Report – National Interclub Sevens by Lindsay Knight

  • March 20, 2023

  A splendid effort by the North Harbour women’s representative team at the national inter-centre sevens’ championship in Christchurch at the weekend came tantalisingly close to a place in the final.

 Instead the Harbour team of Selina Goddard, Elaine McClintock, Ling Ou, Wendy Jensen, Lauren Mills, Millie Nathan and Robyne had to settle for third equal, beaten narrowly in the semi-final by arch-rivals, Auckland, 2-1.

 Singles player Selina, in close games, and the four were both edged out, with only the pair winning.

 Until then Harbour had been in imperious form, not dropping a game in section play, then also winning its quarter-final over Wanganui 3-0, giving a record of 18 wins on the trot.

 So despite the disappointment of the semi-final it was still a memorable achievement.

 The Nelson powerhouse inspired Jo Ewards and Val Smith won the title yet again, beating Auckland in the final.

 The Harbour men’s representative team of Bart Robertson, Jeremy Brosnan, Simon Poppleton, Brent Malcolm, David Payne, John Walker, Brian Wilson, and Jack Huriwai, was not quite so successful.

 It finished fourth in section play, behind Southland, Nelson and Hawke’s Bay and ahead of South Canterbury and Kapiti Coast.

 In the singles Harbour won three of five games as did the four, but in the pairs there was only one win from five games.

 Wellington won the men’s title, beating Southland in the final.