Weepu, Baxendale make NZ Residents team

By Matt Kersten

Two South Island Scorpions league players with strong West Coast connections have gained selection in the New Zealand Residents team, after blockbuster seasons for the South Island side.
Hooker Manu Weepu, formerly of Hokitika, and James Baxendale, whose father Ray Baxendale, formerly of Runanga, played for the Kiwis league team, were both named in the squad following
the Scorpions’ 44-34 national
rugby league premiership grand final loss against Auckland, on Saturday.
The Scorpions started slowly at Papakura, trailing 20-10 at half-time, but they stayed within reach and staged a strong rally to get to within a try of the home side.
However, in the closing minutes Scorpions prop Jaye Pukepuke spilled the ball in a tackle and Auckland capitalised, with the dangerous Manu Ma’u scoring the match-winning try.
Weepu contributed strongly on Saturday, and he and Baxendale were rewarded with inclusion in the New Zealand Residents team, to be coached by former Kiwi and Coaster Brent Stuart, alongside team-mates Junior Salevao, Bruce Havea and Pukepuke.
The Residents will play the New Zealand Maori on October 30, in Auckland.
West Coast coach and Scorpions assistant Phil Campbell said both Baxendale and Weepu had outstanding seasons in the black and white jersey.
“James has been knocking on the door for the Residents for the past couple years — he was unlucky to miss out last year.
“Manu this season started playing hooker (shifting from centre) and he really found his role there ... he seems to have found his niche,” Campbell said.
“He’s got a very good pass, probably from back in his rugby days, but he was very effective around the ruck area this year. He’s very strong; he’s the kind of player that doesn’t mind getting stuck in, taking on the rough stuff.”
Weepu was also a West Coast rugby union representative in 2008 and 2009, and was known for his line-breaking capabilities at outside centre.
Both Baxendale and Pukepuke, who are based in Christchurch, played for West Coast in the Pike River memorial game against Canterbury, which was a curtain raiser to an exhibition match between the New Zealand Warriors and Newcastle Knights NRL teams, earlier this year.