The 2006 season, in review ...

PREMIERS: It was a much improved year for the OBU Premiers in 2006. The coaching team of Dave 'Trapper' Loveridge and John 'JF' Furlong along with manager Matt Loveridge and the players should be very proud of their efforts.

The season started off with three losses to Upper Hutt, Petone and MSP when the team played Petone it made the news on TV (a dreadlocked centre was playing for the Petone team that day!). Despite those losses it was clear the potential this team had. The first win of the season was a big victory over Wests in round four. The team went on to show the size of their heart with a come from behind draw against Tawa and a incredibly gutsy win over Avalon on Old Timers Day. After dispatching Johnsonville, the team had their greatest victory of the year, over Northern United 27-21. The forwards completely dominated their bigger opponents, the team scored some great tries and the defence was HUGE! The team finished the round with wins over Ories and Poneke to go into the Jubilee Cup as a serious title contender.

The second round started off with a convincing win over Tawa, but the second round loss to North's was heart breaking, Two lose by three points against the 'best team' showed that the team could compete against them and perhaps should have bet them both home and away. The team ground out two victories out of their next four games, so needed to beat Petone in an unofficial quarter final in the last round to make the semi finals. The team came so close to beating Petone and making the playoffs. They were rocked by a serious injury to Seminar Manu and coupled with a few things not going their way, the team lost 23-16. Still it was a great year for the team, and the team will be even better in 2007!

The team was well served at fullback. Nathan Sweetman showed his silky running skills to glide through many gaps, while newcomer to the team Tim Wells was a great find showing great positional play. They both were threats on attack and solid on defence. Right winger Danny Shaw consistently troubled opposition defences with his electric speed and big heart. While on the other wing newcomer to the club Sheldon Goodin was a great acquisition. He is a very intelligent winger who always ran good lines.

In midfield Paula Kinikinlau impressed many in his first year in the club with his strength and pace. The team enjoyed the size and explosiveness of Clinton Huppert and Sam Polsen through the early stages of the season. It was great to have Conrad Smith available for the later part of the season. He showed all his class on attack and defence and having him in playing was a big lift to the team. Throughout the year Seminar Manu showed what a great player he is. His ball playing skills were a major ingredient to the success of the OBU backline. Tomasi Palu had a great year in the number ten jersey always having the opposition defences in two minds, while there were also contributions from Randell Walker and Steve McColl. Initially Hayden Roche was at half back and he played well until he went overseas. Once he left Adam Fleming took his chance and impressed all with everything he did.

i As in previous years Mike Te Moana (above) had a huge year at number eight, rightfully deserving his selection for Wellington B, while David Taumopeau impressed in his first year out of school. James Oliver was everything a openside flanker should be consistently throughout the season. Ian Kennedy had another big year. It surely can not be long until he gets selected for higher teams. While the loose forwards were all complimented by Mike Scott who combined skill and a great work rate to have a successful year.

Sam Green had a big year at lock. He played at a high level throughout the season and deserved his player of the year award, while Paul Swift's size and strength were very important assets to the forward pack. Hurricanes Ross Kennedy and Luke Andrews brought their skills and experience to the team and it was great to see them in the OBU jersey.

In the engine room the props all had good years. Wilbur Davies had a great year and fully deserved his spot in the Wellington Colts team, while Matt Anderson had a strong year also. This was proved with his spot in the Wellington B training squad. They were complemented by Andrew Welch who always made a positive impact when on the field. Hooker Darryl Gore led the team well, did a great job as hooker and was a reliable goal kicker. Few will forget his last minute kicks versus Tawa (to draw the game) and versus Avalon (to win it.)

Premier Grade First Round - Swindale Shield: Played 11, Won 6, Lost 4, Drew 1, For 280, Against 240, Bonus 8, Points 34.

OBU 17 – Upper Hutt 24 at Maidstone Park. For OBU: Darryl Gore (2) and Tomasi Palu tries. Randell Walker 1 conversion.

OBU 5 – Petone 31 at Nairnville Park. For OBU: Danny Shaw try.

OBU 3 – MSP 31 at Evans Bay Park. For OBU: Randell Walker penalty

OBU 52 – Wests 17 at Ian Galloway Park. For OBU: Nathan Sweetman (2), Sheldon Goodin (2), Dave Taumopeau, Danny Shaw and Sam Polsen tries. Randell Walker 3 conversions and 1 penalty

OBU 17 – HOBM 24 at The Basin Reserve. For OBU: Darryl Gore, Nathan Sweetman and Sheldon Goodin tries. Randell Walker 1 conversion.

OBU 27 – Tawa 27 at Lyndhurst Park. For OBU: Sam Green, Ian Kennedy, Dave Taumopeau and Mike Te Moana tries. Darryl Gore 2 conversions and 1 penalty.

OBU 32 – Avalon 31 at The Basin Reserve. For OBU: Adam Fleming (2), Tomasi Palu and Paul Swift tries. Darryl Gore 3 conversions and 2 penalties.

OBU 52 – Johnsonville 7 at Helston Park. For OBU: Paula Kinikinilay (2), Ross Kennedy, Danny Shaw, Nathan Sweetman, Adam Fleming, Mike Te Moana tries. Darryl Gore 5 conversions and 1 penalty, Paula Kinikinilau 2 conversions.

OBU 27 - Northern United 21 at The Bain Reserve. For OBU: Mike Te Moana (2), Sheldon Goodin, Paula Kinikinilau tries. Darryl Gore 2 conversions and 1 penalty.

OBU 33 – Oriental 16 at The Polo Ground. For OBU: Danny Shaw (2), Nathan Sweetman, Adam Fleming and Seminar Manu tries. Seminar Manu 3 conversions and Paula Kinikinilau conversion.

OBU 15 – Poneke 9 at The Basin Reserve. For OBU: Adam Fleming and James Oliver tries. Seminar Manu 1 conversion and 1 penalty.

Premier Grade Second Round - Jubilee Cup: Played 7, Won 3, Lost 4, Drew 0 , For 98, Against 103, Bonus 3, Points 15.

OBU 24 – Tawa 5 at The Basin Reserve. For OBU: Sheldon Goodin, Adam Fleming, Mike Te Moana and Seminar Manu tries. Darryl Gore 2 conversions.

OBU 20 – Northern United 23 at Porirua Park. For OBU: Ross Kennedy and Danny Shaw tries. Darryl Gore 2 conversions and 2 penalties.

OBU 14 – MSP 13 at The Basin Reserve. Penalty Try and Mike Te Moana tries. Darryl Gore and Seminar Manu conversions.

OBU 7 – Poneke 16 at Kilbirnie Park. For OBU: Seminar try and conversion.

OBU 5 – HOBM 3 at The Basin Reserve. For OBU: Tim Wells try.

OBU 12 – Avalon 20 at Fraser Park. For OBU: Mike Te Moana and Danny Shaw tries. Seminar Manu conversion.

OBU 16 – Petone 23 at The Basin Reserve. Tomasi Palu and Mike Scott tries. Seminar Manu 2 penalties.

SENIOR ONES: It was a mixed year for coach Dave 'Flippy' Morton, manager Brad 'Patches' Houlahan and the rest of the senior one team.

There were some promising signs early on with a draw versus Upper Hutt and wins over Petone and MSP. The win over MSP was very impressive. All OBU teams love to beat MSP and that day at Evans Bay Park the team was extremely fired up and there was only going to be one result that day. Following two losses the team ground out wins three wins. From there it went down hill losing their last three games. The three losses were closely linked to the departure from the team of Tim Wells and Adam Fleming to the premier side. They were sorely missed by the senior ones but the team was very proud to see Tim and Adam's success in the clubs top team.

The second round did not start well with three losses. In all three games the team played well in parts but little mistakes cost them dearly. However the team finished the year well with three victories. The win over Upper Hutt was a great win. The team played some entertaining rugby in the game and scored some thrilling tries

Many players played for the senior ones throughout the season. The team was fortunate enough to have many players make guest appearances throughout the year when the team's numbers were short. But there were a lot of regular players that made continued contributions to the team.

Fullback/ Winger Tarquin Vosper had a good year, while he was not the biggest player in the side he was certainly one of the most committed. The team had a host of players play on the wing. Willie Corcoran was one of the fastest player in the club, while Saula Atama showed a lot of potential for years to come. Mat Jones and Euan Sadden added a lot on attack when given the opportunity.

Until he went to the premiers, Tim Wells was the rock of midfield. He was dangerous on attack and proved to be a handy goal kicker. Jade Gardiner and Marika Kau were both great acquisitions to the club. They both used their size and strength to great effect. When Clinton Huppert played, his experience and inspirational leadership added a lot to the team.

Whether he had number ten or twelve on his back Logan Oliver demonstrated great distribution skills. In the second half of the season the team welcomed Tyron Edwards to the team. He was an accurate goal kicker and in general play his kicking game was of a high level. Other players to impress in the number ten jersey were Steve McColl, Dan Giles and Mark Maguire. While halfback Hayden Gore always posed a threat with his sniping runs from behind the ruck. The team enjoyed Hayden Roche's input in the last weeks before he left for overseas.

Number eight Hayden Smith had a good debut year in the club. More than one player enjoyed being on the end of his 'Sonny Bill Williams' passes. While David Taumoepeau performed well in the senior ones and was rewarded with promotion to the premier side. Openside flankers Richard Currie and Chris Burke gave 200% in everything they did, while blindside flankers Chris Symcox and Dave Jackson were always doing the hard yards for the team. The team were fortunate to have the pleasure of playing with Francesco 'Mario' Gatti. Mario gave it everything on the field and was a real character after a few beers at the Cambridge.

The team was well served at lock. After playing for Wellington Under 19's in 2005, Nic Warmke went from strength to strength. It was great to see Paul Swift play well for the premiers after doing so well for the senior ones in recent years. Ryan Liley was new to the club in 2006, but "The Big Rig's' size and character made him a instant hit. Justin Cullen made a significant contribution to the team, his size and strength and leadership were great assets to the team. Until he was injured Brad Wallace was a reliable source of lineout ball.

There were many sizeable contributions from the props this year. Chris Cakebread had a big year and deserved the captaincy when it was given to him in the later part of the season. Matt Arcus had a strong year; his conversion in the last game of the year was one of the season's highlights. Alex Tai-Weiner was a great acquisition to the club, while Scott 'The Axe' Wise was sorely missed by the club once he went overseas.

Stu Simonsen and Hayden Fosket were both impressive at hooker. Stu scored some very memorable tries, while Hayden deserved his spot as part of the premier squad when required.

Senior One First Round – Harper Lock Shield: Played 11, Won 5, Lost 5, Drew 1, For 202, Against 282, Bonus 6, Points 28

Upper Hutt (a) 24-24, Petone (h) 10-8, MSP (a) 27-3, Wainuiomata (a) 24-52, HOBM (h) 24-29, Paremat-Plimmerton (a) 18-14, Stokes Valley (h) 22-12, Wellington (a) 31-16, Northern United (h) 7-36, Oriental Rongatai (a) 15-55, Poneke (h) 0-33.

Senior One Second Round – Ed Chaney Cup: Played 9, Won 4, Lost 5, Drew 0, For 149, Against 156, Bonus 4, Points 20.

Johnsonville (h) 12-19, Paremata-Plimmerton (a) 5-23, MSP (h) 7-35, Wellington (h) 29-7, Rimutaka (a 12-20), Stokes Valley (a)13-19, Petone (h) 17-7, Oriental Rongatai (a) 13-7, Upper Hutt (a) 41-19.

SENIOR TWOS: It was a difficult start for the Senior Second's this year. Losing coaching stalwarts Flippie and Toots (who had developed this team from senior 4ths and were now moving on to coach the ones and the women's side respectively) made it really tough to encourage new players and then retain existing ones.

The first few games showed some signs of promise. An honest first up showing against eventual winners Rimutaka showed potential. New comers Pat Mohan and Reece McCorkindale showed speed in the loose but the size of the forward pack was a real problem. Lacking numbers in the backs meant several forwards were forced to play out of position. With no full-time coach things went from average to really bad. The 100 point loss to MSP underlined a forgettable first round.

Welcome Moka Apiti and Dan Bleach. These two beacons of hope appeared on the scene about mid-way through the first round when the team was struggling. They developed some cohesion within the side and began to structure practices. At about this time the team also acquired a few new players that helped to balance out the side. Big, lanky locks Jono White and George the Rhino, brought size and skill to the line-out and the return of Ed Crawford along with the acquisition of English Prop Russell Stilskin and a big smelly guy that never washed his kit called Gravy added some much needed steel to the scrum.

By the end of the first round the team was beginning to come together and despite consistent numbers still being a problem mainly in the backline, the OBU senior 2nds began to focus on playing to their strengths. They had a big forward pack that was dominating the set piece and organised defence. The turning point was the final game of the first round against North's. The boys ground out an 11 points to 7 win, showing some real desire.

Around this time old boys Tuna Talamaivao and Leon Smith came back into the midfield which gave the backs some much needed reliability and solidarity. They combined with their outsides and the ball was able to be flung wide now and then with some impressive results.

The senior 2nds provided the platform to showcase the talents of a number of internationals - Dave Pearce, Russell Hodges from England, Phil Abraham, Dave Bagley, Rob Burnett from the USA, Mario – our Italian stallion, and Bastian Boehm stalwart forward from Germany.

While mention must also be made of Dan Giles, Rodney Ford, Tyro Baker-Underhill, Todd Morris and Johnny Lawrence who all showed an incredible commitment to the side attending virtually every practice and providing the foundation of the team.

The second round promised a lot and was in fact there for the taking. With four games remaining we sat in third position, poised to take second if we beat Petone. In what was possibly the best game of the season the boys pulled together and gave themselves every opportunity to win. With the final play of the game, behind by 2 after leading for most of the game one kick could have won the game. It was a big kick from near on half way and with a blustery breeze to contend with. To have slotted that would have been almost too good to be true. It wasn't to be the kick had the distance but did not account for the wind and it just blew away. The boys were faced with a few results needing to go their way to qualify for the final.

While there were a few upsets later on the Seconds just couldn't finish some very close encounters. The end of the season saw the team lose four games by a mere eight points or less, a couple of those coming at the end of the season against the top sides, such as Wellington (the eventual winners) and Petone.

OBU finished sixth in the HD Morgan Memorial Cup, realistically just one or two wins away from finishing in the top echelon. It was a marked improvement from the first round, final record being, played 9, won 4, lost 5.

Best wishes to Ed Crawford who has retired after this season and Rodney 'Rodders' Ford who is also looking at becoming a fellow OBU international.

1st Round – National Mutual Cup Played 11 Won 2, Lost 8, Draw 1, For 118 Against 417 Points 11.

Rimutaka (a) 34-14, Petone (h) 26-26, MSP (a) 0-103, Western Suburbs (a) 3-41, HOBM (h) 7-41, Tawa (a) 17-42, Avalon (h) 8-22, Johnsonville (a) 5-50, Northern United (h) 11-7, Wellington (a) 3-41, Poneke (h) 13-12.

2nd Round – HD Morgan Memorial Cup Played, Won 4, Lost 5, Draw 0, For 138 Against 147, Points 20

Western Suburbs (a) 34-17, Northern United (a) 5-16, MSP (h) 17-38, Wellington (h) 7-14, HOBM (h) 10-0, Tawa (a) 12-7, Avalon (h) 16-8, Petone (a) 15-17, Poneke (h) 22-30.

OBU WOMENS TEAM: On the field it was a tough year for coach Tony Tumoana, manager Kay Neho and gear man/water boy Irai. It would be fair to say that results did not go the way they planned which would have disappointed the team. However the OBU women's team should be viewed as a success for the team spirit they showed throughout the year. Despite not having a great season results wise, the team never gave up. Every week the team's great club spirit was there for all to see by them all turning up to The Cambridge. Regardless of the result, having a few drinks with your team mates – is what rugby is all about.

There were many players who had a standout season for the OBU womens team. In the forwards, Tuila Waterhouse had an outstanding year at openside flanker. For the third year in a row she won the Sisam Cup for Women's Player of the Year. Tuila very proudly represented OBU, Wellington and Samoa at the 2006 Women's Rugby World Cup in Alberta, Canada. Brooke Reilly starred for the team at hooker. A Manawatu Secondary School girl's rep, Brooke debuted for OBU in 2006. She is an Al Keown Academy member and certainly one to watch for the future. Nicole Garrod was a hard working and gutsy lock. In her debut rugby season, she was the recipient of the Stephen Robertson Cup for Most Improved women's player 2006.

In the backs Claire Rowat had a big year at halfback. A stalwart OBU player and former Wellington representative hooker, she made the successful transition to halfback in 2006. In her second year as captain, Claire demonstrated outstanding leadership on and off the field and continues to be the 'concrete' of the team.

Chelsea Sullivan and Katrina Sanders both fresh out of Wellington Girls College were often referred to as a 'package deal'. These two skilful outside backs made a notable impact last season. Often underestimated by the much larger opposition they both are strong tacklers, deceptive runners and keen playmakers. We look forward to their development in 2007.

Losalini Harford, a Wellington cricket representative, was persuaded to come out of retirement for 'just one more' rugby season for OBU in 2006. A strong effective ball carrier, Losi proved to be the weapon the team needed to slice through several opposition backlines. She will be sorely missed in 2007.

OBU COLTS: It was a mixed season for coaches Paddy 'Cyclops' Gough and Matt 'Manu' Haynes and manager Dan Keith and the team.

The team struggled in the first round only winning one game. But the win was a classic over OBU's old enemy MSP 27-0. There was some classic tries and it was a great effort to keep the opposition scoreless.

The team dropped down to the second division for the second round. The team played some great rugby going through the round unbeaten. The best performance of the round was a 29-8 win over Western Suburbs.

The team played Western Suburbs in the final and were confident given the win a few weeks earlier in round robin play. However it was a different Western Suburbs team this time around. Despite WRFU saying teams were not allowed to, Wests had three guys playing who had been regularly playing up in the senior grades. This created a lot of controversy. Unfortunately the game resulted in a 19-5 win to Western Suburbs. But despite going down in the final it was a great season and there were many stand out players for the team.

In the forwards the team was well led by captain John Gibbens. He was a real force at lock and a great source of lineout ball. Selisi Misimale at prop and Moe Flavell at hooker had big seasons. Both Selisi and Moe were in their first year out of school but more than stood up to their older opponents. Owen Williams at number 8 had a big year. He just never stopped trying.

In the backs Jeff Miller had a big year in the number ten jersey. He was sound in general play, with the boot and in defence. While the midfield pairing of Steve Kaua and Dave Hunt was impressive in attack and defence.

The team benefited from having ex premiers Beau Brown and Tom Everton for the latter part of the season while returning from injury. They both looked outstanding playing in the Under 21 grade.

Under 21 Division One 1st Round – Paris Memorial Cup: Played 7, Won 1, Lost 6, Drew 0, For 52, Against 140, Bonus 2, Points 6

Upper Hutt (h) 5-13, HOBM (h) 0-25, Tawa (a) 3-46, Poneke (h) 10-15, Johnsonville (a) 0-16, Petone A (h) 7-25, MSP (a) 27-0

Under 21 Division Two Second Round – Vic Calcinai Memorial Cup: Played 6, Won 6, Lost 0, Drew 0, For 76, Against 31, Bonus 3, Points 27

Avalon (a) 19-14, Paraparaumu (h) 13-3, Wellington (a) WBD, Western Suburbs (h) 29-8, Poneke (a) 15-6, Wainuiomata (h) WBD

UNDER 19: It was a great season for coach Craig Harvey and his team. They played some great rugby and the club was very proud of their achievements.

The team took out the first round winning all their games. They had big wins over the lower ranked teams, but the highlight was the 20-12 win over the second placed Petone team. It was a great win and it insured that OBU won the silverware.

In the second round it was clear that Petone was the only team that could prevent OBU from taking out the second round as well. The team played Petone in the second to last round in an unofficial final. After going 13 games without a loss the team were confident but it was not to be. Petone won 10-3 and finished the round in second place.

There were many star players in the team, but there were some players who stood out. In the backs were - Thomas Landon-Lane who was a super fast winger who scored 11 tries this season (top in the club), John Marshall who was the first five who controlled the backline and many games (top points scorer in the club) and Gavin Roper the fullback/centre who was outstanding on attack and defence.

While in the forwards Mike Rennie played at blind side flankers and was fearless tackler and an inspiration to the side, Ben Koloto was the rock of the scrum at loosehead who never took a backward step and Jack Tovey was the captain and number 8. He was good in the air, solid on defence and very handy of the back of a scrum.

Under 19 1st Round – James Gilbert Memorial Trophy

Played 8, Won 8, Lost 0, Draw 0, For 237, Against 44, Bonus Points 4, Points 36

Paremata-Plimmerton (a) 22-12, Petone (h) 20-12, Stokes Valley 1 (h) 17-7, East Coast (a) 46-0, Greytown/Tuhirangi (h)38-0, MSP (a) 19-8, Martinborough (a) 52-0, Johnsonville (h) 23-5

Under 19 Round 2 – Eric Connelly Cup

Played 8, Won 7, Loss 1, Draw 0 For 176, Against 51, Bonus Points 5, Points 33.

Paremata-Plimmerton (h) 19-14, Stokes Valley (a) 17-10, Greytown/Tuhirangi (a) 41-5 East Coast (h) 32-0, MSP (h) 26-12, Martinborough (h) WBD, Johnsonville (a) 38-0, Petone (a) 3-10, Stokes Valley (a) 19-14

85KG GREEN: The team was coached by James Diamantis and had a good season, particularly in the second round

The teams best performance in the first round was a 31-10 win over the Poneke Cavaliers. The team finished eighth in the first round, which relegated them to the second division for the second round.

The team continued their dominance over the Poneke Cavaliers in the second round with a 32-5 win. This meant the team finished second in the division 2, second round.

1st Round Division One: JC Bowl – Played 10, Won 4, Lost 6, Drawn 0, For 116, Against 168, Bonus 3, Points 19.

2nd Round Division Two: Played 6, Won 5, Lost 1, Drawn 0, For 97, Against 44, Bonus 2, Points 22.

85KG WHITE: The team was coached by Oliver Thurston and had some good wins throughout the season.

The team struggled in the first round although they had a great 43-3 win over OBU Red

It was hard going in the second round as well but the team enjoyed a gutsy 12-3 win over Tawa.

1st Round Division Two: Played 9, Won 2, Lost 7, Drawn 0, For 62, Against 182, Bonus 1, Points 9

2nd Round Division Three: Played 6, Won 1, Lost 5, Drawn 0, For 55, Against 65, Bonus 3, Points 7.

85KG RED: The team was coached by Nick Yee and had a solid year.

The highlight of the first round was the 21-14 win over Eastbourne 2. The team finished sixth out of eleven in the grade.

The best performance in the second round, and the whole season was their 41-17 win over Tawa. The team finished fourth out of seven in the second round.

1st Round Division Two – Played 9, Won 3, Lost 6, Drawn 0, For 129, Against 169, Bonus 3, Points 15.

2nd Round Division Three – Played 6, Won 3, Lost 3, Drawn 0, For 108, Against 115, Bonus 3, Points 15

SOCIAL RUGBY:

69ERS: The team had a solid first round winning half their games. Their best performance was the 36-25 win over The Teddy Bears.

The team had a good second round coming third in the grade. Their best performance was a 21-10 over The Wellington Ligers.

Reserve Grade Division One –1st Round

Played, Won 4, Lost 4, Drew 0, For 144, Against 188, Bonus 5, Points 21.

Reserve Grade Division One – 2nd Round

Played 5, Won 3, Lost 2, Drew 0, For 85, Against 92, Bonus 1, Points 13.

PINK GINNERS: It was a mixed first round for the Pink Ginners. Their best performance was a 32-7 win over The Teddy Bears.

It was a successful second round for The Pink Ginners. They came third in the grade. Their best game was a great 34-7 over The Yardies.

Reserve Grade One – 1st Round

Played 8, Won 3, Lost 5, Drew 0 , For 120, Against 146, Bonus 5, Points 17.

Reserve Grade Division Two – 2nd Round

Played 5, Won 3, Lost 2, Drew 0, For 90, Against 63, Bonus 4, Points 16.

DT'S: The team did have a tough time in the first round. But they hit their straps with a 44-0 win over The Teddy Bears.

The team did not play in the second round

Reserve Grade Division One – 1st Round

Played 8, Won 1, Lost 5, Drew 2, For 98, Against 115, Bonus 2, Points 10.

TEDDY BEARS: It was a extremely tough first round for The Teddy Bears. They showed a lot of heart to keep hanging in there, and almost pulled off a big up set only going down 36-25 to the 69ers.

The team struggled in the second round. They played with a lot of heat in their 26-13 to Upper Hutt.

Reserve Grade Division One – 1st Round

Played 8, Won 0, Lost 0, Drew 0, For 82, Against 381, Bonus 1, Points 1.

Reserve Grade Division Two – 2nd Round

Played 5, Won, Lost 5, Drew 0, For 30, Against 97, Bonus 0, Points 0.

YARDIES: It was a good first round for The Yardies, finishing fourth in the grade. Their best win was a 38-12 win over Wellington Advance.

It was a mixed second round for the team. The team won two games and their best win was a 38-10 win over The Teddy Bears.

Reserve Grade Two – 1st Round

Played 8, Won 5, Lost 3, Drew 0, For 139, Against 87, Bonus 3, Points 23.

Reserve Grade Division Two – 2nd Round

Played 5, Won 2, Lost 2, Drew 1, For 72, Against 90, Bonus 1, Points 11.

DEAD ANTS: It was a solid first round for The Dead Ants. A mid table finish was highlighted by the 25-0 win over Wellington Advance.

The team had a great second round finishing second to Wests. Their best performance was a 12-0 win over Paremata-Plimmerton.

Reserve Grade Two – 1st Round

Played 8, Won 4, Lost 4, Drew 0, For 96, Against 93, Bonus 4, Points 20.

Reserve Grade Division Three – 2nd Round

Played 4 , Won 3, Lost 1, Drew 0, For 48, Against 29, Bonus 1, Points 13.

RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS: The team struggled in the first round, although they showed what they were capable of with a 25-18 win over Wellington Advance.

In the second round the team won two out of four games earning a mid table visit. Their best result was a 22-5 win over Paremata-Plimmerton.

Reserve Grade Two – 1st Round

Played 8, Won 2, Lost 6, Drew 0, For 89, Against 196, Bonus 2, Points 10.

Reserve Grade Division Three – 2nd Round

Played 4, Won 2, Lost 2, Drew 0, For 51, Against 59, Bonus 2, Points 10.

SPECIAL GAMES AND EVENTS: In April an OBU Invitational Side took on the Japanese Under 23 side at Kelburn Park. The OBU team consisted of players mainly from the Under 19, Under 21 and Senior 2s sides. They were out played by a slick Japanese side. The 116 to nil loss at Kelburn Park showed up the lack of practice as team. The side was only put together on the day of the game. Players had to miss lectures and some taking time off work to help out.

BEACH RUGBY: OBU had a mixed day at the WRFU Beach Rugby Fives at Oriental Bay on Saturday. The team was a mixture of guys from the premiers, senior ones, colts and social players.

The team won their first game by default over Petone. A strong performance resulted in a five tries to one win over Paremata-Plimmerton in the second game. It set up a huge final pool game against Poneke. Unfortunately Poneke proved to strong, winning 4-1 to qualify for the final, against eventual winners HOBM.

Our own Ross Kennedy was present representing the Hurricanes. He was there in an official role to assist in the prize giving.

INTERNATIONAL RUGBY:

ALL BLACKS: As in the previous two years, OBU was extremely honoured to have Conrad Smith wearing the black jersey. After his injury he had to wait until the end of year tour to add to his previous appearances.

He played two tests this year. He played against France in Lyon (All Blacks 47-France3) and Wales in Cardiff (All Blacks 45-Wales 10). The highlight of these games was his 80m run to score a try against France. The Snake is getting faster! We look forward to seeing Conrad securing the All Black number 13 jersey this year.

JUNIOR ALL BLACKS: Jimmy Gopperth was selected in the Junior All Blacks for the Pacific Five Nations. He made a significant contribution to the team. Against Tonga he scored 21 points (2 tries, 3 penalties and a conversion) and when he played Samoa he scored 26 points (try, 3 penalties and 6 conversions).

NEW ZEALAND MAORI: Shannon Paku had a successful Churchill Cup tournament for the New Zealand Maori team. He was a reserve in the warm up game versus NSW, and had starts against USA, Ireland and in the final against Scotland. He scored one try against USA.

NEW ZEALAND COLTS TRIALS: Two OBU players played in the first New Zealand Colts trial game versus Canada 'A' at Porirua Park in May. The home side won 58-18

Seminar Manu and Tomasi Palu both played well, although Seminar had to come off early with a knee injury.

2006 IRB WOMENS RUGBY WORLD CUP

SAMOA : OBU was very proud to have its own Tuila Waterhouse representing Samoa at the Women's World Cup in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in August-September this year. Wheels appeared in all five of Samoa's games as follows –

Versus Kazakhstan – Appeared as a substitute

Versus New Zealand – Started

Versus Spain – Started

Versus South Africa – Started

Versus Spain - Started

REBEL SPORT SUPER 14

HURRICANES: As in previous years, there were five players from OBU in the Hurricanes. It was a stellar year for the Hurricanes making their first appearance in the final of Super Rugby.

Luke Andrews started in six games and had eight appearances off the bench. He was solid and did everything asked of him.

It was a mixed season for Jimmy Gopperth. He started in seven games and came on from the bench in seven games. He scored 75 points (1 try, 17 con and 12 penalties). Few will forget his 50 metre penalty to seal the semi final win over the Warratahs at the Caketin.

Ross Kennedy made four appearances off the bench. One of the stars of the 2005 Super 12, he received few opportunities in 2006 One thing is for sure, he will be back.

Shannon Paku has a solid Super 14. He started nine games and made four appearances off the bench. Shannon scored four tries during the competition.

Conrad Smith's Super 14 came to a tragic end in the second round when he broke his leg in two places (fibula and tibia). It was an awful injury and it put Conrad out of all rugby until the later rounds of the Jubilee Cup.

AIR NEW ZEALAND CUP

WELLINGTON LIONS: Luke Andrews started in all 12 games. Shadow had a great year for the Lions. He spent the majority of the year in the number six jersey before moving back to lock for the final stages of the campaign. He was a reliable source of lineout ball, tireless around the field and grew a great beard in the teams beard growing competition!

Jimmy Gopperth started in ten games and made two appearances from the bench. It was a solid year for 'Sponge Bob' He benefitted from more regular game time than in the Super 14 and was in solid form throughout. A highlight was the conversion he slotted to clinch the victory over Canterbury in the second round. He scored 123 points (3 tries, 21 conversions, 21 penalties and 1 drop goal).

Unfortunately Ross Kennedy was not wanted by the Wellington coaches for the majority of the season. Rosko started in the first three games before being loaned to Counties. There are few things that you can be sure of in rugby, but one of them is Rosko will be back starting for the Hurricanes and Lions sooner rather than later.

Shannon Paku started in ten games and made one appearance from the bench. In the final versus Waikato he played his 50th game for Wellington. It was a solid year for Pukz and bringing up his 50th appearance for Wellington is testament to the quality player he is.

Conrad Smith started in 9 games and came on from the bench in one game. He scored three tries. It was great to see Snakey back in the Lions after his serious injury in the Super 14. He proved he had lost none of his skills and fully deserved his spot on the All Blacks end of year tour.

Jason Spice started in four games and had four appearances as a reserve. It was great to see Spicey back in Wellington. He was back in Wellington on a short term contract as cover for Piri Weepu who was on All Blacks duty. He played well and still got up to his old tricks.

COUNTIES MANAKAU STEELERS: After not being wanted by the Wellington coaching team, Ross Kennedy was loaned to Counties so that he could get some game time. He started in five games and made one appearance from the bench. Counties definitely benefited from Rosko's skill and experience while he was in the side.

WELLINGTON REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS

WELLINGTON "B"

The following players played for Wellington "B":

Sam Green
Ross Kennedy
Mike Te Moana

Prop Matt Anderson was selected for the wider training squad, but was not selected for any games.

The team was coached by ex OBU player Jamie Joseph and OBU premier coach Dave 'Trapper' Loveridge.

WELLINGTON COLTS: The following players played for Wellington Colts in 2006

Tomasi Palu
Seminar Manu
Wilbur Davies.

Nic Warmke also trialled for the team

WELLINGTON UNDER 19: The following players played for Wellington Under 19

Moeahu Flavell
Gavin Roper
Beau Brown

WELLINGTON MAORI

Nathan Sweetman

OFF THE FIELD

MR OBU 2006: The 6th annual Mr OBU was held at the Cambridge Hotel in May. Once again there was a wide range of contestants all striving to be crowned Mr OBU. For the first time ever management was represented by Brad (Patches) Houlahan. The early stand out of the night was Premier Representative James Oliver who won over many a sweet ladies heart with his singing and style. The contenders were put through their paces in four rounds: eveningwear, swimwear, special talent and an allocated task. By the end of the night there had been singing, musical talent, stripper dancing and some poor jug sculls. In the end Oliver unanimously took first place ahead of Patches. A social team entrant, who refused to give any other name but Elvis came third. All in all a good night was had by everyone involved.

OBU IDOL A BIG SUCCESS: Saturday night was the night for everyone to show their singing ability to the masses. It was a great night; the Cambridge was bursting at the seams. There were many highlights, from the team spirit the women's team showed (by all dressing up in costumes) to the guest appearance by 'The Red Hot Chilli Peppers' (great work guys!!!).

However there were three entrants that stood out above all the others. Club stalwart Vern Cotter won third prize, for a amazing rendition of Delila. Premier player Tomasi Palu took out second place with his version of Sexual Healing, while social player Rab won first place with his amazing version of Piano Man.