Eastern-Northern Barbarians hooker Liam Ferguson had a big day out in Gore on Saturday scoring four tries against Marist. Photo: DEBBIE FAHEY
Eastern-Northern Barbarians hooker Liam Ferguson had a day out in Gore on Saturday with a four-try haul in the opening round of Southland’s senior club rugby competition.
Ferguson cashed in on a dominant Barbarians forward display against Marist as he sat at the boot of the maul from lineout drives to feast on tries.
He scored the Barbarians’ first three tries in the first half as his team held a slender 17-10 halftime lead.
The hooker added a fourth try before being subbed with still about 24 minutes to play.
Naturally, Ferguson was keen for more and probably would have added a fifth try if he remained on the paddock as the Barbarians’ forward dominance continued on their way to a 50-22 win.
“Ferg was outstanding [on Saturday], he put in a lot of work in the preseason,” Barbarians coach AJ Aitken said.
The Barbarians scored seven tries in total, with first five-eighth Taylor Peterson kicking six conversions and adding a penalty in a 15-point haul.
While Ferguson’s four tries were headline-grabbing, much of the spotlight quite rightly centred on his frontrow team mate, Morgan Mitchell, on Saturday.
Saturday was Mitchell’s 100th game for the Barbarians, and he delivered an impressive trademark performance fitting for the occasion, which included a try.
Aitken was pleased to get the 2026 season off to a positive start and even happier that they could do it for Mitchell, who has taken on the captaincy duties this season.
Aitken said what the Stags prop brought to the Barbarians as a person off the field has had just as big an impact as what he delivers each week on the field.
“He is the glue that keeps us going, particularly this year. Obviously, his on-field performances speak for themselves. He had a huge performance [on Saturday], he carried well, tackled well, scrummed well.”
While Marist was on the end of a 28-point loss on Saturday, they showed enough in the first half to be competitive. The green-and-blacks also crossed for four tries, which meant they did make the trip back from Gore with a bonus point.
First five-eighth Aiden Harrington was good for Marist, although it appears he might have picked up a thumb injury out of the game.
Morgan Mitchell leaving the field after his 100th appearance for the Eastern-Northern Barbarians. Photo: DEBBIE FAHEY
Pirates-Old Boys dished out an alarm-sounding round one statement in a nine tries to none mauling of Star at Surrey Park on Saturday.
Even with a handful of potential starters missing, Pirates-Old Boys highlighted its impressive depth, dominating from start to finish in the 59-0 win.
Hooker Shaun Kempton opened the scoring in the 5th minute when he took a pass from first five-eighth Greg Dyer while running in the midfield before he sold a dummy and crossed.
In a double blow to Star, at the same time, it lost key prop Darius Fidow for the game through injury.
Star’s scrum then turned into a nightmare as Pirates-Old Boys put them under all sorts of pressure.
Kempton scored his second try from a lineout drive at the 13-minute mark, before that scrum dominance became very problematic for Star.
From a five-metre scrum, Pirates-Old Boys produced a rare pushover try with No 8 Hayden Haggerty the beneficiary at the boot of the scrum.
Pirates-Old Boys crossed for two further first-half tries through halfback Josh Murrell and left wing Tevita Chute as Pirates-Old Boys pushed out to a 33-0 halftime lead.
At that point, the game was all but done. There were concerns just where the scoreline could end up, given just how much defending Star had been asked to do in the first half and what toll that had taken.
Pirates-Old Boys continued to camp themselves in Star’s half in the second half, although Star was at least able to hold tight for the first 15 minutes of the second half before fullback Ngawaka Ririnui scored Pirates-Old Boys’ sixth try of the afternoon.
It took Pirates-Old Boys’ another 15 minutes before they went bang, bang, bang, scoring three tries in the final 19 minutes to blow the final scoreline out to 59-0.
It was a job well done for Pirates-Old Boys in round one, with impressive performances across the park.
Shaun Kempton was dynamic with the ball in hand, the experienced Greg Dyer was, as usual, a key figure, while fullback Ngawaka Ririnui looks to be a handy pick up for Pirates-Old Boys.
For Star, Saturday probably did expose some gaps around its set piece and an inexperienced halfback-first five-eighth who are still learning at the premier level.
The scoreline could have been even more harsh if it wasn’t for the mountain of work from looseforward Mckenzie Hunter in defence.
Hunter was asked to do a lot of defending playing for Alambra-Union in Dunedin last season, and it was much of the same with his new club team Star, in Southland, on Saturday.
Pirates-Old Boys put Star under plenty of pressure at scrum time at Surrey Park on Saturday.
Looseforward Sloane Lankshear has turned in an impressive round one performance for Woodlands to kick-start his quest for a spot in the Stags in 2026.
Lankshear has made the shift from Bay of Plenty to join Woodlands and Rugby Southland’s high performance programme.
His first outing for Woodlands was a good one helping them to a 30-7 victory.
“Sloane was a standout for us, he had a good game at No 8. Caleb [Karangaroa] also went well at lock, our captain.
“He’s a young captain, but he’s got a lot of leadership qualities.”
Smith said Saturday was a typical first round outing where they were left knowing there was plenty to work on.
Of most concern was the ill-discipline in the first half, where Woodlands conceded plenty of penalties, and as a result, the big Blues outfit put Woodlands under pressure.
“The penalties in the first half were costing us; we were playing at the wrong end of the field. We couldn’t get territory, all of our own doing obviously,” Smith said.
At halftime, Woodlands held a slender 10-7 lead before scoring 20 unanswered second-half points to bank the bonus point victory.
Smith was happy with the response after halftime, where the high penalty count was addressed.
“Our defence was also good. We’ve been good through the preseason, as well as [on Saturday] with our D, so that was pleasing.”
Smith said Woodlands was a smaller unit than Blues, and Blues were a tough challenge.
Wing Ezekiel Hammond-Siolo scored two tries in his first premier outing for Woodlands, while another teenage debutant wing Izaah Iosefo, also featured on the score sheet.
At the other end of the age spectrum, 48-year-old hooker Jason Rutledge was another Woodlands try scorer.
Blues halfback Colin Thompson scored Blues’ sole try.
Jason Rutledge is back at it for another season with Woodlands. Photo: DEBBIE FAHEY
DIVISION 1…
Pioneer 27, Tokanui 14
Wyndham 27, Riverton 11
Waikiwi 26, Waikaka/Riversdale 26
Edendale 47, Albion 10
DIVISION 2/3…
Collegiate 38, Marist 22
Woodlands 43, Blues 7
Pirates Old Boys 26, Star 24
Mossburn 19, Ohai-Nightcaps-Otautau 16
Te Anau 35, Wakatipu 0
Waiau Star 24, Drummond-Limehills-Star 17
Midlands 70, Central Pirates 0
Bluff 53, Wrights Bush 17