10 years of Press Cup History
WHY “THE PRESS CUP” AND HOW?
The concept gained approval in October 2000 and was quickly put in place once the schools identified as being likely parties to the idea had agreed to participate. That was instantaneous and the competition proposal and regulations were put to the schools and accepted in November 2000. The final ingredients of The Press Cup were confirmed in April 2001 and the first games were played at the start of the second school term 2001. The concept was also accepted by the Crusaders Franchise Board of Directors who considered it was a valuable development programme for the talented players coming through the schools’ system. The 12 schools that participated in the inaugural year were: Aranui H S, Christchurch B H S, Christ’s College, St Andrew’s College, St Bede’s College, Shirley B H S (Canterbury), Nelson Boys’ College, Waimea College (Nelson), Ashburton College, (Mid Canterbury), Timaru B H S (South Canterbury), Marlborough Boys’ College (Marlborough) and a combined team from West Coast High Schools (West Coast and Buller). Aranui H S was a new entry into secondary schools First XV rugby competition, but had a strong team of mainly rugby league players but wished to develop rugby union in their school.
FUNDING
The Press sponsorship included a cash sum in addition to naming rights. That sum was added to by the Crusaders’ Board and the funding was distributed on a travel based system according to the draw. The initial level of cash sponsorship has remained static throughout the first nine years. Remaining funding was the responsibility of each school participating. Mainland Sport, a gaming machine trust established initially to manage the gaming machines at the Holy Grail Hotel in Christchurch for the benefit of rugby union, primarily, in the Crusaders region was a source schools were encouraged to apply to for annual grants to meet the majority of their travel and accommodation costs. This has now become a fixed sum also which is distributed on the travel basis. Other fund raising was necessary with schools taking different views on how the extra funding was to be found – some by additional fund raising activities and some by a flat levy on the players (families).
THE DRAW
Every endeavour has been made to meet the requests for certain games to be played on certain dates. Up to 15 game requests in any one season have been fitted into draws. This requires a lengthy process to piece the puzzle together and produce a draw which is fair to all the teams. It was thought that once a suitable draw had been found it could be reversed (home and away) the following year but that has not been the case. The numbers changed when West Coast could not field a team in 2003, but were able to be reinstated in 2004 and 2005, but were out again in 2006 and back in from 2007 to the present time. Then Ashburton College faced difficulties in 2004 and a special agreement for “loan players” was reached to ensure the team continued throughout the season, but after getting through 2005 had to withdraw in 2006 and have not yet returned. At the end of 2004 schools wishing to become a part of the competition raised questions as to what they had to do to be included. At that time it was agreed by all participants that challenge regulations be formulated. These were agreed and three schools (Burnside H S, Roncalli College and St Thomas of Canterbury College) sought a place for 2005 – Burnside H S was successful in its two matches in a pre 2005 tournament and duly took its place in The Press Cup. The following year, 2006, Aranui H S withdrew from the competition (cost being the major factor) as did Ashburton and as St Thomas’ College was still keen to enter it duly took up one of the two vacant spots. Roncalli College did not apply again but Lincoln High School expressed interest and having been a successful team in its grade competition in 2005 was accepted as the second replacement team. Those have been the only additions and withdrawals from the competition although there have been queries from Motueka H S and Nayland College in the Nelson province and in recent times Rangiora H S has expressed interest. The challenge regulations provide that a team must qualify by winning its school competition or being the highest placed school team in its provincial age grade competitions and play off against the bottom placed team (if there is more than one as is the case in Canterbury and Nelson) and the game must be played three weeks prior to the succeeding season in which the challenging teams have qualified as a challenger, i.e. to ensure the teams play with the players who make up the team for the challenge will, in fact, be the players who will be available for the current season, not those Year 13 players who have left school. The initial draw had to be reviewed for a number of reasons after 2004 and a new draw was constructed for 2005. For the 2011 season a new format has been estbalished.The preliminary round sees teams split in two sections; The Northern teams comprising of St Thomas's, Waimea College, St Bede's College, Nelson College, Rangiora High School, St Andrew's College, Marlborough Boy's College and Nayland College.The Southern Section including Shirley Boy's High School, Timaru Boy's High School, Roncalli College, Christchurch Boy's High School, Ashburton College, Lincoln High School, Christ's College and Burnside High School.
THE MATCHES
In the second round, each team will play the other four teams they are yet to play. Results of games played between teams from the same section in the first round will carry through to the second round, i.e. their fixtures will not be repeated. Results will include competition standing points and points for and against.
DISCIPLINARY MATTERS
The sin bin has been used relatively little for foul play, most offences being since professional fouls have become punishable by use of the sin bin.
HAKAS
PROMOTION
A weekly report of matches played and items of interest has also been published by email from the Canterbury R F U office since the tournament’s inception. This has extended to a very wide database.
PLAYER DEVELOPMENT - HONOURS
All Blacks
Adam Thomson (Christchurch B H S) 2008 – 2009 Ben Franks (Aranui H S) 2008 Isaac Ross (Timaru B H S) 2009 Owen Franks (Christchurch B H S) 2009. Honours abound in other national teams. They are: Junior All Blacks Stephen Brett (Christchurch B H S) 2007, 2009 Ryan Crotty (Shirley B H S) 2009 Colin Slade (Christchurch B H S) 2009 N Z Maori Isaac Ross (Timaru B H S) 2008 Stephen Brett (Christchurch B H S) 2008 Tim Bateman (Christchurch B H S) 2008 N Z Divisional / Heartland XV Aaron Bancroft (Marlborough B C) 2005 Robbie Malneek (Nelson College) 2005 Hamish McKenzie (Timaru B H S) 2006, 2008 Jon Dampney (Ashburton College) 2008 Corey Simpson (Shirley B H S) 2008 N Z Sevens George Naoupu (Christchurch B H S) 2005 Nick Thomson (Christchurch B H S) 2006, 2007 Adam Thomson (Christchurch B H S) 2007 Steven Yates (Christchurch B H S) 2007, 2008 (Footnote: It is significant that in one match on the World Sevens circuit in 2007 the three players above, together with another former Christchurch B H S player, Afeleke Perenise, were on the field at one time). N Z Under 21 Ben Franks (Aranui H S) 2004, 2005 George Naoupu (Christchuirch B H S) 2004 James Ryan (Christ’s College) 2004 Mikaele Tuu’u (St Andrew’s College) 2004, 2005, 2006 Aaron Bancroft (Marlborough B C) 2005, 2006 Stephen Brett (Christchurch B H S) 2005, 2006 Marcel Cummings-Toone (Shirley B H S) 2005 Brett Mather (Shirley B H S) 2005 Peter Nixon (Christ’s College) 2005 Isaac Ross (Timaru B H S) 2005 Robbie Flynn (Shirley B H S) 2006 Matt Holloway (Christchurch B H S) 2006 Michael Paterson (Christ’s College) 2006 Josh Townsend (Christchurch B H S) 2006 Tim Bateman (Christchurch B H S) 2007 Owen Franks (Christchurch B H S) 2007 Colin Slade (Christchurch B H S) 2007 N Z Under 20 Ash Dixon (Christchurch B H S) 2008 Hugh Reed (Christchurch B H S) 2008 Quentin MacDonald (Marlborough B C) 2008 Ryan Crotty (Shirley B H S) 2008 Luikanasi Manu (Christchurch B H S) 2008 Hamish Cochrane (Marlborough B C) 2009 Elliot Dixon (St Bede’s College) 2009 Alex Ryan (St Bede’s College) 2009 Thomas Taylor (Burnside H S) 2009 N Z Under 19 James Ryan (Christ’s College) 2001, 2002 George Naoupu (Christchurch B H S) 2002 Aaron Bancroft (Marlborough B C) 2003, 2004 Marcel Cummings-Toone (Shirley B H S) 2003 Ben Franks (Aranui H S) 2003 Isaac Ross (Timaru B H S) 2003, 2004 Sam Giddens (Nelson College) 2003 M J Robertson-Tiueti (Marlborough B C) 2003 Adam Thomson (Christchurch B H S) 2003 Henry Johnstone (Timaru B H S) 2004 Josh Keys (Christchurch B H S) 2004 Michael Paterson (Christ’s College) 2004 Mikaele Tuu’u (St Andrew’s College) 2004 Tim Bateman (Christchurch B H S) 2005, 2006 Jonathon Direen (Christchurch B H S) 2005, 2006 Robbie Flynn (Shirley B H S) 2005 Brett Mather (Shirley B H S) 2005 Charles O’Connell (Christ’s College) 2005 Baydon Phillips (Christchurch B H S) 2005 Mason Pomare (Christchurch B H S) 2005, 2006 Nicholas Thomson (Christchurch B H S) 2005 Michael Coman (Waimea College) 2006 John Legge (Christchurch B H S) 2006 Hoani Matenga (Christchurch B H S) 2006 Colin Slade (Christchurch B H S) 2006 Ryan Crotty (Shirley B H S) 2007 Liukanasi Manu (Christchurch B H S) 2007 Quentin MacDonald (Marlborough B C) 2007 Rodney Ah You (Christchurch B H S0 2007 Ash Dixon (Christchurch B H S) 2007 N Z Secondary Schools Jonathon Poff (St Bede’s College) 2001 Michael Davis (Christ’s College) 2001 George Naoupu (Christchurch B H S) 2001 Aaron Bancroft (Marlborough B C) 2002 Tim Crooks (St Andrew’s College) 2002 Jeremy Manning (Marlborough Boys’ College) 2002 Marcel Cummings-Toone (Shirley B H S 2002 Aaron Bancroft (Marlborough B C) 2003 Jeremy Manning (Marlborough B C0 2003 Todd Nicholas (Marlborough B C) 2003 Michael Paterson (Christs’s College) 2003 Jonathon Direen (Christchurch B H S) 2004 Baydon Phillips (Christchurch B H S) 2004 Michael Coman (Waimea College) 2005 Owen Franks (Christchurch B H S) 2005 Liukanasi Manu (Christchurch B H S) 2005, 2006 Mason Pomare (Christchurch B H S) 2005 Hamish Cochrane (Marlborough B C) 2006 Ryan Crotty (Shirley B H S) 2006 Ash Dixon (Christchurch B H S) 2006 Quentin MacDonald (Marlborough B C) 2006 Tim Perry (St Andrew’s College) 2006 Hugh Reed (Christchurch B H S) 2006 Nick Anneear (Timaru B H S) 2007, 2008 Elliot Dixon (St Bede’s College) 2007 Jason Morgan (St Bede’s College) 2007 Michael Newman (Timaru B H S) 2007 Alex Ryan (St Bede’s College) 2007 James Hadfield (Nelson College) 2008 Rhys Llewellyn (St Bede’s College) 2008 Logan Taylor (St Bede’s College) 2008 N Z Kiwi Rugby League team Simon Mannering (Nelson College) 2007, 2008, 2009 Setaimata Sa (Shirley B H S) 2008, 2009 With such a large list of players having gained national honours it goes without saying that a great number more have represented their provincial age grade and Air New Zealand, Meads and Lochore Cup teams while others have transferred to other provinces achieve similar honours. That information is not all available to the writer so has been omitted from this summary. The information that is available is those players who have represented Rugby Super 12 and Super 14 teams, the Crusaders and the Highlanders. They are: Crusaders Steven Yates (Christchurch B H S) Stephen Brett (Christchurch B H S) Ben Franks (Aranui H S) Peter Nixon (Christ’s College) Michael Paterson (Christ’s College) Tim Bateman (Christchurch B H S) Isaac Ross (Timaru B H S) Liukanasi Manu (Christchurch B H S) Colin Slade (Christchurch B H S) Ryan Crotty (Shirley B H S) Owen Franks (Christchurch B H S) Jonathon Poff (St Bede’s College) Highlanders Aaron Bancroft (Marlborough B C) Adam Thompson (Christchurch B H S) George Naoupu (Christchurch B H S) Sean Romans (St Andrew’s College Brett Mather (Shirley B H S) Lucky Mulipola (Nelson College) A representative feat of note was Jeremy Manning (Marlborough B C) playing for Munster against the All Blacks in November 2008. TEAMS’ PERFORMANCES Christchurch BH S won the The Press Cup on the first six occasions (2001 – 2006), Nelson College won in 2007 and St Bede’s College in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The winners of The Press Plate have been St Bede’s College 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, Timaru B H S 2003, d St Andrew’s College 2007, 2008 and Marlborough Boys' College 2009, 2010. The winners of The Press Bowl have been Christ’s College 2002, 2004, Marlborough Boys’ College 2003, West Coast High Schools 2004 (draw with Christ’s College), St Andrew’s College 2005, Lincoln High School 2006, St Thomas’ College 2007, 2010 and Waimea College 2008. Most points in a season:798 - St Bedes 2010 Most tries in season:126 - St Bedes 2010 Most conversions in a season:75 - St Bedes 2010 Most penalty goals in a season:29 - Marlborough BC 2002 Most dropped goals in a season:5 - STAC 2003
INDIVIDUALS’ PERFORMANCES Most points in a season:236 - Marty McKenzie(Christ's College) - 2010 Most tries in a season:26 - Marty McKenzie(Christ's College) - 2010 Most conversions in a season:50 - James Lash (Nelson College)-2007 Most penalty goals in a season:29 - Jeremy Manning (Marlborough B C)-2002 Most dropped goals in a season:5 - Chris Lumsden (St Andrew’s College)-2003
CONCLUSION
With the tenth year coming up in 2010 it may be that it is time to take a good look at what has happened, how times have changed, if they have, and as with other competitions decide whether change is required to maintain and hopefully increase interest and support for what is seen as a high quality secondary schools’ product.
Warren Barberel Locationhttp://www.canterburycommunityrugby.co.nz/main/index.cfm/1,538,3092,0,html Copyright © CRFU 2012 |
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