Pride win Edmonton Nines

THE Northern Pride’s $3000 winner’s cheque has proven chump change compared to the club’s injury-free navigation of the Super Nines.

Pride win Edmonton Nines

THE Northern Pride’s $3000 winner’s cheque has proven chump change compared to the club’s injury-free navigation of the Super Nines.

The favourites deservedly claimed the second edition of the sawn-off format yesterday, crushing hosts Edmonton 43-7 in the decider at Barlow Park.

Amid a weekend heat that could melt a diamond, the Intrust Super Club’s fitness proved telling.

Captain Ryan Ghietti and forwards Jack Svendsen, Vaipuna Tia Kilifi and Rajan ­Opetaia-Halls were standouts. Yet more pleasing than any try or any offload was the lack of personnel lining the casualty ward.

“It was good to win but the pleasing part was no injuries,” caretaker Pride coach Darren Ferricks said. “We didn’t want any injuries and Nines is a good way of getting match fitness. Plus you learn things in tournaments like this about your squad, so there are a lot of positives.”

The Pride didn’t have things all their own way. Brothers gave them a stern test on Saturday, steeling them for an anti-climatic brushing aside of the Storm yesterday.

“The other teams and players wanted to test us,” Ferricks said. “So that meant every game was a tough game and that’s what we wanted.”

Ahead of this weekend’s final trial against the Cowboys under-20s, the weekend could add another element to the Pride’s selection mix. “A few guys played on Friday night (against the CDRL All Stars) so it was good they got through it,” Ferricks said.

The tournament copped a blow on Saturday morning when the two Papua New Guinea sides listed to enter were held at the PNG airport due to visa issues, leaving eight teams in the mix.

Originally published as Pride win Edmonton Nines