Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

Rugby: Hard to pick between top two

By Andrew Johnsen
Northern Advocate·
28 Jul, 2016 04:43 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Mid Northern attack the line through hooker Jordan Olsen in their 24-20 semifinal win over Waipu in the Bayleys Southern Districts' Premier competition. They take on Old Boys Marist in the final at Toll Stadium. Photo / Peter Nicholson

Mid Northern attack the line through hooker Jordan Olsen in their 24-20 semifinal win over Waipu in the Bayleys Southern Districts' Premier competition. They take on Old Boys Marist in the final at Toll Stadium. Photo / Peter Nicholson

The stage is set for the two best teams in Northland club rugby.

Old Boys Marist and Mid Northern will clash in the final of the Bayleys Southern Districts' Premier competition tomorrow.

Both sides managed wins in their semifinals: Mid Northern outlasted Waipu 24-20 while OBM beat defending champions Wellsford.

And both teams are getting ready for the biggest game of the season.

Mid Northern coach Craig Edwards said they had been gearing up well for the final.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Preparations have been good, apart from the weather. Hopefully, conditions are good for Saturday," he said. "We've been working on sticking to the basics and building pressure. We've been working hard on set-pieces. Defence will win us the game, while discipline could lose it for us."

On the other side, OBM coach Greg Shipton said they had been doing what they always do.

"Our preparations have been no different to any other week. The boys are really digging in," he said. "We've been going over our patterns and skill set. Nothing has changed for us all season."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The final will be the third time these two sides have met this season.

OBM drew first blood with a 25-10 win in round two, but Mid Northern squared the ledger with a 31-20 win in round 11 during their 12-game winning streak.

Both sides have impressed offensively and defensively, ranking highly in both categories.

Mid Northern were always a major threat on attack, scoring a competition-leading 605 points (33.6 points per game).

Discover more

Rugby: Rising referee lifts game to new level

25 Jul 04:40 PM

Rugby: Ruthless Awanui romp to fourth straight title

25 Jul 04:42 PM

Rugby: Cream rises for Division One final

28 Jul 04:41 PM

But OBM were the staunchest of all defences, conceding just over 13 points per contest during the regular season.

Edwards has put the onus on his side to put together a convincing effort.

"We have strengths all over the park, but it's up to them to give a great performance out there," he said.

OBM and Mid Northern have been rewarded for their fine seasons with 13 selections for the Northland Mitre 10 Cup sqaud.

Both teams have uncompromising front-rows, incisive halfback/first-five combinations and game-breaking outside backs.

The battle of halfbacks Matty Marwick (OBM) and Malcolm McLeod (Mid Northern) could be the best battle inside the final.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Shipton said: "There will be 44 quality players out on the park, so hopefully it should be a great game.

"We rate them (Mid Northern) highly, and we want to replicate their successes."

The game kicks off at 3pm at Toll Stadium.

Entry costs $5.

Last five games:

* Mid Northern 31 OBM 20
* OBM 25 Mid Northern 10
* Mid Northern 20 OBM 8
* OBM 16 Mid Northern 5
* Mid Northern 36 OBM 15

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Sport

Northern Advocate

'Incredible': Northland retirees become world champs in new sport

27 Jun 07:00 PM
Sport

NZ shearers prepare for Scotland's toughest sheep

25 Jun 10:36 PM
Northern Advocate

How Paralympic aspirations helped Eligh Fountain overcome mental battles - On The Up

25 Jun 06:00 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

'Incredible': Northland retirees become world champs in new sport

'Incredible': Northland retirees become world champs in new sport

27 Jun 07:00 PM

The Warrens became the first over-70s Hyrox world champions at the competition in Chicago.

NZ shearers prepare for Scotland's toughest sheep

NZ shearers prepare for Scotland's toughest sheep

25 Jun 10:36 PM
How Paralympic aspirations helped Eligh Fountain overcome mental battles - On The Up

How Paralympic aspirations helped Eligh Fountain overcome mental battles - On The Up

25 Jun 06:00 PM
2025 King's Birthday Honours List

2025 King's Birthday Honours List

From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP