbury’s oldest clubs.

Panther, Warrior... Winner.

Corey Lawrie doesn’t hesitate to describe how his body is feeling just 48 hours after guiding the Hornby Panthers to grand final glory on Sunday.

“How’s the body feeling? 85-years old! Old and decrepit,” he says.

He’s a long way off that mark – but at 44 he’s well beyond veteran status.

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The former NZ Warriors forward and his young teammates withstood a spirited challenge from staunch rivals the Halswell Hornets in the Canterbury Rugby League premiership grand final in Christchurch on Sunday after going into halftime leading 20-0.

Corey Lawrie in action for Hornby Panthers against Halswell Hornets. Photo / JME Photography

“We got that lead and almost threw it away... It was a long last 15 minutes, put it that way.”

Having elected to run towards their supporters’ end for the second half, the Panthers spent much of it on their own goal line.

“We just heard the Halswell supporters bagging us the whole 40 minutes of the second half at that end.”

Hornby Panthers player and Halswell Hornets supporters share a moment. Photo / JME Photography

For Lawrie, the victory was made even sweeter with the final being his brother’s swansong as coach.

“That was more special for me than anything, I think. I wasn’t even going to play this year really. I was coaching the Bs and told our boys if Jed (his brother) needs you - you say yes, you don’t really have a choice. So Jed needed me and I suited up and I’m pretty happy now, pretty happy I said yes.”

Jed and Corey Lawrie. Photo / JME Photography

The 20-18 win ranks high in a career that spans more games than Lawrie can put a number on.

“The Warriors debut running through the tunnel was pretty emotional, ‘21 when we won it after quite a few losses was up there... And this, probably my top three moments of my footy career.”

Naturally, the Panthers kept their Mad Monday celebrations local.

“We were at the Swamp (Islington Tavern) from 10am until... I think I rocked home at 10pm so she was a big old shift but our boys are usually pretty good, there was a lot of celebrating. The highs and lows of a bender!”

As for next year, plans are in place for Corey Lawrie to swap his boots for a clipboard - taking the coaching reins from his brother Jed.

“I’ll put in and see if I get it. I think it’s a bit more stressful than playing.”

First XV finals

And then there were four.

The Mainland’s top First XVs will battle it out at opposite ends of the island this weekend.

CBHS First XV preparing for the Premiership final again Nelson College this weekend. Photo / George Heard

Nelson College play host to Christchurch Boys’ High School in the Crusaders region final while King’s High School (Dunedin) make the trip to Invercargill to take on Southland Boys’ High School in the Highlanders final.

SBHS are the reigning national champions and remain on course to defend the title they won for the first time last year.

“We’d like to go back to Top 4, that’s always our goal to be the best in the South Island - but there’s a couple of sharp sides floating around this year,” says SBHS head coach Jason Dermody.

Dermody knows there’s still plenty of work before they book their tickets to the national finals - the Top 4.

“Nelson looks like they’re going really good so if we’re lucky enough to get there they’ll be tough and never underestimate Christchurch Boys’ either,” he says.

But first, they’ll need to deal with a King’s High School side that has given them plenty to think about already this season.

“We’ve played two games against them and they’ve both been tight battles actually.”

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Winning close contests has been a feature of Dermody’s side in recent seasons. Their championship run in 2023 saw them roll Christchurch Boys’ High School (29-28), Palmerston North Boys’ High School (20-19) and then Westlake Boys’ High School (32-29) by the narrowest of margins.

“We just grind out tough wins - the boys know how to play tough. Sometimes it’s not pretty but they know how to win ugly which good teams do and get you across the line.”

Dermody accepts that his team will claim the favourites tag this weekend.

“Home ground advantage is big. Home crowd - not having to travel, sort of what we play for all season, like every game is big because we want to be top qualifier to get a home advantage.”

But King’s coach Dean Moeahu knows his team has as good a chance as anyone of toppling the champs.

“They won’t fear us - but they’ll give us the respect that I think we’re due.”

The Dunedin school has been desperately close in both of their encounters this season.

“We lost to them in the inter-school by four and then we lost in the round-robin by three,” Moeahu says.

“Both of those games we’ve played exceptionally well - and we’ve gone down. So, I suppose the goal is to play better for longer - to give ourselves more of a sniff.”

History beckons - but Moeahu’s unsure just how long it’s been since King’s last reigned in the Highlanders competition.

“I don’t even think anyone knows. Like, I know the last time we were in a final was in 2020. I think ‘96 was the last time at Top 4.”

Players to watch

Dermody is full of praise for his big boys up front.

“Our two front rowers (Thomas Jennings and Presley McHugh) are playing really good rugby this year. It’s not usually your front rowers winning you rugby games but they’ve been massive this year.”

Dermody has also been impressed with 17-year-old pivot Mika Muliaina.

“He’s getting better and better. Starting to mature into a good 10, a really good kicking game. Puts the ball into the right areas of the field which is massive at First XV rugby.”

For King’s, Moeahu points to his loose forwards.

“Year 13 player Jake Palmer - a blindside flanker, Montell Penese our openside ... probably Southland style players, ironically. Roll their sleeves up and go to work on both sides of the ball and they’re not afraid to get dirty.”

The Freeman Roofing Southern Schools Rugby Championship kicks off at 2pm on Saturday at Les George Oval, Invercargill.

Crusaders region final - revenge game

It’s a heavyweight clash to decide the champions in the Crusaders region – and a repeat of the 2023 final.

Undefeated so far, Nelson College is looking to reverse the result from last year and will start slight favourites after emerging victorious from their round one battle.

“We got the better of that one (30-19) but they’re two very even teams.”

Coach Jono Phillips is in his last year with the side, having overseen an impressive run of making five finals in six years.

“It’s been a great six-year journey and these boys I’ve been with since they were Year 9 so it’s been fantastic to watch them grow and develop as rugby players and young men.”

Phillips has been conscious of developing depth in his squad throughout his tenure – and his 2024 squad is bearing the fruits of that foresight.

“Four or five of the boys first played First XV in their year 11 so there’s a lot of experience through the group.”

CBHS First XV Captain Josh Findlay (right) says his side is "fizzing" ahead of the Crusaders region final. Photo / George Heard

There’s plenty of experience in the CBHS set-up as well – not least of all, long-serving head coach Rhys Archibald.

“We’re actually going up on Thursday to Blenheim to break down the trip so that we’re not doing it all on Friday.”

Archibald’s side is fully focused on an opposition that handed them their only defeat of the season.

“They’ve got really good ball-carrying forwards and they’ve got a really good first five that runs the ship for them, steers them around the park. He’s also a bloody good attacking player that boy (Harrison Inch), he attacks the line really well.”

Archibald, like Phillips, is in his final year in charge of the team. One of those men will coach their final game for their respective sides this weekend.

“I’ve been doing it for a long time now and it’s time for a new direction, really.”

CBHS First XV Head Coach Rhys Archibald. Photo / George Heard

Players to watch

Phillips doesn’t hesitate to mention blockbusting loose forward Saumaki Saumaki, who has been skittling defenders all year.

“He’s developing really, really well and obviously has a lot of interest around him.”

In the driver’s seat, Harrison Inch has shown deft touches and sound rugby acumen.

“He’s our captain, first five. He’s a strong leader for us and plays really well.”

“Other players of note I guess would be Kobe Brownlee our 7, Fanua Fa’avae our 13 and Jimmy West our 12.”

Archibald believes his loose-forward trio will be at the heart of their success.

“Our loosies are a bit younger than theirs, we’ve got a year 11 on the openside (Jonty Leary) and a year 12 at Number 8 (Blake Robinson). They’ve got really great work rates along with our 6 (Mac McLaughlin-Forbes) and they’ll get stuck in.”

The Miles Toyota Premiership Final kicks off at 11am on Saturday at Nelson College, Nelson.

Surprise winners

First XV Championship finalists Rangiora High School don’t yet have their hands on the Championship title - but they are already assured of promotion to next year’s Premiership and that was decided before they’d even kicked off their semi-final.

“We didn’t know that it was on the round robin, we kind of assumed that you had win the whole thing, so we’ve been targeting this week.” says head coach Glen Wiki.

Rangiora High finished on top of the table after round-robin, going unbeaten across the competition.

“We weren’t even sure we were going to have enough numbers for a First XV at the start of the year.”

Wiki and his senior leadership group kept the information to themselves until after the side completed their knockout win over Waimea College 23-12. Wild celebrations ensued.

The drought is over

History repeats... eventually. The long drought is over for the Sheffield Rugby Football Club with a flood of trophies over the past few weeks.

One of the oldest and smallest clubs in the Ellesmere competition, Sheffield hadn’t seen a single glimmer of silverware in 38 years.

The junior boys (U14.5) side ended that barren run, lifting the Ellesmere / Mid Canterbury Combined title and then the Ellesmere trophy in the space of 14 days to complete an undefeated season.

When it rains it pours – the Sheffield Year 8 (U13) side also collected the Ellesmere title on finals day at West Melton.

Sheffield’s junior boys team collecting the Ellesmere Shield that the club last won in 1977. Photo / Supplied