Super Rugby match a treat for locals as sun shines on Arena
OPINION: When referee Paul Williams blew an instant halt to play on the 72nd minute of the Hurricanes match last Sunday, it was Manawatū's luck that it would be one of their own.
Sure enough, the Turbos' prime playmaker Brett Cameron had gone down with the medial collateral ligament in his left knee torn.
The good news, no surgery required, rehabilitation lasting eight to 12 weeks and he hopes he'll be running again in four weeks.
The bad news for Cameron, who was in fine fettle, was his Hurricanes season over as their first-choice first five-eighths.
Even though the Turbos have exciting young first-five Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, they need the experience and calmness of Cameron.
There was an irony that Cameron's injury happened at Palmerston North where 9500 or more flocked in for the clash with the Western Force.
The attendance showed up the sparse attendances at Wellington's home games.
True it was a novelty for Manawatūites, on an afternoon when the sun shone.
The crowd size appeared 10 times that which Moana Pasifika attracts to Mt Smart and sent a message that the Hurricanes should be playing more games in Palmerston North and Napier.
Disturbingly, since 2016 Arena Manawatū has been given only one Hurricanes match to every two at McLean Park.
There was a time when New Zealand derbies were played outside the capital.
Remember 1996 when Frank Oliver's first Hurricanes, with unwanted draftees from eight unions, played the historical first match against the Blues at Palmerston North.
Meanwhile, back to the footie.
The Hurricanes squad were a dozen players short of their first XV on Sunday and still amassed 45 points, but spoiled it by buttoning off in the final stanza when the Force annoyingly helped themselves to three converted tries.
Canes coach Alfie Holland, formerly of Ōroua and Manawatū, saw his old province right by playing Cameron, Brayden Iose, Jamie Booth and TK Howden, the latter starting after someone dropped Devan Flanders at lineout practice.
It wasn't popular that the Hurricanes wore their bland, black away strip at a home game. It's to do with front-of-jersey sponsors.
The home yellow jersey has National Storage on the chest area while the black has Kia and those companies pay to get exposure. Money rules.
Full marks to the Arena turf manager who had the field looking top rate after there had been bare patches for the Phoenix soccer match against another Perth outfit two months back.
Many $20 punters on the embankment were irate the big screen pixelated yet again, as it did last year, that they were imprisoned behind the speedway mesh and the halftime entertainment was all directed at the main grandstand.
I thought of phoning base for the dinner menu, but it was impossible to engage because of the constant deafening music. A gaggle of oldies nearby must have had their hearing aids imploding.
Thirteen security guards ringed the field, probably at cost, obviously expecting someone to pole vault the tall stockcars fencing on to the field.
Feilding flourishing
The Feilding Golf Club have more men wanting to play interclub golf than they can accommodate this year.
It's most unusual. They have teams in every grade of Manawatū-Whanganui pennants, men's and women's while many clubs have to send out posses to round up recruits.
At Feilding this year, pennants regulars who neglected to nominate themselves found the rosters were full and the club reckons they still have seven spares.
For the 46 men itching to play, there are teams in A, B and C-grade pennants, two in the relatively new D grade and two more in President's Trophy.
Man-Wang could emulate Hawke's Bay who run seven divisions while Wellington have one 36-hole division for the hotshots and 13 18-hole divisions.
Feilding aren't the biggest club but they're very healthy with 663 members of which 81 are nine-holers and 98 are juniors. Therein perhaps lies the secret; they offer free memberships to anyone aged under 18.
They have certainly laid down the challenge to other clubs.
The newest challenge in golf though is the debate that playing 36 holes a day should be consigned to yesteryear, with recreation time seemingly precious. The 36-hole combined foursomes and singles format takes up an entire day including travelling time with work looming the following day.
The D-grade competition was invented last year and with 10 teams already is proving popular because they play only 18 holes.
The Palmerston North Golf Club have 800 members, their highest in 10 years, but playing 36 holes is far from popular there. They entered A grade as defending champions, but didn't enter B or C grades and have three D teams, many of them younger guys who don't want to play 36 holes.
The biggest club, Manawatū, with 1150 members, fields only four men's teams.
