New Zealand Marist Colts Tour


Northern Region 2007

The Team

Tevita Jorgenson - Whangarei Marist
James Sorenson - Auckland Marist
Cam Simmiss - Auckland Marist
Craig Van Berkel - North Harbour Marist
James Gill - North Harbour Marist
Chris Falkner - Ardmore Marist
Ryan Marra - Hamilton Marist
Chris Gillies - Greerton Marist
Kelvin Hatcher - Marist St Michael's, Rotorua
Peter Steven - Old Boys Marist, Gisborne
Liam Hale - Napier O B Marist
Matt Parris - Hastings Rugby & Sports
Ben Siffleet - Tukapa, NewPlymouth
Dylan Casey - Wanganui Marist
Brad Ritchie - Palmerston North Marist
Anthony Balks - Masterton Marist
Phil Filipo - Hutt O B Marist
Poasa Poasa - MSP Wellington
Tyler McKinnon-Stevenson - Nelson Marist
Andrew Connors - Greymouth Marist
Mathew Golding - Marist Albion
Ryan Ford - Ashburton Celtic
Andrew Scott - Timaru Celtic
Hamish Scott - Dunedin RFC
Samuel Dixon - Invercargill Marist
Shaun Mackrill - Brothers, Brisbane
Petelo Tupou - Marist Longoteme, Tonga
Maselino Setefano - Marist, Tonga

Coaches
Mark Thornton - North Harbour Marist
Gordon Tietjens - Marist St Michael's, Rotorua

Technical Advisor
Fr. Filipe Akauola - Marist Longoteme, Tonga

Managers
Keith Martin - North Harbour Marist
Jeff Murdoch - Invercargill Marist
Mike Donoghue - Wanganui Marist
Tony Meachen - NZ Marist RDO, MSP Wellington
Sean Kenny - Travel Manager, Masterton Marist

 

Friday August 24

The N.Z. Marist Colts assembled at the Hotel Grand Chancellor, Auckland Airport.
After a brief meeting the team proceeded to a local park for a light training run, this was followed by a recovery pool session back at the hotel.
Following dinner the team met in the Hotel boardroom and was introduced to Gary Walters the President of New Zealand Marist and given a brief on the proud history of the New Zealand Marist Rugby Football Federation and the 28 Marist Clubs throughout New Zealand.
The management team was then introduced consisting of Jeff Murdoch of Invercargill Marist, Tony Meachen the New Zealand Marist RDO, Sean Kenny the New Zealand Marist Travel Manager and Mike Donoghue the New Zealand Marist Executive who would join the tour later in the week.
The coaches were then introduced Mark Thornton and Keith Marton both of North Harbour Marist.
Finally, the guest coach from Tonga Father Filipe S. Akauola was introduced along with the two players from the two Marist rugby clubs in Tonga and the Australian representative from the Brothers club in Brisbane.
The team then dispersed for an early night to prepare for training on Saturday.

Saturday 25th August

An early breakfast was followed by an intense training run at the Ardmore Marist Rugby Club.
The pool session after was followed by lunch and then a team meeting in the boardroom.
After a brief introduction each player was asked to come forward and make a speech on their Marist club before receiving their tour kit.
All the tour kit was embroidered with the N.Z. Marist brand and comprised of:
• formal black jacket
• formal white shirt
• green polar fleece jacket
• long sleeve white polo shirt
• grey polo shirt
• white warm up shirt
• white & green N.Z. Marist towel
• Blue N.Z. Marist bag
On display were the green and white New Zealand Marist socks, the N.Z. Marist embroidered white shorts and the green and white N.Z. Marist Jersey with the New Zealand Community Trust logo proudly displayed across the front.
When the gear issue was complete a clear outline on the tour plan was presented. This embraced the performance on and off the field and with the host clubs and school visits.
All the players remembered the N.Z. Marist network figures of 28 Rugby clubs, 49 Colleges and 190 Primary Schools.
The team then met in the afternoon in a team uniform for a Bus tour of South Auckland.
Upon returning they prepared for another training run at Ardmore Marist and a pool session back at the hotel.
Dinner was followed by another Bus tour of central Auckland to educate all of the Marist players in particular those from the Deep South.

Sunday August 26

After breakfast the entire team assembled in their Number one Dress Kit to attend Mass at the Parish of St Mary in Papakura. As with all New Zealand Marist Colts tours mass is not compulsory but all the members attended out of respect for the team and the proud history of New Zealand Marist Rugby.
The tour party of 34 was well received by the parish community and enjoyed giving out some N.Z. Marist branded rugby balls to some of the children after mass.
Mass was followed by brunch and then a team photo at the Ardmore Marist Clubrooms.
At 2pm the first match of the tour kicked off. A solid game by Ardmore Marist against a highly motivated N.Z. Marist Colts resulted in a 56 – 5 win to N.Z. Marist.
The hospitality from Ardmore Marist at the after match was great and included the player of the day presentation to Ben Siffleet from Tukapa, New Plymouth.

Monday August 27

Following breakfast the team checked out from the hotel and headed north. Upon arriving at Whangarei the N.Z. Marist Colts and management conducted a school visit at St Francis Xavier Primary School and were warmly received by the principal Craig Mc Kernan and the teachers and pupils. After the team presented a Haka to the pupils, the N.Z. Marist Rugby Balls were given out to the school and a N.Z. Marist Colt spoke on behalf of the team. The players enjoyed some interactive play and skill sessions and then left to check into the hotel.
After lunch the Colts presented more branded N.Z. Marist Rugby Balls and conducted their Haka and then held a training session at Pompallier Catholic College.
Training was followed by a recovery session in the hotel pool, dinner, a brief meeting and a quiet night.

Tuesday August 28

An early breakfast and training at Pompallier College allowed for some recovery time.
Kick off for match number 2 was at 2:30pm at the Whangarei Marist Club against a Northland Development team that included 4 Whangarei Marist players. The Northland team was strong and the game was very close. The N.Z. Marist Colts showed great tenacity to come from behind and win 27 – 24 in the last 5 minutes.
The player of the day was awarded to Tyler McKinnon – Stevenson from Marist RFC Nelson.
The planning, organization and hospitality from the Whangarei Marist Club and their leader Greg Shipton was outstanding.

Wednesday August 29

The bus departed for Auckland straight after breakfast and stopped off at the Stella Maris Primary School where the boys presented their Haka followed by a number of Marist Rugby Balls and a large number of chocolate bars were thrown out for the pupils to compete for.
The colts enjoyed interacting with the pupils and the teachers joined in to create a special occasion.
As there was little traffic on the roads we arrived in Auckland early and phoned the Marist Primary School in Herne Bay where we were well received. The pupils and the teachers enjoyed the Haka greatly and were ecstatic to receive N.Z. Marist Rugby Balls.
The Teachers who each received a ball were asked to come to the front of the Hall. They were to receive a pass from one of the N.Z. Marist Colts. If the teachers dropped the ball, N.Z. Marist would take the ball to the next Primary school. Most of the teachers were ladies and they were terrified. The pupils cheered and screamed as the shaky, sweating teachers caught each and every pass. Not one ball was dropped.

Thursday August 30

Breakfast was followed by training at the North Harbour Marist Club next door to Albany Stadium. Following training a school visit was conducted at Rosmini college.
Some of the players spoke of their college experiences and the balls were well received by the college.
A quiet afternoon allowed the team to focus on the third game against the North Harbour Marist XV.
After an even first half the N.Z. Marist Colts increased the pace of the game and came away with a 24 – nil win.
The player of the day was presented to Chris Faulkner of Ardmore Marist.
A great after match function was followed by a return to the Hotel and an educational night out for some.

Friday August 31

Breakfast was followed by training at Sacred Heart College.
After training the team presented some N.Z. Marist Rugby Balls to the Sacred Heart Development team and shared a training exercise. This is the team that will defend the N.Z. Marist Secondary Schools Quadrangular Tournament title in Wellington next year.
From Sacred Heart the Colts team moved on to their final school visit of the Tour at St Pius X Primary School in Glen Innes.
This is a Catholic Primary School only for Tongan and Samoan pupils of Auckland.
The New Zealand Marist Rugby Balls and the promotional chocolates were very well received and the support from the teachers was outstanding.
The team then returned to the Hotel in down town Auckland next door to Sky City for a formal educational by Father Filipe Akauola.
Father Filipe coaches Marist Longoteme RFC in Tonga and provided a formal Tongan Kava ceremony for the team. All the formal rules, protocols and History were explained by Father Filipe and all Colts players and management attended in the N.Z. Marist Speights tops and their white branded N.Z. Marist towels.
Petelo and Maselino assisted Fr. Filipe in an outstanding contribution by our Tongan Marist brothers.

Saturday September 1st

Breakfast was followed by training at the Auckland Marist Club and then back to the hotel for lunch.
The fourth game against the Auckland Marist Colts was built up to be the toughest game of the tour.
The game was fiercely contested and the final result of a 46 – 24 win to N.Z. Marist was a testament to the commitment from all of the players, coaches and management throughout the tour.
The Auckland Marist hospitality was a reflection of the 100 year history of Marist rugby in Auckland and past Marist All Blacks such as Bernie Mc Cahill mixed well with the N.Z. Marist Colts.
Following the After match the N.Z. Marist Colts retired to a private room where the traditional post tournament function was conducted. This was the thirty third N.Z. Marist Colts tour and the Jeremy David players’ player of the tour was presented to Tyler Mc Kinnon – Stevenson of Marist RFC Nelson.
The John Patete Memorial Trophy was presented to Sam Dixon of Marist RFC Invercargill.
Special presentations were made to Fr. Filipe Akauola of Marist Longoteme Tonga and to Shaun Mackrill of Brothers RFC Brisbane.

Sunday September 2

The team dispersed from an outstanding tour.
Sincere thanks to all the sponsors, Hotels and host Clubs.

TOUR PHOTOS - click to enlarge