Taine Cordell-Hull and Max Rodgers. Graphic: Liam K. Swiggs Photo: ActionPress
National Under 85kg Club Cup
Poneke FC Wanderers v HSOB Light Bears
Kick-off: 2:15pm Saturday 27 September
Eden Park, Auckland
The sixth edition of the popular National Under 85kg Club Cup final will take place on Eden Park this Saturday, with Wellington's Pōneke FC taking on HSOB Light Bears from Christchurch. For Light Bears captain Jared Percival, the match will cap off an historic year for weight grade rugby. He also led the first ever national side to victories over Sri Lanka in May, two of 25 games he's played in all competitons this season so far.
"When you get to this point in the competition, you know that everyone you come up against is pretty handy," said Percival, who is one of six NZ rep players in the Light Bears.
Jarred Percival scores for the NZ U85kg side. Photo: ActionPress
"Taine Cordell-Hull, Nick Milne, Ben Scott, Josh Purdon and Callum Nimmo…and outside of those players we have Josh Evans and Billy Sloane that have been pretty devastating for us this year. Our midfield and outside backs have been stepping up in a big way, playing awesome footy as well."
The Light Bears will be looking to make amends for their loss in last year's dramatic final against the Pakuranga Black Jaguars, which was decided by a converted try after the final hooter. The one remarkable statistic about the match was that it took 61 minutes of play before a handling error resulted in a scrum to either side, however it was cold comfort to Percival and his team.
"We've had the monkey on our back and joked about having 360 sleepless nights."
HSOB Light Bears celebrate their semifinal victory over Pakuranga. Photo: ActionPress
While this will be the third final in a row for the Light Bears, who won the title in 2023, this is the first appearance for Pōneke. The club, known amongst themselves but certainly no one else as the 'Street Kids', has a long and successful history in local weight grade competition, but they had previously never advanced past the quarterfinal stage of the Club Cup.
"This is probably the biggest day for the club since the premier side made the Jubilee Cup final in 2010, and that didn't have the stage this one has," said forwards coach and club captain Tom Anderson, in recognition of the fact that the final will be broadcast live on Sky Sport.
Pōneke's lineup contains three NZ representatives, including loose forward Pasia Asiata, hooker Matt Treeby and midfielder Adam Preston, brother of All Black Kyle.
Adam Preston in action for the Poneke Wanderers. Photo: ActionPress
"It's nice for the Preston brothers, with Adam now getting to play on the field where Kyle debuted for the All Blacks," said Anderson. who credits a lot of the side's success this year to head coach and legendary Wellington rugby figure Ross Bond.
"Bondy brings an element of the old school, which provides a structure that the guys respond really positively to. He's a great motivator and relying on others in coaching group for their expertise, he's like the conductor of the orchestra."
This year's final will once again be the curtain-raiser to the first Bledisloe Cup test and is the second time it will be played on Eden Park. The first ever final was held there and won by the appropriately named Eden Lizards, with a memorable 27-24 win over the Auckland University Squids.
This year's competition saw 42 teams enter from 12 unions across the country, with the added incentive of selection in the NZ Under 85kg side now up for grabs.
