The Dunedin Rugby Football Club (Inc)

Pirates retained the Larry Salmon Memorial Trophy at Kettle Park.

Pirates led 18-0 with the wind at its back in the first spell and added 22 points when playing into the wind in the second spell. The Pirates pack dominated second-phase ball and gained 28 turnovers at the breakdown.

Pirates had a strong scrum and the front row of Daniel Johnson, Jake Maiono and Craig Miller dominated their opponents. Warren Kearney and Brad Ross were strong in the lineout and the loose trio of Solomon T-Pole, Shaun McCarroll and Josh Clark were dominant.

The best Pirates back was second five-eighth Opini To’Omalatai. The lack of tackling by Dunedin was epitomised by the try scored by prop Craig Miller in the final minute, when he broke through four tackles.

Pirates 40 (Hemi Davis, Isaac Beach, Solomon T-Pole, Warren Kearney, Craig Miller, Daniel Johnson, Paul Miller tries; Davis con, Andrew Bremner pen), Dunedin 11 (Sione Pulu try; Liam Edwards 2 pen). Halftime: 18-0. Referee: Todd Pullar.

A committed Kaikorai team shut Dunedin out of the game when  it gained an upset win at Bishopscourt. This was epitomised by a pack that went into the breakdown as a unit and dominated second-phase possession.

The key to the win was the loose trio of Blair Tweed, Mitchell Clarke and Jamie Williams, who did not give the Dunedin pack any leeway and made life difficult for the backline.   Prop Blair Laughton burst up field with the ball in hand, and lock Dave Simpson made his mark with strong tackling and bursting runs.   The lethal Dunedin backline was always on the back foot and was not able to unleash its attacking flair.   The Kaikorai backs showed they meant business after six minutes when centre Logan Moore burst 40m up the centre.   He made other strong runs that kept the Dunedin defence on its toes.   Diminutive halfback Jye Cormack had a lively game and winger Bryce Morgan played well in his first premier start.

Kaikorai stamped its seal on the game when playing into the strong wind in the first spell when winger Sam Cadogan scored      two tries in the corner after blindside moves.   Kaikorai led 10-3 at the break and used the wind effectively in the second spell by booting the ball deep into Dunedin      territory.    The wind and the cold rain made it difficult for Dunedin to fight back and it was virtually impossible when Cormack scored after 15 minutes to stretch the lead to 20-3.

The best players for Dunedin were flanker Simon Luke, who grabbed lineout ball at the front and was lively around the paddock, openside flanker Anthony Diack and lock Richard Thompson.

• Kaikorai 25 (Sam Cadogan 2, Jye Cormack, Clark McNab tries; Cam Rutherford con, pen), Dunedin 10 (Tumua Ioane try; Liam Edwards con, pen). Halftime: 10-3. Referee: Jeff Grubb.

Brad Weber has bolted home to Hawkes Bay but says he hopes to play for Otago in the near future.

The rising halfback had only just returned to Dunedin from New Zealand Under-20 duty at the world junior championships this week when he was whistled into the Magpies squad for the ITM Cup.

Brad (20), who has been studying health sciences at the University of Otago and playing for the Dunedin club, has been on a minor Hawkes Bay contract for two years.

He was half-hoping a loan deal could be arranged to keep him in the Otago system this year.

But the opportunity to play top provincial rugby sooner with his home province has emerged and is too good to turn down.

“Hawkes Bay has upgraded my contract to NPC status,” Weber told the Otago Daily Times.

“That’s quite exciting. I guess I feel on a bit of a roll with rugby and I just want to take the opportunity.

“I’d certainly like to come back. But whether Otago want me  back or not is another story.”

Weber signed his first contract with Hawkes Bay when he was playing First XV rugby at Napier Boys’ High School.

“That contract gave me the financial support to come down here, which is where I wanted to study,” he said.

“Looking back, I wish I didn’t sign that contract. I’d rather have come to Otago and tried to get a contract here.

“But in saying that, I didn’t really expect my rugby to accelerate that quickly.”

Weber’s studies have understandably taken a back seat. He missed his mid-year exams while in Italy with the New Zealand Under-20 team, and he is not sure when he will get back in the lecture theatre.

He started against Italy and Argentina at the world junior  tournament, and got the last 20 minutes of the final as New Zealand beat England 33-22.

“We were pretty confident but we knew teams would be after us.

“We couldn’t just turn up and win. We really had to work for it and I think we played really well.”

Liam Edwards was the inspiration for an enterprising Dunedin team that scored six tries and retained the Centennial Trophy against Alhambra-Union at Kettle Park.

Edwards, returning from a month break after injuring his shoulder, added spark to the Dunedin backline.

He scored two brilliant long-range tries and was dangerous when he entered the backline.

His best try came when he picked up loose ball on his own line, sprinted 60m, kicked over the defence, gathered the ball and scored the try. He added 16 points with his boot to score 26 points.

A feature of Dunedin’s play was the ability to break out from its own 22m. The side had the confidence to counter-attack  from turnover ball.

The other back to stand out was first five-eighth Louis Tili, who directed play efficiently.

The best forward was No 8 Gareth Evans with his skills at the breakdown and his strong tackling.

Hooker Finnbar Boyle was a tiger on the drive and prop Will Henry was skilled with the pick and go in his 100th game for the club.

- Dunedin 46 (Liam Edwards 2, Sione Pulu, Tumua Ioane, Daryl Caldwell, Richard Thompson tries; Edwards 5 con, 2 pen), Alhambra-Union 8 (Regan Turoa try; Peter Breen  pen). Halftime: 32-3. Referee: Ben O’Keefe.

The clubs own Brad Weber featured in the final of the IRB Junior World Championship/Trophy in Padava, Italy on Sunday. Bought on as an impact player by the coach 20 minutes into the second half, he helped the ‘Baby Blacks’ to a 33 – 22 win over England. A great result.

Brad  being tackled by Sam Jones during the
IRB Junior World Championship Final match between England
and New Zealand at
Plebiscito Stadium on June 26, 2011 in Padova,
Italy.