August 3, 2024 • 8 mins
Old Boys University are celebrating the 2024 club rugby double - winning both the Swindale Shield and Jubilee Cup this season.
First-five and vice captain Callum Harkin was named player of the final, and joined Adam Cooper to look back on the season, and discuss his NPC callup to the Wellington Lions.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Or into August all ready. The club rugby season wrapped
up last weekend into some rep stuff now and of
course the NPC starting next weekend as well for the
Wellington Lions. But it was a thrilling Jubilee Cup Club
Rugby Final last weekend at Pottydoor Park in the End
between Old Boys University and Tawa that saw OBU end
(00:21):
up victorious with a dramatic twenty seven twenty one win
over Tawa. Now OBU held off waves of attack from
their opponents on their goal line right up till the
full time whistle, holding on to hand Old Boys University
their fifth championship title since their first in twenty fifteen,
and of course doing the Swindale Shields Jubilee Cup double,
(00:43):
which is pretty tough. History will tell you that now
a player who was awarded the Jim Brown Plate for
Player of the Final last weekend and who I'm told
has been a strong leader for the whole team through
the entire season his first five and vice captain Callum Harken,
who's been rewarded for his dominant year with an MPC
call up for the Wellington Lions as well. Callum is
(01:05):
with US now Morlan Callum, thanks for joining us to
make congrats on the win last week. Firstly, how satisfying
was it getting the job done and such a tight
end to the game.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Yeah, we've been down a man and you know, having
had the Tarwer forward Peck sort of almost dominating for
a good part of that game. I think just the
ability to sort of stick to our guns and put
our bodies on the line in the dying minutes was
you know, the most probably the most admirable part. And
just I guess from a leadership point of view, just
the pride that we had in our playing group to
(01:38):
sort of close a game out like that when maybe
you know, things weren't in our favor. Yeah, I think
that's probably the biggest thing.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
And as vice captain with a man down, how do
you make sure that everyone's just keeping their discipline in
check and not giving away anything stupid, especially when a
game is single digit margin.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
I think you just trust, trust the work you've put
it in. You know, you Tuesday, Thursday nights and all
the saturdays building into that weekend. You you look within
the playing group and you look at guys that you've
been in those spots with before, and you just have
to trust the work you've put in priors is going
to come to the forefront in those moments. And I
think Saturday was probably more or less a reflection of
(02:17):
the hard work that we'd put in all season.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Yeah, and after the Swindale Shield victory a month prior
and the early loss of Tawa and round one of
the Jubilee Cup, what was the mindset going into the
final last week? You know, desperately wanting to back up
the Swindal Shield when with with more silverware.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
I think we were excited for it and it was
it was another chance to just, I guess, prove that
we we were deserving not only to be in that
Jubilee Final, but to win it. And I think, like
I said before, like we'd been hungry the whole season
with the you know, the Swindle was a marathon and
the Jubilee is a sprint, and preppering for that Jubilee
(02:57):
you're just you're just ready to go. And losing to
them prior, I think we sort of had a bone
to pick because we lost to them at home, and
you know, seeing how much a mental tawer beating us
at our home, I guess it was more or less
feel for us going into that jubilee and it was
just a case of trying to get one back over them.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Yeah, and for yourself, kicking from the tea playoff rugby
always carries a bit of extra importance for that role,
and you know everyone wanting you to slot it through
the sticks. How do you, as first five soak up
that pressure and then number ten Jersey in a playoff scenario.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
I think in the moment, you just stick to your
processes and you're more more appreciative after the game you think,
you know, I did a good job there, or maybe
I could have been better there, But in the moment,
you just focused on the moment. And I think, like
you said, like in those knockout stages of rugby, those
extra two or three they actually mean a lot more
(03:51):
because you know, the defense is more difficult to crack
and points don't come as easy. So when you do
get that opportunity to add to the school board, you
just got to make the most of it. I guess. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
And overall, Callum, the season, can you tell us just
what the strength of your team was that made it
a championship team? And you know there were signs of
this title being possible right from the opening rounds at
the start of the season, right.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
It was the cohesion and connection. We probably went through forty,
maybe fifty players even and that's I guess more or
less what it takes to win a jubilee. It's not
the starting fifteen and the bench weekend and week out,
because that'll change. It's the guys that are across their
homework that come in and you know, add something to
(04:36):
the environment, add something to the team, and maybe in
the last couple of years it's probably something we lacked.
So this year having it and making use of it
I think was a point of difference sort of going
into that those last few crucial rounds.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Callum Harken with us here on the All Sport Breakfast
this morning, part of the victorious Stupidley Cup winning Old
Boys University Club rugby side from last weekend and named
it player of the Final last weekend. And Callum, I
know you brought up the fifty milestone for the club
during the season this year as well. How special was that?
And with a success not just top grade but the
division's down as well. How enjoyable is OBU to be
(05:13):
a part of?
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Right now? Oh? Absolutely? I think it's probably well, definitely
been my most memorable year with yep that fiftieth as
a personal accolade. But the Swindow in the Jubilee, I
think OBU was the last team to do it in
twenty seventeen and it doesn't there's a bit of a
curse with the Swindow that everyone sort of expects that
when you win the Swindow you're not going to win
(05:34):
the Jubilee because you've emptied the tank too early. But
just the character of the boys to sort of get
that job done when maybe everyone sort of expected us
to bottle it at the end was probably what made
it so special.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Yeah, And in terms of the club rugby scene at
the moment, how important do you think it is just
playing that long game in terms of building up to
being a top team like this, You know, getting a
young squad together. You're a part of new group at
OBU the past few seasons you have all built up
over that time. Now a championship team. Is that how
clubs in Wellington at the moment do you think can
be successful in this competition? Being patient?
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Yeah, Well, it's that that lack of success that drives
that hunger to be successful. I think, you know, bowing
out and I think it was twenty twenty one to
the North in the quarter and then twenty twenty two.
I think we've lost the hardom or something and just
not being where we wanted to be always field us
(06:34):
for the following year and super important having certain guys returning,
key guys coming back and you know, applying themselves and
contributing to the team the way that they did was Yeah,
I think it was. You know, it's probably that this
win has probably been something that's been in the works
for a while. It just didn't come to the forefront straight.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Away an NPC. It's just around the corner. Cadam congrants
on the new tracked with the Wellington lines. So as
you prepare for that season which starts next week, how
special is that being off of the chance to make
that step up.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Yeah, that's super special. It's a boyhood dream and it's
an opportunity that I'm not going to take for granted
or take lightly. I'm going to apply myself the best
I can to better the team and the best way
that I can and sort of put myself in the
best possible position to go on and do a bitter things.
(07:30):
So yeah, I'm really excited as the rest of the team.
So it's a special special group with a great group
of athletes and yeah, no we all can't wait.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Yeah, and now play full time rugby for a few months.
How you're going to balance all your work and other
commitments now with the full time rugby gig.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Well yeah, my boss has been generous enough to give
me the time off unpaid obviously, and I'll hold onto
my anual leave for Christmas time. But yeah, it's sort
of worked out well. My boss has been good about it,
and so yeah, I'm in a position where I can
fully apply myself and not have to worry about anything
else on the side.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Good stuff, Cadam, Hey, thanks for chatting mate, great insight
into the season and what lies ahead for you as well.
So congrats again on all the success Atult Boys University
this year and your big role to play in it.
Go well on Lines Colors this year in the NPCAT
forward to tracking your progress there, mate, Appreciate your time.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
No, awesome, Thank you very much for more from News
Talks ed B listen live on air or online and
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
podcasts on iHeartRadio,
Or into August all ready. The club rugby season wrapped
up last weekend into some rep stuff now and of
course the NPC starting next weekend as well for the
Wellington Lions. But it was a thrilling Jubilee Cup Club
Rugby Final last weekend at Pottydoor Park in the End
between Old Boys University and Tawa that saw OBU end
(00:21):
up victorious with a dramatic twenty seven twenty one win
over Tawa. Now OBU held off waves of attack from
their opponents on their goal line right up till the
full time whistle, holding on to hand Old Boys University
their fifth championship title since their first in twenty fifteen,
and of course doing the Swindale Shields Jubilee Cup double,
(00:43):
which is pretty tough. History will tell you that now
a player who was awarded the Jim Brown Plate for
Player of the Final last weekend and who I'm told
has been a strong leader for the whole team through
the entire season his first five and vice captain Callum Harken,
who's been rewarded for his dominant year with an MPC
call up for the Wellington Lions as well. Callum is
(01:05):
with US now Morlan Callum, thanks for joining us to
make congrats on the win last week. Firstly, how satisfying
was it getting the job done and such a tight
end to the game.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Yeah, we've been down a man and you know, having
had the Tarwer forward Peck sort of almost dominating for
a good part of that game. I think just the
ability to sort of stick to our guns and put
our bodies on the line in the dying minutes was
you know, the most probably the most admirable part. And
just I guess from a leadership point of view, just
the pride that we had in our playing group to
(01:38):
sort of close a game out like that when maybe
you know, things weren't in our favor. Yeah, I think
that's probably the biggest thing.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
And as vice captain with a man down, how do
you make sure that everyone's just keeping their discipline in
check and not giving away anything stupid, especially when a
game is single digit margin.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
I think you just trust, trust the work you've put
it in. You know, you Tuesday, Thursday nights and all
the saturdays building into that weekend. You you look within
the playing group and you look at guys that you've
been in those spots with before, and you just have
to trust the work you've put in priors is going
to come to the forefront in those moments. And I
think Saturday was probably more or less a reflection of
(02:17):
the hard work that we'd put in all season.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Yeah, and after the Swindale Shield victory a month prior
and the early loss of Tawa and round one of
the Jubilee Cup, what was the mindset going into the
final last week? You know, desperately wanting to back up
the Swindal Shield when with with more silverware.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
I think we were excited for it and it was
it was another chance to just, I guess, prove that
we we were deserving not only to be in that
Jubilee Final, but to win it. And I think, like
I said before, like we'd been hungry the whole season
with the you know, the Swindle was a marathon and
the Jubilee is a sprint, and preppering for that Jubilee
(02:57):
you're just you're just ready to go. And losing to
them prior, I think we sort of had a bone
to pick because we lost to them at home, and
you know, seeing how much a mental tawer beating us
at our home, I guess it was more or less
feel for us going into that jubilee and it was
just a case of trying to get one back over them.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Yeah, and for yourself, kicking from the tea playoff rugby
always carries a bit of extra importance for that role,
and you know everyone wanting you to slot it through
the sticks. How do you, as first five soak up
that pressure and then number ten Jersey in a playoff scenario.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
I think in the moment, you just stick to your
processes and you're more more appreciative after the game you think,
you know, I did a good job there, or maybe
I could have been better there, But in the moment,
you just focused on the moment. And I think, like
you said, like in those knockout stages of rugby, those
extra two or three they actually mean a lot more
(03:51):
because you know, the defense is more difficult to crack
and points don't come as easy. So when you do
get that opportunity to add to the school board, you
just got to make the most of it. I guess. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
And overall, Callum, the season, can you tell us just
what the strength of your team was that made it
a championship team? And you know there were signs of
this title being possible right from the opening rounds at
the start of the season, right.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
It was the cohesion and connection. We probably went through forty,
maybe fifty players even and that's I guess more or
less what it takes to win a jubilee. It's not
the starting fifteen and the bench weekend and week out,
because that'll change. It's the guys that are across their
homework that come in and you know, add something to
(04:36):
the environment, add something to the team, and maybe in
the last couple of years it's probably something we lacked.
So this year having it and making use of it
I think was a point of difference sort of going
into that those last few crucial rounds.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Callum Harken with us here on the All Sport Breakfast
this morning, part of the victorious Stupidley Cup winning Old
Boys University Club rugby side from last weekend and named
it player of the Final last weekend. And Callum, I
know you brought up the fifty milestone for the club
during the season this year as well. How special was that?
And with a success not just top grade but the
division's down as well. How enjoyable is OBU to be
(05:13):
a part of?
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Right now? Oh? Absolutely? I think it's probably well, definitely
been my most memorable year with yep that fiftieth as
a personal accolade. But the Swindow in the Jubilee, I
think OBU was the last team to do it in
twenty seventeen and it doesn't there's a bit of a
curse with the Swindow that everyone sort of expects that
when you win the Swindow you're not going to win
(05:34):
the Jubilee because you've emptied the tank too early. But
just the character of the boys to sort of get
that job done when maybe everyone sort of expected us
to bottle it at the end was probably what made
it so special.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Yeah, And in terms of the club rugby scene at
the moment, how important do you think it is just
playing that long game in terms of building up to
being a top team like this, You know, getting a
young squad together. You're a part of new group at
OBU the past few seasons you have all built up
over that time. Now a championship team. Is that how
clubs in Wellington at the moment do you think can
be successful in this competition? Being patient?
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Yeah, Well, it's that that lack of success that drives
that hunger to be successful. I think, you know, bowing
out and I think it was twenty twenty one to
the North in the quarter and then twenty twenty two.
I think we've lost the hardom or something and just
not being where we wanted to be always field us
(06:34):
for the following year and super important having certain guys returning,
key guys coming back and you know, applying themselves and
contributing to the team the way that they did was Yeah,
I think it was. You know, it's probably that this
win has probably been something that's been in the works
for a while. It just didn't come to the forefront straight.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Away an NPC. It's just around the corner. Cadam congrants
on the new tracked with the Wellington lines. So as
you prepare for that season which starts next week, how
special is that being off of the chance to make
that step up.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Yeah, that's super special. It's a boyhood dream and it's
an opportunity that I'm not going to take for granted
or take lightly. I'm going to apply myself the best
I can to better the team and the best way
that I can and sort of put myself in the
best possible position to go on and do a bitter things.
(07:30):
So yeah, I'm really excited as the rest of the team.
So it's a special special group with a great group
of athletes and yeah, no we all can't wait.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Yeah, and now play full time rugby for a few months.
How you're going to balance all your work and other
commitments now with the full time rugby gig.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Well yeah, my boss has been generous enough to give
me the time off unpaid obviously, and I'll hold onto
my anual leave for Christmas time. But yeah, it's sort
of worked out well. My boss has been good about it,
and so yeah, I'm in a position where I can
fully apply myself and not have to worry about anything
else on the side.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Good stuff, Cadam, Hey, thanks for chatting mate, great insight
into the season and what lies ahead for you as well.
So congrats again on all the success Atult Boys University
this year and your big role to play in it.
Go well on Lines Colors this year in the NPCAT
forward to tracking your progress there, mate, Appreciate your time.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
No, awesome, Thank you very much for more from News
Talks ed B listen live on air or online and
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
podcasts on iHeartRadio,
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