Premier rugby is back this weekend!
After an offseason of change, the rugby season is finally upon us. Our Premier Men will line up for their first Swindale Shield match on Saturday, travelling to Northern United.
Saturday’s season opener comes some 259 days since the side last took the field and a lot has happened in those eight months. The offseason started in earnest with the appointment of Sean Horan as Director of Rugby in September. Since then Sean has assembled a new coaching team that works collaboratively across the Premier, Premier Reserve and Colts grades. That collaboration has brought a renewed energy at Evans Bay, buoyed by the enthusiasm of a number of new players across those teams.
We asked Sean to reflect on the efforts undertaken over the past six months.
‘Its been a busy offseason, its my first time back in 24 years and things have changed. Player numbers are not what they use to be; the costs of putting teams on the field are a lot higher and generally people and players have a lot going on in their work, family and recreational lives.
We have seen a change with people moving on and new people stepping up. We have some new players, new coaching and management staff and a new off field/committee team. Our focus this year is about having the right people around and have a ONE club culture. This will take time, but it's been pleasing to see from our players and people that the building block have began.’
The ‘one club’ culture Sean refers to has been evident through the offseason as the teams train as a collective. This has given our players exposure to a range of coaching expertise and the opportunity to train and play alongside experienced players.
The cohesiveness of the group was evident at Spillane Cup when this new group, which included players who will feature across the three grades, turned in impressive performances on each day. This included a 26-26 draw with Hutt Old Boys Marist, followed by a 61-31 win over Napier Old Boys Marist.
The 2024 Premier contingent welcomes back a number of players who have played for Marist St Pats in recent years. Centurions Vince Sakaria and Josh To’omaga return from a year off in 2023 and are joined in the forward pack by Ivan Fepuleai (Sydney) and Ryan Dafel (Hamilton). Also returning to the club are backs Grayson Whitman (Ories) and Sagele Aukusitino (NZ Warriors) who will link up with their brothers (Keelan Whitman and Iosefo Aukusitino) in the squad. Sean notes that these players are really excited to pull on the red jersey again.
Along with those returning players, we are excited to welcome some new faces. Fresh out of Hastings Boys High, loose forward Taufa Kaufononga has shown great athleticism in the preseason. In the backline Sam Connor (England), Rique Miln (Sydney) and Tomasi Connor (OBU) look set to build combinations in the halves; while Viliame Saukuru (Wesley Boys) is showing pace out wide.
The 2024 Premier Men will be led by loose forward Milan Kriletich who enters his third season of Premier rugby and was one of the most consistent performers in 2023. Read more on Milan here.
With a great mix of new and returning talent, the Evans Bay faithful will no doubt have a keen interest in how the team gels in the opening few weeks. When asked what supporters can expect to see, Sean said ‘I think they’ll see a team that is together, working hard for each other and really proud to inspire both on the field and off. It will take time to find combinations and continuity, but I believe if we get a strong connected culture going we’ll be very competitive.’
There’s been plenty of activity at Evans Bay over the past few months preparing for the season, Saturday is finally the opportunity to put that preparation to the test. The side will take on a youthful Northern United for the Maurice Standish Cup. The finals words from Sean Horan ahead of the opening match:
‘Success is in the way we perform through work ethic, being together, never stopping getting up and making smart decisions. We know Norths are always a strong team at home, they are a physical side and have some good experience up front. We are playing for the “Morrie Standish” Cup! It will mean a lot to this team to do him proud. “Uncle Morrie” is the epitome of what Marist St Pats forwards should be - tough, uncompromising, always getting back up, high work rate and earning the respect from the opposition! We’ll honour him in the way we play.’
Marist St Pats’ Swindale Shield opener against Northern United is on Saturday at 2.45pm at Jerry Collins Stadium at Porirua Park.
Reconnect with Marist St Pats in 2024:
MSP Supporters
Shamrock Club
