Return to the latest Red Machine

The Red Machine
No 4. September, 2004

SHIELD CONNECTIONS: Bernie Upton, MSP’s Sportsman of the Year last year, holds the Ranfurly Shield after Bay of Plenty’s win over Auckland. Bernie, the son of MSP secretary Colleen Upton and brother of senior one forward Kieran, plays lock for the Bay alongside another MSP premier from last year, Apoua Stewart, whose dad Perelini Coffin plays in the MSP Classics team.

Successes on and off the field
by Alan Woods
MSP chairman

Another season has drawn to a close and, while we didn’t achieve the results of 2002 and 2003, we must congratulate ourselves on the many successes this season did bring.
MSP fielded 13 teams, and my ­tremendous thanks to our club captain Tony Spillane, for the many hours he has put in to ensure teams were fielded each week.
My congratulations to our only championship winning team - the 80/80 Blues, ably coached by Dan Boyle - who convincingly beat Wests 24-5 in the 28 August final.
I also congratulate the Colts A, 80/80 Red and 80/80 A teams who all made their grade semi-finals.
The 80/80A team were extremely unlucky not to reach the final after battling to a draw after extra time and then losing on a countback.
Other highlights this season include some excellent functions at the clubrooms, including quiz nights, MSP Idol and MSP Fear Factor. Congratulations to our MSP Idol Mark Witkowski, and MSP Fear Factor champion Richard Renouf!
My thanks to Michael Renouf and Kalolo Afuie for their time organising and running these events.
Well done to our players who have been selected for representative teams. We are very proud of you all.
The junior season has had another successful year with 26 teams and numerous players making rep sides. My appreciation to Dan Tait-Jamieson and the hundreds of parents who support their children as coaches, managers and on the sidelines each week.
The club relies on volunteers in all roles, especially coaches and managers, and our pool of volunteers needs to be added to all the time.
I thank all our coaches and managers for their contribution this season, and I ask anyone interested (or anyone who can nominate someone else who may be interested!) to contact me.
Have an enjoyable summer, and I look forward to seeing you all in 2005.

Obituary: Anastasia Reidy

Anastasia and Peter Reidy at the 1999 prizegiving after a presentation for all their work on behalf of MSP.

by Dan Kelly

Inside a year from the loss of Diane Simeon, the club has just added to its list of deceased, faithful ­female ­supporters the name of ­Anastasia Reidy.
Like Diane, Anastasia began her involvment with MSP by following her sons. ­Anthony joined MSP in 1983 and Brendan in 1989.
Although Anthony was forced by injury to retire in 1990 and Brendan went off to pursue a career in Europe in 1996, those 14 years were enough to turn Anastasia into an institution in the club.
Incidentally, I can still recall her concern when Anthony was injured in a game at Martin Luckie; I think he knew immediately how serious it was.
Anastasia was not one to stand on the sidelines and she went on to develop an almost unmatched career on the club executive.
From 1988 to 1997 she directed her energy and talent to the club’s service and her contribution in running the kitchen and in other aspects of the clubrooms programme gave her a vital role in the ­continuing life and development of MSP.
She was an expert at rounding up helpers, not least of all Peter, her husband - incidentally, one of the world’s quietest Irishmen!
In recent years, her failing health has been a worry to her family and a trial for her. As a result we have seen her less ­often than in the past.
But as the numbers attending her funeral and the associated gatherings clearly attest, her huge contributions over many years have not been ­forgotten.
The club reiterates its expressions of sympathy to Peter and all the family.
I faamaise atu le atau I le Tamä ole aiga, le fanau ma le aiga atoa ile vala’au paia a le Atua I le tinä ia Anastasia. Ia iai le mafanafana o le alofa olö tatou Alii Fa’aola I luga te outou uma. Soifua I le tina peleina.

Unbeaten season for Red Devils
Henry Fidow reports on the Red Devils presidents’ unbeaten run.

The Red Devils was a team of mainly St Pats Old Boys who played together at college in the eighties and in age grades together for MSP before heading off for their OEs.
Now the boys are arriving back to plant their roots in Wellington and wanting to play social rugby for MSP, it was just a matter of time before a second presidents’ team would form.
The Red Devils attracted players such as Phil Gray, Mike Crowe, Phil Robinson, Chad Smith, Rhys Johnson, Darryl Higgs, Tom Mahony, Greg Archer, and Norm Broughton (after his so-called retirement in 2003), along with some former Classics players, plus Mike Rangi (a stalwart from the Johnsonville Club), and Mike ‘Radio’ Hayes from Palmerston North Marist.
Our season was very successful with all goals reached - winning every game and every player getting time on the field.
We faced our final game on 28 August having already sealed first place in the grade. All players contributed to this result and I can’t single one out, as they all played with pride and gave 100 percent.
However, special mention would have to go to Phil Gray with over 33 tries, and the team points’ tally of 712 ( with only five scored by N. Broughton).
We recorded 70 against, of which 14 were scored by our own players helping out opposition teams.
We have started the next chapter in MSP presidents’ rugby, building on traditions passed on by John Spillane, Ken Carson, Luke ­Meredith, Pat Dunn, and others.
The boys were well led by Spud Joyce and the brains behind the onfield moves, Henry Fidow.
We look forward to new recruits joining our training camp next year before we finalise the team which will have a name change to the Scarlet Devils.

VICTORIOUS BLUES: A lean year for MSP on the trophy front was salvaged by the 80/80 Blues team who won their division 3 final over Wests by 24-5. The team is coached by Dan Boyle (right) and captained by halfback Andrew Tait. The title came on the back of six consecutive wins, and a good recovery after a shaky start to the season. It’s the second straight year the team has won the grade.

Congratulations to rep players
While Luke Mahoney, Lome Fa’atau, and Kristian Ormsby took the field for Wellington against North Harbour on 29 August, there was also good MSP representation in the Wellington Development team that played Harbour B.
Matt Egan captained a side which included Peniasi Tokacece, Ged Robinson, Brendan Watt and Joe Wright. Sam Rasch and Jamie Parkinson are in the extended squad, and Neil Meyer played in the B’s game against Otago.

MUDLARKS: Presidents’ Classics (from left) Chris Welsh, Greg Cummings, Ken Carson and Mark Porter after some mud-based beauty treatment in a 26-0 victory over Wests at Iain Galloway Park.

St Pats Town on comeback trail
Rugby at St Pats Town is in a healthy state, says school coaching coordinator John Duignan, with the depth of talent indicating that next year should be a good one.
Four of the college’s eight teams made their grade semi-finals in August, and both the top two teams won promotion mid-year - the first XV back to premier one, and the second XV to premier three.

•The school is now looking for coaches for the 1st and 2nd XVs and the under-15s for next year. Anyone interested should contact William Strang at the college - ph 939 3070 x835.

Coming up at MSP...

Annual General Meeting
Thursday, 25 November
7.00pm, MSP clubrooms

$100 raffle
Thursday, 23 September
7.00pm, MSP clubrooms
(Contact Peter Woods for tickets - ph 0272 464 345)

SO CLOSE: Phil Grigg’s 80/80 A’s were very unlucky not to make their grade final after an 11-11 draw in an extra-time semi-final against Poneke. Because MSP lost to Poneke in the regular season, Poneke went through to the final where they lost their first game for three years.

The club is seeking expressions of interest from anyone who would like to manage the hiring of MSP’s clubrooms and facilities over the summer and beyond.
For more information, contact John Spillane on 021 248 0342.

Gym equipment wanted
The club wants to buy (or receive as a donation) some gym equipment including exercycles and a rowing machine (concept 6).
If you can help out, phone Murray Tocker on 475 5944 (h) or 021 415 153.

JUNIOR RUGBY

Juniors' end-of-year programme

COMBINED CHAMPS: The Oriental-Marist under-13 Open team seen here sporting their flash new jerseys on a sunny day in Paraparaumu. The under-13 Open is considered the toughest junior grade, and the team, a combined side of Ories and MSP players, completed an outstanding year, winning all their games by large margins. In search of more competitive games, they will play rep sides from Napier and Wairarapa-Bush in the coming weeks. Congratulations to coach Nelson Leota, manager Andy Leslie and the whole team.

Junior convenor
Any queries call MSP’s junior club convenor, Dan Tait-Jamieson.
Ph: 475 9909. Email: dan@t-j.co.nz.
You can also check out the club’s junior page: www.msprugby.co.nz/junior

PROUDLY SPONSORED BY