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Away vs HSOB

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +1200

Not only was it the first game of the 2010 season against the old foes HSOB, it was a big occasion for a number of other reasons.

Firstly it was Knuckles 250^th game for the club an outstanding achievement from a true club stalwart; secondly it was Corry Gibbs 50^th appearance for the club, Corry is a hugely underrated player and always makes an impact when he plays so it was good to see him make this mile stone, thirdly and perhaps the main reason that such a good crowd turned out was that we were lucky enough to have 4 current Super 14 player available in Isaac Ross, Tyson Keats, Jonathon Poff and Brett Mather.

All of the above made for a special start to the season and the boys did not disappoint. Playing with the assistance of a strong wind behind them New Brighton got off to a good start, eventually their possession talking its toll with 3 good tries in the first 20mins to Ryan Hooper, Isaac Ross and Ben Murphy. This rattled HSOB but they eventually got some possession of their won and made some inroads before a missed penalty kick relieved the pressure. HSOB had by now realised that their only option was to pick and go as their backline was in disarray and when this tactic proved fruitless they succumbed to a further try, a second to Isaac before the interval.

With a 29-0 lead at half time and having secured a bonus point the boys were happy with their first half work, however the wind was a factor and HSOB are a good side who we knew would come back at us. The first 20mins of the second half was all HSOB, they dominated possession and territory with Brighton struggling to get out of their own half against the strong breeze, however some excellent, well organised defence kept them out and with only 20mins to go and 29-0 HSOB threw a desperate pass that was intercepted and Misi Salave used his exceptional pace to sprint 80 metre and score.

This broke the camel's back and Brighton began to assert their dominance again against a demoralised HSOB side, this resulted in two more tries in the last 10 mins, a superb individual try from man of the match Jonathan Poff and a good team try that saw Aaron McCoy dive over for a well deserved score on the hooter. The conversion attempt from Knuckles drifted just wide, making the final score 48-0!!!!!

It was a fantastic result with all of the players stepping up; there were some good debuts appearances from some young players that are the future of the club which was great to see with the only negative was a number of injury concerns.

Having 4 Super 14 players in your line up is always going to help and they all performed well, however it was the work rate and desire in defence of the whole team that stood out and if that is maintained throughout the season it is sure to be a good 2010 for New Brighton.

Home vs Sydenham

Sat, 17 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +1200

It was a special day at Rawhiti on saturday with it being the inaugral blazer day at the club. All ex-players who had played 50 or more games and received their club blazer were invited to the club to celebrate this achievement and a good turn out along with some more good weather made for a excellent crowd.

The visitor to Rawhiti this week were Sydenham so long New Brightons boogie team. Sydenham have a growing reputation as a very promising team, they are littered with Canterbury Academy players and have several quality experienced players to guide their highly promising youngsters. However it was Brighton who flew out of the traps, some quality passages of play in the first 10mins created 3 quick tries and a 19-0 lead was established with less than 15mins on the clock. Tries going to Ryan Hooper, Jamyn Keats and Misi Salave.

This was well deserved but the ease in which points were scored led to Brighton taking their foot off the accelerator and slowly Sydenham began to get back into the game, firstly with several penalties and just before half time they scored a try following an over throw of a Brighton line out 10 metres out. Brighton managed a penalty in amongst the Sydenham come back with the half time score being 22-16.

The beginning of the second half continued in much the same vein with Sydenham putting over a penalty and then going ahead with a well worked try that begun with a quick 22m drop out and an exellent break from their left winger that was finished off on the other side of the field by Jack Umaga.

This was the kick start that New Brighton needed as they went back on the offensive and looked dangerous before crossing for a deserved try, a penalty soon afterwards gave them a 6 point cushion with 20mins to play. Sydenham hit back with a sustained period of attack and having turned down a kickable penalty eventually conceeded a penalty following good defensive work on the Brighton goal line.

This relieved the pressure and Brighton went down the other end of the pitch and some prolonged pressure ended with a good catch and drive from a line out and a try that effectively sealed the game.

As always with Sydenham it is was a hard fought game and having let them back into the contest it was encouraging to see the boys show some character and end the game the stronger of the two team, however from having such a good lead early the Brighton coaches will be disappointed with how they gave Sydenham a sniff and will be looking to breed more of a killer instinct next time a similar scenario presents itself.

Away vs University

Sat, 24 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +1200

Brighton came up against a much improved University side at a wet and muddy Ilam fields this week. The weather was always going to play a huge part in the game and it was Varsity who handled the conditions better in the opening period. There was no significant wind advantage but Varsity employed a kicking game using the wet surface to their advantage, whilst Brighton tried to run the ball out of trouble a task made very difficult by the persistant rain.

After a long spell of possession and good field position Varsity took the lead through a penalty and although Brighton rarely got out of their own half in the first period Varsity never really thretened their line. When Brighton did get any sort of field position loose passing, knock ons and some unusual calls from the referee stopped any momentum that had been gained.

It was clear at half time that it was going to be a low scoring game and that any chances that presented themselves would need to be taken as they were going to be few and far between. Brighton kicked for position more in the second period and Varsity employed a similare tactic, neither side kicked with much skill which ensured that much of the game was played around half way. However a rare visit into Varsity territory brought a penalty to Brighton who converted to level the score at 3-3.

It was not long before Varsity had regained the initiative with their second penalty making it 6-3 to the home side with about 25mins left on the clock. After some more aerial ping pong Brighton ventured into Varsity territory and from a line out put some good passages of play together that ended up with the backs combining to score a crucial and well taken try. Jamyn Keats made a half break and linked with David Cattermole who put Ben Murphy into some space, he cleverly drew the full back and put Rob Smith over for what proved to be the only try of the game and one that put Brighton ahead for the first time.

There was still 15mins to go however and although no sustained pressure was forth coming Varsity got presented with a number of penalties in the last 10mins, some of which would have baffled the most studious rugby fan. Luckily the supposed infringements were a reasonable distance from goal and the attempts fell short, however when the referee again came up with a baffalling decision 25 metres out and just to the right of the posts it looked like Brighton may need to score again and with only 5 mins remaining, luckily the kickers radar was missing and he sliced it onto the post and away to safety.

The final whistle brought a sigh of relief, not so much due to any applied pressure from the home side but more due to the volatility of the refereeing.

Its a good side that can win ugly and that was certainly the case for Brighton in this game, the weather was a factor but the boys will need to deal better with it next time the conditions arent ideal.

Away vs Marist Albion

Sat, 01 May 2010 00:00:00 +1200

It was always going to be a tough day at the office for the Brighton team away at Marist. Middleton Park has not been a happy hunting ground in recent times and after a very slow start Brighton soon found themself 7-0 down. Some slack defence enabled Marist to break and after a few well constructed phases they forced their way over. This early score line was even more disappointing with Brighton having the advantage of a strong first half wind.

The early Marist try seemed to wake Brighton up and they were soon using the wind to better effect, the result being 3 well taken penalties to Rob Smith, the third of which was a particularly good effort from 40m. Having gained the lead 9-7 Brighton were getting a little frustrated with the lack of tries as the wind warranted a decent half time lead, a disallowed try from Aaron McCoy the closest that they came. However with half time approaching Marist gave away a string of penalties as they desperately tried to keep Brighton out, the final penalty being right in front of the uprights, Marist assumed a shot at goal was coming but a quick tap from David Cattermole and a good pass out to Ben Murphy in space saw him cross for a much needed first half try and a lead of 16-7.

The second half saw Marist take advantage of the wind to gain good field position with a penatly eventually forthcoming, bringing the score back to 16-10. It was then that Brighton had their best phase of the game. Another dominant lineout display was providing plenty of posession and when Isaac Ross made a good break a typical one handed off load seemed to put in Chris Damsteegt, only for it to be ruled forward. It was not long before Ross went on another run, this time offloading to Will Anglem who dotted down giving Brighton some breathing space. A conversion from the touch line hit the post leaving the score at 21-7.

Brighton were retaining posession well and frustrating the Marist team, most of the play was taking place in the home teams half, when a long clearance kick from Marist was fielded by Aki Salave he went on a strong run before finding Ben Murphy in space, Murphy had a 2 man over lap but as the defence drifted to cover the space it opened up for him to bag his second of the day. This was the final score of the game and although Brighton pushed for a 4th try and a bonus point they had to settle for a comfortable 28-10 victory.

After a slow start Brighton dug deep and showed some fighting qualities and patients to eventually put away a Marist side that battled hard. The Brighton defence was excellent after being exposed early on and the attacking abilities came to the fore later in the game when more space became available. However the coaches will be looking for a more complete performance in coming weeks as the opposition gets stronger.

Home vs Sumner

Sat, 08 May 2010 00:00:00 +1200

It was old foes Sumner who visited the sand pit this weekend. It was the first time the two clubs had met in a Division 1 fixture and coupled with it being Brighton's Club day it was sure to be a big occasion.

The Sumner team didn't contain too many familiar faces, with coach Scott 'Razor' Robinson clearly using his influence to recruit from other senior clubs and even overseas. The result has been that Sumner have been competitive and well organised without setting the world alight and this was again in evidence this weekend.

Brighton made all the early running and won an early penalty that was converted by the increasingly reliable Rob Smith. However it was Sumner who came up with the first try when they got a lucky break before working down field to score in the corner. By this stage Sumner had their tails up and were getting very vocal, the Brighton boys reacting to this which made for a niggly period of the game. Sumner were sucking Brighton in to their game plan and managed to get the next try. Having been awarded a free kick from a scrum they some what fortuitously managed to work up field before some good hands put in their full back.

This fired Brighton up and they responded well with some constructive phase play. It was clear from the outset that Sumner couldn't live with Brightons continuity and when they played at a high tempo there was only one team in it, however simple errors prevented Brighton scoring until this point. It was after some heavy pressure and several phases when Isaac Ross crashed over under the posts making it 15-10 to the visitors.

Yet another stroke of luck saw Sumner get their third try as Brighton were hot on attack when an overlap was ignored in favour of a chip kick, the kick some how rebounded into Sumner players hands and the fortunate player had an unopposed run under the sticks. A penalty to Brighton after some more good pressure saw the score move to 22-13. With half time approaching Brighton put together their best pasage of play of the half which, following some good hands, eventuated in a score to Rob Smith in the corner. The conversion hit the post leaving the half time score at 22-18 in Sumners favour.

It was a difficult half time team talk as Brighton who had made all of the play and had dominated proceedings found themselves behind due to three lucky breaks. Brighton didn't need to change alot other than reducing the basic errors that were preventing them from capitalising on there good work.

The second half saw Brighton continue to dominate possession and territory with Sumner rarely threatening, and only some well organised defence as well as basic errors from Brighton prevented a change in the score line. By now Sumner were employing some very negative tactics with Brighton being the only side looking to play any rugby. Eventually the pressure mounted and Brighton took advantage by adding a penalty and a well taken drop goal by David Cattermole to move into the lead at 24-22.

It was only then that Sumner tried to play some attacking rugby but they still struggled to make an impression and are clearly lacking in firepower in their back line. However the tight score line and the perseverance of a fiesty Sumner pack made for a tense last 10 minutes. Much as they tried the only real threat from Sumner came courtesy of a long range penalty attempt that fell short and wide.

It was Brighton who camped in the visitors 22 with time ticking away and eventually Gareth Seymour crashed over well into the 80th minute, the successful conversion denying Sumner a bonus point.

Sumner proved they can be a competetive unit and if they get a lead they hold onto it with everything they have which is very noble. However had Brighton not given Sumner a decent lead early in the game this could have been a very different outcome. You cant help but think that if Sumner were required to chase the game that they would have been put to the sword, instead they tried to kill the game once they got a lead which proved costly as Brighton eventually showed enough fire power to put them away.

Brighton will be disappointed that they didn't win by more, this was mainly down to a number of basic errors at crucial times and being guilty of throwing 50/50 passes when it wasn't necessary, they will also be disappointed that they bought into the verbal side of the game that Sumner initiated in an effort to put Brighton off their game. That aside there were some good signs with the structure and game plan clearly stretching the opposition not for the first time this season, When the error rate is reduced a significant score is going to be put on the unfortunate oppossition.

Away vs Burnside

Sat, 15 May 2010 00:00:00 +1200

The boys made the trip across town to Burnside Park this week to face a good Burnside team. The conditions were near perfect which looked to suit Brighton who on paper had an edge in the backs.

Brighton knew it was important to start well and they achieved this with a long period of early pressure, after coming close on a number of occassions they eventually broke the deadlock with a well constructed try to Aaron McCoy. The backs had look dangerous going wide early and after a number of phases the forwards got within striking distance before McCoy crashed over.

Burnside soon responded with a penalty however it was a rare venture into the Brighton half. At 7-3 with 25mins gone Burnside would have been happy to be still within striking distance such was the Brighton dominance, however Brighton were made to pay for not converting this pressure into points as Burnside produced its best move of the game to touch down alongside the posts an easy conversion giving them a 10-7 lead that was against the run of play.

Brighton responded well and once again were making most of the play, however little errors or 50/50 passes were letting them down at crucial times. Brighton did get the next score through a penalty that levelled the scores at 10-10 as half time approached. From the resulting kick off Brighton infringed to give Burnside the chance to go into half time 13-10 up. The kicker made no mistake and Brighton to their dismay went into the break behind.

Once again a dominant first half display had not produced the points it perhaps deserved, although a lack of patients at key times did not help the cause. The messages at half time was more of the same but to erase the errors.

The second half started in much the same vein with Brighton making most of the play and looking dangerous out wide thanks to the distribution skills of Ryan Crotty, however the scoreline still didn't change with the only reward a number of penalty opportunities that were missed by the usually reliable Rob Smith.

As the game went on Brighton got more frustrated and began to give away more and more penalties, this in turn handed Burnside some better field position and they began to get a hold on the game. Eventually after a sustained spell of pressure it was Burnside who go the next try, the conversion was missed to put them ahead 18-10 with just over 10mins to play.

It was then that the game spun on its head, Burnside were beginning to look comfortable with their big forward pack getting some dominace up front and the backs kicking field position when a poor kick was charged down on half way by Lewis Pou, he regathered and gave the ball to David Cattermole who ran between the posts unoppossed! The conversion brough the score back to 18-17 with 6 mins left on the clock!

Burnside were beginning to get the wobbles and Brighton were once again a threat. It was a great bit of counter rucking that brough the vital turnover and as the ball was moved wide the Burnside defence was severly stretched, some quick ball then gave Aaron McCoy some space and he dived over for his second try of the game. The conversion was missed giving Brighton a 4 point lead with time running out!!

In the remaining moments Burnside had a couple of lineouts in the Brighton half that could have provided a good attacking platform, however Isaac Ross stole them both, the second of which was kicked out by Chris Young which signalled the end of the game.

On the overall balance of play this was a fair result and if Brighton had been more clinical they could have won this game comfortable, however having been 8 points up with 10mins to play Burtnside will rightfully feel agrieved that they let it slip. It is a credit to the boys that they turned the game around in the late stages, but of concern that they were unable to put the opposition away earlier in the game.

To start the season with 6 wins is no mean feat, however there is plenty to work on and there are a few things that will need to be put right before this weekends top of the table clash with the also unbeaten Christchurch. The DCL Shield will also be on the line not to mention it being Kieron Fonotia first visit back to Rawhiti, I am sure the boys will give him a good wecome home!!

Home vs Christchurch

Sat, 22 May 2010 00:00:00 +1200

The game of the round saw Brighton take on Christchurch at Rawhiti Domain. The scene was set with plenty on the line, with both teams being unbeaten, the DCL Shield up for grabs and pride of place at the top of the ladder.

There was a deceptively strong wind that benefitted the visitors in the first half and they used this to their advantage in the early stages earning a penalty in front of the up rights, only for the fly half to unbeliveably pull the kick wide. Brighton then had their own spell of pressure but it was short lived due to frequent turnovers inflicted by an impressive Christchurch loose trio.

Christchurch worked their way down field into Brighton territory through a series of indiscretions at scrum time by Brighton, however it looked like the home team had relieved the the pressure when a turnover gave them an opportunity to clear, the attempted clearance kick was charged down and some what fortuitously bounced into the arms of a Christchurch players for an unopposed canter under the posts. This was soon followed by a penalty kick to Chrictchuch who took a 10-0 lead after 15 mins.

Brighton then began to take the game to Christchurch and had a good spell of territory and posession but crucial errors at crucial times and good defence enabled Christchurch to limited Brighton to few clear cut opportunities. Eventually the pressure told and Brighton got on the score board with a penalty. Brighton continued to press and were awarded a number of other penalties that were squandered when against the run of play Chrictchurch turned the ball over on halfway before moving the ball to space and scoring a well worked try. The conversion made it 17-3 late in the first half.

Not for the first time in recent weeks Brighton were to go into half time behind having had the better of the half. However credit should go to Christchurch who had taken their chances well and turned over the ball at crucial times which made it difficult for the home side to gain much continuity. Brighton were clearly getting some dominace upfront but were moving the ball wide much to early and were paying the penalty.

The second half begun with Brighton using the wind to great effect and starving the opposition of possession, this eventuated in a well constructed try following a number of good phases and some good interplay between backs and forwards. The conversion was missed to leave the score at 17-8.

It was clear that a change of tactic had occured with Brighton no longer going too far away from the forwards which eliminated the threat of turnovers that had been such a big problem in the first half. Christchurch were living on scraps and were trying to use the ball at every occassion when they would have been better served playing field position, especially as they were still 9 points ahead!

Brightons dominace continued and a lesser team may have folded but Christchurch defended with great determination and protected their lead with everything they had, Brighton to their credit stayed very patient and continued to press knowing that cracks would have to appear eventually, and so it proved when a close range lineout resulted in a clever short side move with hooker Mitch Alcock diving over, again the conversion was missed leaving the score at 17-13 with 20 mins to play.

Chrictchurch continued to show why they have been so successful of late with some more outstanding defence and with time running out it looked like all of Brighton's territory and possession may not be enough until with 5 mins to play a piece of Misi Selave magic resulted in him standing up the defence, when nothing looked on, to scamper under the posts. The conversion giving Brighton a deserved 20-17 lead with 3 mins to play.

In the last few minutes Christchurch gave it everything they had and eventually managed to gain some field position, they forced a few linouts and a 5m scrum with Brighton responding by defending their line well, however Christchurch expertly retained possession and eventually with time on the clock up worked their way into a position to take a drop goal, fortunatley for the home team the attempt slipped wide and the final whistle sounded.

So Brighton took the honours on this occassion and finished the day still unbeaten, top of the league and with the DCL Shield in the trophy cabinet. It was a well contested game but on the balance of play a fair result. On another occassion Brighton may have won by more, a number of kicks at goal were wasted and the persistance in going wide for the first 50 mins put pressure on the home team, but when they settled into a pattern that was successful it was just a matter of time before the excellent Christchurch defence was breached, even if it took something special late in the game.

It is pleasing that Brighton continue to win without producing anything near a complete performance, they will need to continue to make positive steps as they work towards the second round.

Away vs Lincoln Uni

Sun, 30 May 2010 00:00:00 +1200

New Brighton took the DCL Shield out to Lincoln this weekend to face Lincoln University on a wet and cold day. The rain had not stopped all week and although it stayed away for the majority of the game the saturated ground made playing conditions particularly tricky.

Lincoln started the game in determined fashion and quickily established some dominance up front, they were very direct using forward runners around the fringes and Brighton struggled to contain them. When Brighton did get some posession errors were a feature and with the lineout not functioning they were under plenty of territorial pressure for much of the opening period.

An early penalty was followed by a well worked try to Lincoln giving them a 10-0 lead early in the half. Brighton couldn't get out of first gear and were struggling to absorb the pressure they were being put under. As a result it was Lincoln who extended their lead after 25 minutes with another well taken try after some sloppy defence.

This seemed to spark a reaction from Brighton who began to gain some field position and looked a little more dangerous, however little errors and a disfunctional lineout were still preventing them from making any inroads into the home sides lead. Several kickable penalties were awarded but the sodden ground made kicking difficult and these opportunities to get on the board were spurned.

It wasn't until the last play of the first half that Brighton's pressure eventually paid dividends with a good try following a number of close range set pieces. The conversion was missed for a 15-5 half time score line.

The second half saw a much improved performance from the DCL Shiled holders as Lincoln ran out of steam. Brighton attacked a little further out from the ruck using their strong runners and a dominant scrum began to take its toll. Brighton begun to get a firm hold on the game but the conditions still made continuity difficult so patients was required.

Lincoln were by now struggling to get out of their half making basic errors of their own and the pressure eventually told with a well taken try to Lewis Pou after some forward pressure close to the line. A change of kicker proved no more successful the score moving to 15-10.

Brighton soon took the lead after some good pressure on the Lincoln scrum enabled Jamyn Keats to charge down the attempted clearance kick, he did well to regather at the second attempt to dot down under the post. The first successful kick of the day made the score 17-15 to Brighton.

Having lost the lead and all their momentum there was a noticeable dropping of heads from the young Lincoln team and Brighton were in the mood to take advantage scoring two more tries before the end of the game including a push over try from a scrum to Aaron McCoy. David Cattermole having taken over the kicking duties found his range and added the conversions making the full time score 31-15.

After a slow start Brighton dominated the game and had it not been for the poor conditions the winning margin would have been greater. Brighton still have plenty to work on, inparticular a shaky lineout and finding a way to start games better, but in the end their quality came through and a bonus point victory was deserved.

However the win came at a cost with Chris Damsteegt suffering what is likely to be a season ending injury, he will be a big loss having been one of the most consistent players so far this season.

Home vs Shirley

Sat, 05 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +1200

The DCL Shield defence this week saw Brighton take on Shirley at Rawhiti. After some slow starts recently Brighton were determined to start the game well and so they did establishing a 21-0 lead with three well constructed tries in the first 15 mins. The rest of the half saw a scrappy affair with Shirley twice taking advantage of some poor short side defence to score down the left hand side. The conversions were missed leaving a 21-10 half time lead to Brighton.

The home side were keen to get back on track early in the second half but an inability to win their own set piece made any form of continuity or attempts to build pressure near impossible. The game was being played between the 22s with neither side posing much of a threat. With 30mins to go Brighton brought on Isaac Ross, this seemed to lift the Brighton side, a rare passage of play seeing the big lock out pace the Shirley defence from 30m out to score a good try, this gave Brighton a 18 point cushion at 28-10.

The margin was soon reduced as once again Shirley exposed Brighton down the blindside directly from a scrum for the half back to put the winger over for a soft try, giving Shirley a sniff with 10mins to play at 28-15.

Brighton showed good experience and patients by killing the game off in the last 10mins by playing a good territory game, with Shirley needing to play catch up they got themselves in trouble running it from deep. Eventually this tactic paid off with Brighton scoring a try with the last play of the game making the final score 33-15.

So Brighton once again got the job done and bagged the 5 point win extending their lead at the top of the table. It is a good side who can win ugly and Brighton are doing it regularly, however an improved performance will be required against 3rd placed Linwood this coming weekend, a game that will prove pivotal to the final standings for the first round!

Away vs Linwood

Sat, 12 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +1200

This weekend’s game saw another Eastside derby between Brighton and Linwood at Linfield. Encounters between the two teams are always fiercely contested but with the DCL and the chance to win the first round also on the line this game had an extra edge to it!

Conditions were perfect for rugby with the sun shining and the playing surface possibly the best, outside of AMI Stadium, in Canterbury. There was a deceptively strong breeze that benefited Brighton in the first half and they took full advantage of this gaining good field position early in the game, Brighton maintained possession well and eventually Linwood conceded a couple of penalties for Brighton to take a 6-0 lead.

As the first half went on Brighton continued to dominate, however the loss of hooker Mitch Allcock to injury caused an issue at lineout time and this enabled Linwood to keep Brighton out for much of the first half. A couple of penalty misses, one hitting the post, prevented Brighton gaining a comfortable lead, however after 30 minutes good pressure from the Brighton midfield saw a loose pass from Linwood being scooped up by Fia Meafau who sprinted under the post to give Brighton a 13-0 lead.

Brighton were straight back on attack and only good defence and continued issues at lineout time stopped them from increasing the lead before half time. However the pressure was beginning to tell on the Linwood players as they conceded numerous penalties which eventually saw two men sin binned, prop Tulima Faulau lucky not to get red carded after stamping on a Brighton players face.

In the dying moments of the first half Linwood began to show why they have only lost 2 games all season, having a period of pressure of their own, this eventually resulted in a penalty that was converted right on half time. The score at the interval being 13-3.

Brighton had totally dominated the first period using the wind to great effect; however the score board did not accurately reflect this with Linwood now having the advantage of the elements.

The second half began as the first had left off with Brighton on attack, however they could still not penetrate the Linwood defence, with the lineout continuing to let them down. 10 minutes into the second half and Linwood had absorbed Brighton’s pressure and were beginning to get some field position and possession of their own. This resulted in a penalty making the score 13-6. Linwood continued to pressurise the Brighton line and eventually forced a scrum 10 metres out, the Linwood number 8 broke off the side of the scrum and forced his way over the line, the conversion was missed leaving Brighton with a slender 13-11 lead.

The resulting kick off went out on the full and the momentum seemed to have swung in Linwood’s favour with 15 minutes to go. Brighton were defending well and keeping Linwood at bay when a poor cross field kick was collected by the Linwood backs who put together a good attack, only excellent defence kept them out but a penalty was conceded which was dually kicked giving Linwood the lead for the first time in the game.

It was now Brighton who had to chase the game and they threw caution to the wind to great effect. Linwood were struggling to contain the Brighton team but the wind made territory an issue with most of the attacks being from too deep to trouble the home sides line. Linwood begun to resort to some fairly low tactics, twice taking out Ryan Crotty with late tackles, the second of which was picked up by the referee and although the culprit avoided a yellow card a penalty was awarded. A shot a goal was turned down in favour of a lineout 10m out.

However the opportunity was lost with the Brighton line out woes continuing and Linwood were able to clear. With time now running out Brighton were getting desperate, however they kept their composure and with time on the clock almost up a poor Linwood kick was fielded by Ben Murphy around half way, he ran at the Linwood defence and managed to break the line before offloading to David Cattermole who timed his pass to perfection to put in Fia Meafau for his second try of the game with the last play of the game.

Cattermole added the extras to rub salt in the wounds. The final whistle saw celebrations of relief as much as joy as Brighton had left it very late to win this one.

It was a fantastic game of rugby that had a little bit of everything, Brighton should have been out of sight after 50mins but good Linwood defence and small errors prevented them taking advantage of their dominance. Linwood should be credited with the way they came back and took the lead but indiscipline which has traditionally let Linwood down was again their down fall and playing so much of the game with 14 players took its toll, with Brighton proving the stronger of the two sides and showing great heart in the dying stages of the game.

This was a much improved Brighton performance and they have now set the bar going into the final game of the round and into the second round, the challenge will be maintaining this performance and refining some facets of their game.

So it’s 10 from 10 for Brighton with only Belfast standing in their way of winning the first round and doing so unbeaten.

Home vs Belfast

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +1200

It was a fairly simple equation going into saturdays game against bottom of the table Belfast at Rawhiti, win with a bonus point and Brighton would claim the first round for the first time in decades. Having gone 10 games unbeaten and with only Belfast standing in the way it seemed like a relatively simple task on paper, but it was a big occassion for the boys and perenial cellar dwellers Belfast have improved no end in recent weeks.

Brighton were determined to get off to a good start in an effort to calm their nerves and they did this to great effect winning a good spell of early pressure. A turnover to Belfast on their line looked to have eased the pressure however David Cattermole did well to charge down the clearance kick with the ball bouncing favourably for Cattermole to regather and score, the conversion was good giving Brighton an early 7-0.

Brighton continued to press for more early points but to Belfasts credit they defended well and forced errors to keep the home team from scoring again until the 20th minute. A well executed short side move that came straight off the training ground saw Jamyn Keats come up against a number of forwards he got on the outside and put Ben Murphy away down the right wing for a sprint to the line which he won. The conversion was missed making it 12-0.

Belfast were struggling to get any sort of field position and Brighton continued to dominate, this pressure resulted in a penalty in front of the posts which was duely converted giving Brighton a 15-0 lead after 30 minutes.

This brough about Belfasts first spell of pressure in the Brighton half and although they pressed they never really looked likely as the Brighton defence held firm. There was a slight cause for concern as Aaron McCoy got sinned binned for persistant offending. The pressure from Belfast continued until as visitors moved the ball wiide David Cattermole intercepted 5m from his own line, he linked well with Ben Murphy who took the ball deep into Belfast territory before offloading to Aki Salave who broke a tackle and eventually put Chris Young in at the corner. The conversion was missed leaving a half time score of 20-0 with Brighton needing one more try for that all important bonus point!!

The second half was a much more even affair with Belfast having their fair share of territory and posession and this resulted in a good push over try in the corner not long into the second half. This brought them a little hope at 20-5. However if Belfast could see a way back into the game it was soon taken away as another good spell of forwards pressure eventually created enough space for Chris Young to dart over for his second of the game which brought the all important bonus point try. The score moving to 25-5 with 20mins to play.

The game begun to lull a little with Brighton realising that they had done enough, however a nice break from Ryan Hooper put Murphy away for his second giving the score board a little more respectability at 32-5 following a well taken conversion out wide.

By now Brighton had emptied the bench and the players were enjoying their comfortable position in the game, however Belfast took advantage of this ease in intensity and scored a good try from a rolling maul to get what you would have to say was a well deserved try. Brighton wanted to finish on a hign and pushed in the last few minutes but couldn't quite manage a closing try.

As the final whistle went the celebrations began. It has been a great effort for the boys going 11 games unbeaten and winning the first round outright. Brighton have benefitted from the services of several Super 14 players this year and they have all contributed well, however the back bone of the team performs week in week out and with a good balance of experience and youth in the squad Brighton can look on to the second round with confidence.

We have been know to perform well in the first round only to fade in the second round in recent year and the boys will be very conscious of avoiding a repeat of this in 2010. One does feel that the squad is blessed with more depth and quality this year and in much better shape to tackle the second round than has previously been the case.

So a great start to the season and a pat in the back to all concerned, however the job is far from done and the hard work really begins now as the second round kicks off.

Home vs University

Sat, 26 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +1200

All of the celebrations of the the previous week had to be put aside as the second round began with a tough fixture at home against Varsity. The format of the competition means that the winner of round one has no advantage in the more important second round as the points are reset, so it was important to carry on our winning ways against a vastly improved Varsity team.

The talk all week had been about starting well and putting the first round success to one side, however it was clear from the first whistle that the Brighton team were not playing with the desire and intensity that had served them so well this season. Varisty to their credit hit the ground running and were rewarded with an early penalty. This was soon followed by a well worked try as Varsity's big lock crashed over next to the posts, the conversion giving the away team a 10-0 advantage halfway through the half.

Brighton continued to struggle and were getting taught a lesson at ruck time by an enthusiastic Varsity team, a series of inaccurate kicks into a strong wind did not help their cause. As Varsity continued to press an off side tackle and a skirmish resulted in full back Ben Murphy being sin binned. Although down to 14 players Brighton responded well and held their own and when with 5 minutes remaining in the half and back to their full compliment they put together their first real period of pressure.

An infringement by Varsity saw Jamyn Keats take a quick tap and dive over for an well taken try to get Brighton back into the game. The conversion was missed making the score 10-5. Brighton would have been happy to go in just 5 points down following a poor first half but they lost concentration and Varsity took advantage by scoring another try before half time.

A poor first half gave Brighton a mountain to climb in the second period, however they did have the advantage of a deceptively strong wind. A much improved Brighton team came out after half time and after a good spell of pressure saw Fia Meafau scored a well deserved try to get Brighton within striking distance at 15-10.

By now Brighton were dominating the game but failed to turn this pressure into points through soft turnovers and an inability to win consistant lineout ball. They did eventually force a penalty that was converted by David Cattermole. By now the experienced Brighton backline was using the wind to great affect and forcing Varsity deep onto their own half through accurate kicks.

This tactic proved successful as Brighton forwards drove close to the line with Ryan Hooper eventually forcing his way over from close range, a successful conversion gave Brighton the lead for the first time in the game at 20-15. By now Varsity were restricted to long range counter attacks but Brightons defence was proving too well organised and it was good defence that forced another penalty that was dulely converted making the score 23-15 with 10mins to play.

Varsity eventually got some field position and phases together and after a number of good sequences of play were awarded a penalty which was converted, this made for an interesting last 5mins with the score at 23-18. However Brighton upped the tempo and a well taking drop goal a few minutes from time by David Cattermole ensured that Brighton played the final moments out in relative comfort and denied Varsity a bonus point.

So it was a winning start to the second round for Brighton and after a poor first half they played well enough in the second to take the points. It was crucial to get off to a winning start in the scond round and that was achieved, however it doesn't get any easier and Brighton will have to play well for more than 40mins in future games to continue their impressive unbeaten run.

Away vs Sydenham

Sat, 03 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200

Brighton travelled to the bog that is Sydenham Park this weekend to face a Sydenham team that was desperate for a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Brighton side took a few injuries into the game but with their unbeaten record and the DCL Shield still on the line it was set to be a good encounter.

Sydenham came out of the blocks firing and showed some impressive intensity in the opening stages, Brighton could only hold them out for a short period before the home side opened the scoring in the first 5mins. Brighton then hit back and should have scored a try of their own when a good counter attack produced a clear opening only for the ball to be knocked on as the line beckoned.

This was the start of a 20min purple patch by the Sydenham team who ran Brighton ragged with some excellent attacking play. They brought a physicality and intensity to their game that Brighton could not deal with and proceeded to score three more tries in quick succession.

A shell shocked Brighton then began to get some field position and with 10mins to go in the half had a good spell of pressure. There were a number of opportunities that went begging with Sydenham struggling to deal with Brighton’s rolling maul, however the chances were missed and all Brighton had to show for their first half efforts was a single penalty. Half time score 28-3.

The second half saw less free flowing rugby and more of an arm wrestle, with Brighton doing most of the attacking but Sydenham defending stoutly. On another day Brighton would have converted a number of opportunities but lady luck was against them. The only score of the second period went to Sydenham as they broke well following a period of defence and scored against the run of play.

So the unbeaten run had come to an end and the Sydenham reaction after the game told a story, they clearly had to win this game and to their credit they played well, this along with Brighton’s poor performance enhanced a score line between two well matched teams.

Brighton must learn from this experience, they are seen as top dogs and opposition teams will have no trouble getting mentally ready to play them, the challenge for Brighton is bringing their A game every week. The second round is another level and Sydenham showed the physicality and intensity level required at this stage of the season, Brighton have proven that they are well capable of matching and exceeding this but need to do it on a more consistent basis.

So a wakeup call for the Brighton boys, but with a bit of hard work and a slight shift in attitude there is no doubt Brighton will bounce back and continue their successful season.

Home vs Burnside

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200

Brighton started the home game against Burnside in a positive fashion and dominated the opening 10mins, the Burnside defence was up to the task and repelled the Brighton attack before infringing. The penalty at goal was successful and Brighton took an early lead.

The next 10mins were Burnside’s as they moved the ball wide using forward runners with the Brighton defence being exposed on a number of occasions, Burnside bagging themselves a couple of well worked tries to take the lead.

Brighton got back on the attach and had several opportunities of their own but poor decision making and number of small errors, in general play and at set piece, prevented them from scoring any further points, a couple of missed penalties were the closest they came.

Burnside hit back before the break with another try of their own, to go into half time with a 20-3 lead. The first half had been reasonably even but Burnside have been more clinical on attack and better organised defensively!

The second half saw Brighton put together their worst 40mins of the season, further errors and a lack of ball from set piece prevented them from being able to apply any sort of pressure and as a result they started to get desperate and tried things that weren’t on. This along with an impressive attacking display from Burnside who had the use of all their Canterbury player made for a tough second half for Brighton.

It was a tough day at the office for Brighton who lost heavily for the second week in a row following a long unbeaten run. They are still a very capable team but need to get back to basics in order to get their campaign back on track. The set piece has struggled in the past few weeks and with no foundation to work from the attack has in turn struggled, so a big focus on this part of the game will be required along with a lift in intensity in the coming weeks.

Away vs Christchurch

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200

It was a crunch game for Brighton as they played old rivals Christchurch this week. The Canterbury Union who are getting particularly precious of their training facility at Rugby Park moved the game to a boggy Christchurch Park.

It was a must win for Brighton who had fallen to heavy losses in the past two weeks following a long unbeaten run. They needed a win to not only get back on track but to keep their hopes of a semi final place alive.

Christchurch started the stronger of the two teams but a noticeable more resilient Brighton team defended well before eventually conceding a penalty which was converted. The next play of the game saw Brighton make a long clearance kick, as Christchurch looked to return the ball with a kick of their own Ryan Hooper sprinted up and charged the ball down, for Shaun Creek to win the race to touch down in his first game back since his stint overseas. The conversion gave Brighton a 7-3 lead.

After a bit a of a kicking dual Christchurch decided to keep possession within their own half, eventually forcing a way through the Brighton defence, however the danger looked to have passed until a clearance kick was charged down giving the Christchurch full back a soft try, a good conversion made it 10-7.

A spell of Brighton pressure saw them go close a few times before a penalty was awarded but a kick at goal was missed. Christchurch went back on the attack as the half drew to a close and won a penalty of their own which was again expertly converted.

Brighton immediately cancelled out this score with a penalty of their own brining the score back to 13-10.

Then came the killer blow, on the stroke of half time as Brighton held possession around half way line it got turned over, Christchurch moved the ball wide and through some nice handling stretched the defence and scored in the corner another excellent conversion made it 20-10 at half time.

The second half saw a more organised and more determined Brighton side take the field and they were rewarded with a good passage of play, a number of kicks at goal were turned down but eventually a penalty kick was taken and dually converted. 20-13.

Brighton were gaining the upper hand and stretched the impressive Christchurch defence on a number of occasions but couldn’t quite get the try they deserved, and when they conceded a penalty on the Christchurch goal line it was just the lift the home team needed.

They worked their way field and after a period of pressure opted for a penalty kick following an indiscretion at the breakdown. The goal kicker again slotted a difficult kick with ease taking the score to 23-13.

However it was Brighton who struck back immediately as they refused to give in, after a close range lineout was turned down for a quick tap, the next penalty brought about another chance for three precious points which were collected. 23-16.

As the game wore on the Brighton side were retaining possession well but not making too many inroads into the Christchurch defence, Christchurch on the other hand were starved of the ball but looked dangerous when they held it. This helped them gain yet another penalty opportunity with 8mins to play. 26-16.

With time now running out Brighton threw everything at the home team and worked their way down field well, eventually Aaron McCoy forced his way over after some strong forward play, the conversion was missed reducing the game to 26-21.

This brought about a frantic few minutes as Brighton desperately tried to get one final and crucial score; a number of good breaks gave them opportunities but with no time on the clock left a forward pass brought an end to a valiant effort.

So another disappointing result and the end of any chance of making the top four for 2010, however it was a hugely improved performance and with a little bit of luck could have been a very different result.

Home vs Linwood

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200

Well what a difference a couple of weeks can make, there is never any shortage of motivation playing the old foe Linwood.

With pride to play for the NBC boys tore in from the outset. The forwards had come to party and it was Marcel Cummings-Toone on his 50th match for the club that was at the helm of the efforts. He bashed over from close range to get the scoring started. It didnt take Linwood long to hit back from a long range effort but Brighton was in control by this stage. JK broke the line 5mins later to put ever-present winger Misi Seleve away in the corner to give the sea siders some breathing space again.

Ryan Hooper self diagnoses an AC injury and checks out in the 20th minute, but the new frame of replacement Shawn Creek did well. Another well worked drive from the lineout saw Toone pinch a 2nd dot minutes later and it was all Brighton. The game looked set to go to the break 17-7 as New Brighton were camped deep inside their half but number 10 Cattermole had different ideas.... The Mole drops a precision kick over the rushing Linwood defense and sharp inter-play from the back see the long range effort scored again by Seleve.

The second half produced more of the same. A wonderfully worked set peice sent the storming McCoy up from a short lineout and when halfback Chris Young hits Keats back on the blind side the low numbered linwood defenders could only stand and watch, Tufunga Saa showining nice finishing skills.

Brighton conceeds a try with 10mins to go and shorly a heart-in-the-mouth moment from fullback Murphy who has a kick charged down on his own line gives Linwood a sniff. Brighton rally again, and thoughts of a miricle comeback are crushed when down the other end of the pitch the happy hooker Toone canters down the blindside 5 meters out from a lineout drive and causually plants the ball for his third try of the match.

Match rating 8/10. A physicall encounter as always between these two clubs enjoyed by the spectators. A much improved effort from the pippis.

Home vs HSOB

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200

After a disappointing performance in the top six section of the competition Brighton found themselves in the middle part of the draw for the final round of the competition, their first opponents being a ever improving HSOB.

It was always going to be a tough game for Brighton to get up mentally due to the disappointment of missing out in the top for and so it proved.

The desire and intensity was clearly not there and this made life very tough for the home side, HSOB had a point to prove and so threw everything at Brighton and the difference in attitudes was the deciding factor.

Brighton were the first to score a try after Cattermole took a quick penalty to release Murphy who stepped between two defenders to dot down, however indiscretions at the break down gave HSOB easy meters and several chances for points. Although the kicker was not particularly accurate he got plenty of practises throughout the game thanks to a whistle happy referee.

The referee was beginning to have an increasing effect on the game, his inconsistent decisions and desire to blow his whistle at every opportunity made for an awful spectacle and a frustrate set of players, with neither side able to get any phases or momentum. It is fair to say that if this particular official referees another senior game then the state of refereeing in this province is in a very sad state of affairs, a rule book for his birthday may help his progression!!

Although Brighton clearly had more talent on display the lack of quality ball from set piece, the mess that was the break down and the determination of HSOB made for a close game. Brighton however always looked the more likely and had their noses in front for much of the game, eventually out scoring their opponents 3 tries to 1. It was the number of penalties that kept HSOB in the contest and when Brighton lost Number 8 Aaron McCoy to a yellow card HSOB took full advantage to get their only try of the game and nudge themselves in front with 10mins to go.

Brighton could not get their game going in the last 10 minutes and failed to get a fourth try that would have seen them take the win. They pressed hard and looked to have got the important breakthrough when the impressive Fia Mafau made a good break only for his pass to half back Chris Young to be judges forward, although how the referee could see this from his position 20m back from the incident is anyone’s guess.

Brighton once again proved that without the right attitude and intensity any opposition is tough opposition and having set a high standard against Linwood the week before it was disappointing to see that level of performance be replaced by such a poor display.

Although the referee was a talking point due to his totally inept display he certainly wasn’t biased, but equally incompetent to both sides.

Brighton will need to bring back the attitude that saw them win the first round and brought them back to form over the previous two weeks as they face a tough trip to Sumner this weekend

Away vs Sumner

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +1200

I would like to take this opportunity to remind readers that this is not an independant website and may contain subjective opinions that not all readers will agree with. These opinions are not the opinions of New Brighton Rugby Club but of the several individuals who contribute to the website in their own time!!

It is wonderful to see so many member of other club reading our website and being so passionate about their own club, long may this continue.

Away vs University

Sat, 14 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +1200