West End Dominant in Champion of Champions Fours Victory

The West End powerhouse quartet of Adrian Robins, Garry Ford, Dave McNeill, and Nigel Mobberley lived up to their "hot favorite" billing on Sunday, claiming the Vinnell Trophy in a commanding performance at the Kia Toa Club.

The victory earns the side a trip to Dunedin this July, where they will represent South Canterbury at the National Finals.

The Path to the Final

The tournament opened with high drama in the "battle of the country teams." Temuka’s Sam Morton delivered a clutch final bowl, trailing the kitty to snatch a victory over Geraldine. Meanwhile, the Pleasant Point side—comprising of Darryl and Murray Fowler, Jacques Volschenk, and Neville Gould—staked their claim as giant-killers by taking down local heavyweights Kia Toa and Temuka.

West End signaled their intentions early in the quarter-finals with a clinical 28–7 dismantling of Waimate, followed by a comfortable 13–3 semi-final win over Timaru.

The Championship Decider: West End vs. Pleasant Point

West End came out of the gates firing, racing to a 6–0 lead. Pleasant Point showed resilience, clawing back to 6–3 over the next two ends, but the momentum was short-lived.

Robins proved rock-steady under pressure, killing an end with a precise drive just as Point threatened to narrow the gap further. From there, West End unleashed a masterclass. Behind a sensational performance from Garry Ford, the team surged to a 14–4 lead.

While Point’s Neville Gould was described as a "dead-eye dick" at the front and the Fowler cousins remained steady, they simply couldn't withstand the West End onslaught. Front-men Ford, McNeill, and Mobberley, smothered the kitty in the closing stages, allowing West End to pull away for an 18–7 victory.

Tournament Results and Milestones

Quarter-Finals:

• Temuka Sam Morton, Dave Carey, father and son Merv and Dave Holland 18, Geraldine Alphy Trevathan, Ricky Ross, Roger Glendinning, and Kieran Aker 14

• Pleasant Point Daryl Fowler, Murray Fowler, Jacques Volschenk, and Neville Gould 16, Kia Toa Trev Cloughley, Lockie Barnes, Michael Leonard, and Ian Holley 11

• Timaru Warren Garrick, Tony Marshall, Daryl Angew, and John Stamp 16, Fairlie Mitchell Dunbar, Bob Belcher, Terry O'Conner, and Stu Barwood  15

• West End Adrian Robins, Garry Ford, Dave McNeill, and Nigel Mobberley 28, Waimate Jason Rhodes, Duncan Cotton, Jason Sewhoy, and Kevin Keen 7

Semi-Finals:

• Pleasant Point 14, Temuka 10

• West End 13, Timaru 3

Final:

• West End 18, Pleasant Point 7

Individual Milestones:

The win adds significantly to the trophy cabinets of the West End veterans, with Adrian Robins securing his 14th title, Garry Ford his 12th, Dave McNeill his 6th, and Nigel Mobberley his 2nd.

It was a great Weekend for the West End club as on Saturday Adrian Robins won the Senior singles and Nigel Mobberley won Junior singles.

 - Richie Kerr