2024's finest from the South Island ... the plays, the players and the playoffs missed. These are the Herald’s best, and worst, of the year. Video / Facebook
It has been a big year for South Island sport, from Olympians to Black Ferns and big names of the future. These are the Herald’s best, and worst, of the year.
St Thomas of Canterbury College First XIII, Rugby League. Champions in 2023, champions again in 2024. St Thomas College were a class above the rest of New Zealand’s best schools at the national champs in Auckland. They beat runners-up De La Salle twice in a matter of days – most importantly, 24-18 in the final. Their players dominated the age-group tournament teams.
Christ’s College, Basketball. A dominant performance at the National Championships in Palmerston North saw the title return to “College”. Tama Isaac, Ihaka Cate and Boston Paerata were there when the big plays were required but it was a full-team performance that saw them overcome a tenacious Napier Boys’ High School side in the final by just three points. No other opponent got within 10 points of them.
Christchurch Boys’ High School First XI, Cricket. Gillette Cup champions ... again. The reigning champions defended their title at Lincoln University this week, beating the champions of Otago, Northern Districts, Auckland, Wellington and finally Central Districts. It wasn’t without some nails being bitten. The win over Auckland champions Westlake Boys High School went down to the last ball – with captain Callum Samson taking responsibility to bowl it and guiding his side to a 4-run win. Earlier, Harry O’Loughlin scored 120 for Christchurch Boys’ (CBHS), the highest score of the tournament. Their final match was a showdown between the two unbeaten sides, CBHS and Napier Boys’ High School. Rain interfered with the match evenly poised – but when play was called off, CBHS were ahead on the DLS method. It’s the school’s 13th Gillette Cup win in the past 25 years.
Christchurch Girls’ High School, Rowing. The Levin Jubilee Cup remained in Christchurch in 2024, but it did change schools (having spent the past three years in the hands of Rangi Ruru) – and for the first time it found a home at Christchurch Girls’ High School. The coxed-eight crew saw off the challenge of two other Canterbury schools on Lake Ruataniwha – with St Margaret’s College finishing second and Rangi Ruru third.
Nelson College First XV. Unbeaten through the Miles Toyota Championship and knocking over the reigning national champions in the South Island final. Went to the Top 4 and proved too good for Kelston Boys’ High School – but ultimately fell short in the final against Hamilton Boys’ High School. One win away from the perfect season and the best in 154 years of Nelson College rugby.
Canterbury Rams, Basketball. After a three-decade wait, the Rams proved 2023 was no fluke as they barged their way to back-to-back NBL titles. After a shaky 1-2 start, the Cantabs – led superbly by guard Taylor Britt – caught fire, winning 16 games in a row during the regular season. They showed their championship mettle in a thrilling triple-overtime semifinal triumph over Taranaki, before serving up a second dose of grand final disappointment to Auckland. Don’t rule out a three-peat next year despite coach Judd Flavell’s departure, stepping up to the Tall Blacks’ head coaching role.
RUNNERS-UP: Tasman Mako, Rugby. After four failed attempts, Tasman finally got their hands on the Ranfurly Shield. It took 82 minutes to snatch New Zealand rugby’s most famous prize from Hawke’s Bay’s grasp, Campbell Parata kicking the match-winning penalty from halfway before being swamped by teammates. They defended it twice before succumbing to Taranaki – but they’ll never forget their *first Shield era.
*Marlborough held the Shield in 1973, defending it six times. 2024 saw their first successful challenge since the merger with Nelson Bays.
South Canterbury, Rugby. The Heartland Championship side may not have won the title this year – but they did set a new record in domestic rugby. An unmatched run of 39 consecutive wins eclipsed Auckland’s record from the late 80s and early 90s. It came to an unexpected end well after the 80-minute mark in their Meads Cup semifinal against neighbours Mid Canterbury.
Wests Rugby Club – Hokitika. Their first title as a merged entity (St Mary’s and Excelsior clubs) ended a staggering eight years of Kiwi RFC dominance in the West Coast club rugby competition. The 20-12 win also brought an end to Kiwi RFC’s phenomenal 93-game winning streak. Sadly, the occasion was marred by two violent incidents that occurred between the two teams in the evening after the match.
RUNNERS-UP: HSOB Light Bears, Rugby. Bidding to become back-to-back national Under-85kg rugby champions, they were pipped by the Pakuranga Black Panthers with the last act of the game. Having led by six with time up, the Light Bears of High School Old Boys conceded a try out wide on the right wing – then watched Riley Harrison kick a clutch conversion from the sideline. The U85kg competition is sudden death from round one, so to win one title is impressive. Being that close to defending the title is extraordinary.
Coastal Spirit, Football. What a year for Coastal Spirit. Winners of the English Cup (Canterbury’s club competition) for the first time since forming in 2007. Spirit thumped Cashmere Technical 4-0 in the final. They also qualified for the National League and made a run in the Chatham Cup before being stopped in the semifinals by eventual champions Wellington Olympic.
Jorja Miller, Rugby Sevens. A gold medal winner at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Miller is a force to be reckoned with in the shorter version of the game. Just two years after making her debut for the Black Ferns Sevens, the 20-year-old South Cantabrian collected the Kelvin R. Tremain Memorial Player of the Year title at this year’s New Zealand Rugby Awards. In doing so, Miller became the second-youngest recipient of the award in its 30-year history – behind the late Jonah Lomu.
Ellesse Andrews, Cycling. Double gold medallist in Paris with a silver medal, too – Andrews elevated herself to a level usually inhabited only by Dame Lisa Carrington. The powerhouse track cyclist won two individual golds, firstly in the keirin and then in the individual pursuit. She’d already claimed silver in the team sprint, alongside Shaane Fulton and Rebecca Petch. Andrews proved too strong for German’s Lea Friedrich in the final, storming home in the second race after a tight win in the first. In the keirin (the one with the motorised pacesetter) she had no equal, winning every race from her heats to the final.
RUNNER UP: Hamish Kerr, High Jump. Kerr had us on the edge of our seats late on a winter’s night as he flopped his way to Olympic gold at the Stade de France. The 1.98m athlete went head-to-head with American Shelby McEwen in a jump-off to decide the gold medal. Both had jumped 2.36m in regulation, but Kerr cleared 2.34m in the jump-off to stand on top of the podium. His reaction matched those of us watching – a mixture of shock and delight. Undoubtedly one of the greatest moments in New Zealand track and field history.
Judd Flavell, Basketball. The 2024 Rams coach became the Tall Blacks coach in 2024 – after taking the Canterbury franchise to back-to-back NBL wins. Flavell was also named NBL 2024 Coach of the Year. The Rams’ success has Flavell’s fingerprints all over it, with a number of his young stars stepping up to international duty in the Fiba Asia Cup matches last month.
RUNNER UP: Matt Winter, Rugby. At just 33 years of age, Matt Winter could have a long tenure ahead of him as Mid Canterbury coach. In his first year in the role, Winter guided his side to the Meads Cup final – ending the five-year unbeaten streak of South Canterbury in the process. Ultimately the trip to Te Aroha proved a step too far for Mid Canterbury, succumbing to Thames Valley 37-29 in a tight final. All eyes will be on Winter in 2025 to see how he builds on a tremendous start to his first-class coaching career.
THAT Bishop Neal pass to Jackson Stewart in the National Secondary Schools Rugby League tournament. It Ticked a lot of Toks – and rightly so.
Chad Bowes, Cricket. Bowes broke the world record for the fastest List A double century, in the Ford Trophy. The Canterbury opener pasted Otago’s attack across Hagley Oval and on to the tented roof of the Hadlee Pavillion. He claimed the record from Australian star Travis Head – bettering the South Australian’s mark by 11 balls.
Bowes was eventually dismissed for 205, the second-highest individual score in List A history.
Okay, it had its difficulties and the event won’t be returning BUT while it lasted, the Lyttelton Harbour course was a spectator’s dream for Sail GP. The curious dolphins had the final say – they’re still there, the event isn’t. But the memories will live on.
RUNNERS-UP: Timaru’s new Fraser Park. It’s been a long time coming but the new and improved venue looks a treat for South Canterbury. Four years in the making, the ground reopened a few months back with South Canterbury hosting Ngāti Porou East Coast in Heartland Championship action.
Apollo Projects Stadium. Not for the Crusaders. Not for Canterbury – actually not for rugby. When the Warriors (twice) and then the Kiwis came to Christchurch, this ground was humming. Even crammed in like sardines on a sea of scaffolding, it had an atmosphere that could probably be heard from the construction site at Te Kaha. It may not be missed when the new stadium opens, but the occasions that the ground has hosted won’t be forgotten.
Louis Sharp, Motorsport. The 17-year-old former St Bede’s student has just won back-to-back championships in British stepping-stone classes and will soon be following his good mate Liam Lawson around the world in the travelling Formula One circus. Sharp, driving for Rodin, won the F4 championship in 2023 before claiming the GB3 title this year. In 2025 he’ll drive F3, a class that features at Formula One events.
Bishop Neal, Rugby League. The 16-year-old back-rower is described by his St Thomas’s College coach, Andrew Auimatagi, as “a one of a kind”. Neal has already enjoyed success with the New Zealand Warriors Under-17 side, winning this year’s Harold Matthews Cup competition. He’ll qualify for another year in that grade and will be a name to watch out for in the immediate future. The Year 11 student was also named tournament MVP at this year’s National Secondary School competition. He has size, strength and speed ... and as his “Play of the Year” award shows – skills to match.
Lauren Whittaker, Basketball. Reaffirmed her status as one of the most exciting basketball talents coming through the New Zealand ranks. The now 19-year-old former St. Andrews College student made her senior debut for the Tall Ferns this year, and didn’t look out of place alongside older sister Charlotte, with a team-high 27 points and eight rebounds against Mozambique. Whittaker will look to continue her ascent in the American collegiate ranks at Gonzaga, who play in the NCAA’s Western conference.
Harry Inch, Rugby Union. The lynchpin in the Nelson College First XV, Inch went on to gain selection in the New Zealand Secondary Schools side and will spend 2025 in the Crusaders system. A classy first five, Inch has already caught the eye of Crusaders coach Rob Penney – who describes him as “a bright young talent”. A sharp attacker and a strong defender, the curly mullet spent much of the 2024 season in full flow for his First XV. Expect to see him feature at senior level soon.
Cooper Moore, Golf. The 16-year-old has been touted as one to watch for the past couple of years, but this year his star shone its brightest, winning the New Zealand Amateur Championship at Titirangi Golf Club in November. Moore battled back from 3-down with seven holes to play in the final against fellow teen Robby Turnbull. Moore prevailed on the final hole to become what is understood to be the second-youngest winner since the tournament began in 1893.
Harry O’Loughlin, Cricket. A tall, left-handed opening batter with fast feet and long levers, O’Loughlin dominated the recent Gillette Cup tournament. The Year 12 student finished on top of the run-scoring charts and looks to have a bright future ahead of him. No doubt he’ll be back in blue and black in 2025 to spearhead his side’s attempt to win their third straight national title.
The first home test of the summer. The perfect set-up at idyllic Hagley Oval. New Zealand v England, a big crowd, the Barmy Army in full song, hot weather, with the Black Caps coming off a historic 3-0 series win in India. What came next was unbecoming of the occasion. Sent in to bat, the Black Caps let numerous strangleholds slip in their first innings before those same hands dropped seven catches in England’s first innings. Five of them were off the bat of Harry Brook, who smashed his way to 171. The only thing the Black Caps’ hands could cling to was their opponents’ as they shook them on day four – to congratulate the visitors on an eight-wicket win.
RUNNERS-UP: Crusaders, Rugby. The Crusaders’ 2024 woes are now well documented and to be fair, much of it was beyond their control. However, when you’ve won seven titles in a row previously* and then you fail to even make the top-eight playoffs the following year ... it’s a flop. The crowds confirmed it.
* Five full titles, not including the two Covid-era national titles
Mainland Tactix, Netball. Promised so much in 2024 with a strong squad, but failed to deliver at the pointy end of the season, losing four of their last five matches. The last of them was the Elimination Final to the eventual champions, the Northern Mystics. The new year will bring a new coach (and a familiar face) in Donna Wilkins and some new names to the red dress. However, it may be a while yet before they offer the same hope as last season.
Ellesse Andrews, Cycling. Two golds and a silver, Andrews’ love affair with the Paris velodrome and medal dais made for some incredible viewing. The humble track cyclist with piston-like legs could barely have asked for more from her second Olympic Games. Just the second New Zealander in history to win three Olympic medals at one Games and the first to do it on a bike. 2024 saw Andrews’ name forever etched into the history books.
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