13 August 2010 Lincoln University team up there with the stars

“Well played, well played,” was the endorsement from Sonny Bill Williams for Lincoln University Rugby Club’s performance against Belfast after the Christchurch Metropolitan Division One Trophy Competition match at Sheldon Park, last Saturday (7 Aug.).

Despite going down 22 – 7 to Belfast, Lincoln University’s players momentarily enjoyed superstar status by association. With Sonny Bill Williams making his debut rugby union appearance after switching from League, the match drew stellar attention from the New Zealand rugby-following public.

Lincoln University Bachelor of Commerce student and Sports Scholar Sean Walters, who had the job of marking Sonny Bill in the second-five-eighth position, was given almost superstar ranking himself, with a front page picture and story in The Press (readership nearly quarter of a million!) on the morning of the match.

The Belfast club and Sheldon Park had never before drawn such a massive sideline attendance and many big names from the rugby world, including Assistant All Blacks Coach Wayne Smith, were among the spectators.

“It was definitely the club match of the day in New Zealand,” says Belfast club stalwart and  former All Black prop Bill Bush.

Sean described the match as one of the best experiences of his rugby career and it’s a career that has seen him play in many places. He’s an international student at Lincoln University from Zimbabwe and has represented Zimbabwe Schools and played for the Zimbabwe Under-19s. 

For his BCom degree at Lincoln University Sean is majoring in Supply Chain Management  and Sonny Bill’s play certainly delivered an object lesson in  “supply” ... of the rugby ball!

“His off-loading was a cut above the rest,” says Sean. “He’s a good off-loader.”

Marking the Belfast centre and receiver outside Sonny Bill was Lincoln University’s Jesse McLay, like Sean also a Sports Scholar, and he had a job on his hands too! “Yes, credit to Jesse as well as to Sean,” said spectator and Lincoln University staff member Ekara Lewis.