Archive #52/65: Sporting Highlights of the 1990's

Numerous teams, across all the disciplines, became eligible for a place in the long room in this period.

Cricket

The coach of the first XI cricket team, Mr. Rick Ellis believed that the 1991 team was one of the best that he had coached. The team was captained by Taine Randell and they won the Senior Men’s Grade by over 40 points. They repeated this feat again in 1992, making it three years in a row.

Football

A piece of football history was made for Lindisfarne in 1999 when the First XI Football team beat Scots College (1-0) for the first time since 1986. Man of the Match went to the goalie Byron Dobson who saved several excellent shots at goal.

Hockey

After beating St. Kentigern’s and drawing with Christ’s College in 1992, the hockey team went onto play in the top hockey competition, Rankin Cup, for the first time. Hockey at Lindisfarne was on a high by this stage and the following year the six Lindisfarne teams lost only 8 of the 62 games they played collectively. Mr Richardson as coach of the 1st Hockey XI instigated 6.30 a.m. training sessions and these may have helped the team go on to a historic win against much favoured King’s College at the Rankin tournament in 1996. In 1998 the 1st XV Hockey, captained by T. McKimm had one of the best years ever for that sport at Lindisfarne. Its successes included winning the NZ Secondary Schools’ Hockey Association’s second ranked tournament, the India Shield; winning the HB Open Men’s, along with the HB Secondary Schools competition.

Rugby

In 1991 the rugby had a stellar year, largely thanks to the superb contribution of Taine Randell. Taine was selected in the New Zealand U17 team to play against Australia at Mclean Park. The Chronicle of that year reports, “The team undoubtedly revolved around the superb all-round skills and leadership of Taine Randell.” Taine later went on to become the 3rd All Black to come out of Lindisfarne. The Presbyterian Schools Quadrangular Rugby tournament was hosted by Lindisfarne for the first time in 1992. In 1997 The 1st XV were undefeated by any Hawke’s Bay school. The team enjoyed such success over the 90’s that the All Black’s principal sponsor, Philishave, took on the sponsorship of the Lindisfarne team for $10, 00.00 a year.

Skiing

The largest ever Lindisfarne ski team, consisting of 12 members was placed first equal in the Hawke’s Bay Secondary Schools Championships in 1991 and went on to win outright two years later. Callum Gray won the sam wall trophy for the fastest skier.

Tennis

1992 saw the tennis A team winning the Hawke’s Bay Secondary Schools Competition without dropping a single set. Over the years that followed tennis, coached by Mr Petersen, continued to improve and in 1999 Lindisfarne tennis teams played 43 matches, won 30, tied five and lost only eight.

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