Rugby: Rangiuru snatch victory

Alex Jessop, ex-Greerton Marist player, turned out for Rangataua. Photo / George Novak

Rangiuru defended the Ratana Rose Bowl in fine style at Centennial Park on Saturday, overcoming premier division side Rangataua with a try in the final moments to snatch a 31-25 win.

It was a result that was very much on the cards from the opening moments, yet seemed to become increasingly unlikely the longer the match went.

The home side had crossed for two unconverted tries in the opening 15 minutes thanks, in large part, to Rangataua's inability to settle.

A forward pass directly from the kick-off and Rangataua's failure to clean up a neat grubber kick down the short side resulted in five pointers to David MacNeil and Stevie Ray Patuawa, and the visitors barely looked in the contest.

A scything effort from the strapping Ross Taurima changed all that - by the time his 40m run down the right and inside the fullback had come to an end in the shadow of the uprights, Rangataua were well and truly back in the match.

Kyle-Rae Smiler crossed for the challengers before too long, and by the time they had added two penalty goals the score had ballooned out to 18-10 in their favour.

Rangiuru sprang into life after turning with the breeze at their backs in the second stanza.

Patuawa scored a beauty from an inside ball stemming from a nicely worked scrum move 30m out, closing the gap to 18-17 in the opening moments of the half.

Taurima swiftly answered with another fabulous solo effort that was a near replica of the one he produced in the first half, but it was all Rangiuru from there.

Mikaere Whareaorere scored out wide and nailed the conversion inside the final quarter before Greerton Marist regular Alex Jessop fumbled the ball at the base of a Rangataua defensive scrum for Eru Pouwhare to pick up and score.

The conversion made it 31-25 to the delight of a large home crowd who can look forward to at least one more defence this season.

The second challenge of the season was to come from Waikite, but it is believed that challenge has been withdrawn. If that is true, Te Teko are next in line for a shot, followed by Judea and possibly Ratana, of Wanganui.

Rangiuru captain Dan Godbold was a relieved man at the final whistle. "It was a good game, obviously it could have gone either way.

"It was good, running Maori rugby and plenty of tries were scored and there was a lot of effort out there, so I couldn't be happier." He said defending the Rose Bowl took on extra significance thanks to the boost it gave the club.

"These challenges are all about the club - earning a bit of extra money over the bar and the gate takings. It's been in the region for a long time and there's a lot of prestige to hold it, so I'm proud of the boys today.

"We're on a bit of a high at the moment, so we'll just keep riding with it."

Rangiuru 31 (Stevie Ray Patuawa 2, David MacNeil, Mikaere Whareaorere, Eru Pouwhare tries; Whareaorere 3 cons) Rangataua 25 (Ross Taurima 2, Kyle-Rae Smiler tries; Nathaniel Walker 2 pens, con; Alex Jessop con)