Utiku Out

Another season, another disjointed Tasman Tanning Premier consolation finals series.

Utiku Old Boys have defaulted their 6th vs 7th playoff game with Black Bull Liquor Pirates this afternoon at Spriggens Park.

WRFU club liaison officer Paul Kenny said Utiku informed the union that their group of English-born players who joined them for this season departed for home yesterday, and so they could no longer put out a full squad.

Kenny said Pirates were also struggling to put together a team for the post-season games.

This despite both clubs seemingly having enough depth if augmenting with players from their Senior teams, whose seasons are over.

"It was just a matter of who defaulted first," said Kenny.

"If you saw the [Pirates] team I had down for the programme, you wouldn't believe it."

Kenny said the status of the Premier consolation final at Cooks Gardens will now be up in the air, as he is encouraging Pirates to make sure they can front to play the game.

The other consolation semifinal between fifth placed Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau and eighth Harvey Round Motors Ratana will be going ahead as scheduled at the Country Club.

Ironically, last year it was bottom-of-the-table Kaierau who defaulted to fifth placed Utiku.

Also today, the Senior consolation final between Ruapehu and Marist Buffalos has been moved from Ohakune to Spriggens Park, with kickoff at 11am.

This was done by agreement with both clubs to allow the teams to play the match and then head in opposite directions to go support their Premier sides in their own semifinals as McCarthy's Transport Ruapehu play Waverley Harvesting Border in Waverley and Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist take on PGG Wrightson/Ballance Taihape at Memorial Park.