Beech [No 4] scoring a try in Marist’s Tui Cup semifinal win over Martinborough. PHOTOS/FILE
RUGBY
CHRIS COGDALE
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Marist captain Peter Beech took the major award at the More FM Wairarapa-Bush Club Rugby Awards on Tuesday night.
Beech led his club to their first premier championship in 18 years and headed off strong competition from Greytown utility back Raniera Petersen, and Eketahuna flanker Johan van Vliet to win the prized Pat Shannahan Trophy.
He capped off his season with selection at lock for Wai-Bush’s truncated representative season.
First-year coach Mark Childs picked up the Lane Penn Trophy for Coach of the Year ahead of Marist’s Gerald Lologa, and another first-year coach Aaron Matenga from East Coast.
The Patrick Rimene Trophy for top premier points scorer was won by Petersen, who also picked up the Kingi Matthews Trophy for best Maori player.
Soli Malatai [Marist], Tristan Flutey [Martinborough], and Bryan Arnold [East Coast] shared the Manuera [Ben] Riwai-Couch Trophy for top premier try scorer.
Gladstone lock Andrew Hull was the winner of the Bob Francis Best and Fairest Trophy.
The Sir Brian Lochore Trophy for Club of the Year went to Greytown, who made the premier and senior reserve finals, had a strong presence in JAB competitions, and fought an uphill battle throughout the season to retain their East St ground.
Alistair Payne, who refereed his sixth consecutive Tui Cup final received the Baden Whale Trophy for Referee of the Year.
Rathkeale winger Jayden Webb-Milner, the only Wai-Bush player to be selected in the Hurricanes Under-18 training camp won the Rutene Family Trophy for College Player of the Year.
Kaia Mita from Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Wairarapa won the Wairarapa-Bush Barbarians Bennett Family Trophy for Best Secondary Schoolgirl Player.
East Coast dominated the senior reserve awards with Charlie Brown winning Player of the Year, and Ritchie Robertson named Coach of the Year.
Carterton’s Trish Hemming and Gladstone’s Fergus Rutherford were named Administrators of the Year.
Hemming won the David Galvin Trophy for her efforts with Carterton, which included the production of regular newsletters, as well as many other duties.
Rutherford established the covid-19 protocols for the Wai-Bush JAB competitions.
The Farry McLeod Trophy for Volunteer of the Year went to Carey ‘Crusher’ Henricksen for his hard work with the Puketoi club.
The Eric Kenny Trophy for Personality of the Year went to Childs and Anton Persico for their weekly Facebook rugby show.
REFEREE AWARDS
The Wai-Bush Rugby Referees Association also presented their annual awards on Saturday night.
Payne completed a good season, winning the Francis Cup for the best premier referee. He also picked up the Andrew Cup for highest law exam result with 97 per cent.
The Northcott Cup for Most Outstanding Performance went to Shay O’Gorman, and John Wheeler won the Basil Marsh Trophy for Most Improved Referee.
Peter Semmens won the Life Members Cup for best senior reserve referee, and the Gleeson Trophy for outstanding contribution to the association went to chairman Graeme Reisima.
The distinction of issuing the most red cards went to Chris Jefferies.
