TRILLO METALS CANTERBURY BULLS MEN’S PRIMED FOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL SHOWDOWN WITH WELLINGTON
The Trillo Metals Canterbury Bulls Men’s team has gone from strength to strength in taking out the South Island Championship, but their most important assignment of 2024 lies ahead in the National Championship final.
North Island Championship winners Wellington Orcas make the journey south to take on the Trillo Metal Canterbury Bulls Men’s at Ngā Puna Wai on Sunday, kicking off at 12pm.
The rivals are more accustomed locking horns on the NZRL National Premiership stage but have both been on the wrong side of the relegation ledger in recent seasons. After proving a cut above in their respective second-tier competitions over the past month, potential promotion is on the table this weekend – 2025 representative format pending.
At the helm of the Trillo Metals Canterbury Bulls Men’s side for the first time this season, coach Walt Wilson’s charges have made significant progress over the course of their three South Island Championship matches.
“It’s a shame we’ve only got one game left, because I’d love to see what this team could develop into if we were able to carry on,” Wilson enthuses.
“But it’s a good bunch of boys and I’m really happy with the connections and balance within the side.”
The Bulls snatched a last-minute, 16-14 win over West Coast Chargers in harrowing Greymouth conditions in their opening match, before carving out a comprehensive 54-6 victory over Aoraki Eels at Ngā Puna Wai.
TRILLO METALS CANTERBURY BULLS MEN’S EDGE CHARGERS IN WET WEST COAST THRILLER
That left it all to play for a fortnight ago in Oamaru in a de facto final against Southland Rams, who were similarly dominant against the Eels and earned an impressive 24-10 win against West Coast.
But what loomed as a tight encounter unfolded into an outstanding 32-12 triumph for Canterbury.
“We went there somewhat blind, we didn’t know a lot about Southland … it was about controlling what we could control,” Wilson explains.
“We concentrated on things that worked for us and the boys executed that really well. Some of the tries we scored were outstanding – really good teamwork – and in two of them just about the whole team would have touched the ball during that phase.
“But what really impressed me was the effort in defence and when needed, the boys lifted. It was a really pleasing result based on a really good effort.”
Equally notable was the Trillo Metals Canterbury Bulls Men’s ability to adjust with a rejigged team sheet.
Wilson was forced into several late changes, which ultimately came up trumps – largely owing to the versatility and game-breaking class of captain and Linwood veteran Danny Samuelu-Latu, who earlier in the competition crashed over for the match-winning try from the second-row.
“We’ve had a few unfortunate circumstances within the group, personal and family things happening, so we did have to change the original line-up when we played Southland.
“It’s turned out to be a blessing in disguise to a certain degree – we moved Danny to [five-eighth] against Southland and he was outstanding. The guy’s just got that natural ability, you can put him anywhere and he’ll perform well for you.”
Meanwhile, Halswell hooker Antonio Lemalu has been superb throughout the Bulls’ campaign, clinching the Quentin Pongia Medal as the MVP of the South Island Championship.
Wilson also pinpointed the contribution of the Canterbury engine-room and his No.7 as critical to their success so far.
“Antonio was outstanding, we took the leash off, so to speak, and allowed him to play his natural game against Southland,” Wilson says.
“Because he’s a free-flowing sort of footballer, and with him touching the ball first more than anyone else, we need to back the decisions he makes.
“[Halfback] Taniela Leka has been improving each week – I know he wouldn’t be happy with some of the efforts [against Southland], however he was still instrumental in a lot of the tries we scored.
“We were without [lock/five-eighth] Uale Peneli [against Southland] and in the previous two games he was outstanding for us.
“There’s a lot of improvement in the group, the middles have been great – [as were] Chanel [Feala] coming off the bench, and Graeme [Patu-Vaega’au] going into the second-row after Maka Nui was ruled out.”
Last squaring off in Porirua in 2022 – with the Bulls prevailing 22-12 – Canterbury and Wellington harbour a storied rivalry based on an intertwined history.
Both regions’ rugby league bodies were founded in 1912. Wellington had played provincial matches in the four seasons prior but travelled to Christchurch to play in Canterbury’s inaugural match that year, winning 5-4 at Addington Showgrounds.
The Centenary Shield was introduced in 2013 and played for between the same teams on the same patch of dirt, then know as AMI Stadium. Canterbury’s 100-year celebrations culminated in a 34-24 win over the Orcas for the Mike Dorreen-coached Bulls. Wellington is striving to take possession of the Centenary Shield for the first time since a home win later in 2013.
Canterbury and Wellington also play for the Adrian Shelford Memorial Cup, named in honour of the late, great front-rower, who represented New Zealand from both provinces during the second half of the 1980s.
A local grand final winner with Hornby Panthers and Upper Hutt Tigers, the eight-Test Kiwi later played professionally for Wigan, Newcastle, Manly, Wakefield and Sheffield. Tragically, Shelford died of a heart attack in England in 2003, aged just 39. He was a high school teacher in Wigan at the time.
Both hallowed prizes are up for grabs on Sunday – but the National Championship title is the one both teams will be coveting most.
“We’ve been able to see one game Wellington have played and do a little bit of homework,” Wilson says.
“It’s going to be tough, they’ve got some big middles and big outside backs, they don’t mind throwing the ball around, so we’re going to have to be on our game defensively.”
Canterbury Rugby League will livestream the match with commentary, but Wilson has implored the local fanbase to be there in person to get behind the Trillo Metal Bulls.
The forecast is for a warm and sunny spring day – and entry to Ngā Puna Wai is free.
“We’d love to have a large home crowd out there supporting us, the boys have worked really hard and the attitude that they’ve had throughout the campaign has been great.
“Redemption was one of the words that came out at the start of the season, but we put that aside and said we don’t need to worry about that – we’re looking at it through a new pair of lenses, we’re starting fresh.
“The boys have really bought into that and I’m just excited about what Sunday might bring.”
