“The scrum was solid — a big improvement on last week — and although we didn't take a tighthead, we were awarded a penalty on one of their scrum-feeds. I scored when we put pressure on their scrum. They were going backwards, the ball then squirted out, and I picked it up and went over.”
Parkes's try, along with those of No.8 Hoani Te Moana, Coast anchor Perrin Manuel and the double to Wadman, were reinforced by the superb goal-kicking of in-form first-five Carlos Kemp (four conversions and a penalty goal).His efforts with the boot were replicated exactly by his opposite Nathan McCloy, a try-scorer for Mid-Canterbury.
Gear's opposite, the Hammers' John Sherratt, gave his men credit for exhibiting real steel to narrow the gap from 14 points at halftime to two by game's end, achieving two bonus points — the first for scoring two tries, the second for a loss within seven points of the opposition. The Coast also took a bonus point, in addition to four points for the win, on their skipper's scoring the fourth of his side's five tries.
Mid-Canterbury captain and loosehead prop Adam Williamson said: “It was a very physical game with Ngāti Porou's passion and aggression from the start — they got around the corner quickly, and played the game a lot faster than we'd anticipated. In the second half we responded with more hunger and intent, but that was the best NPEC side I've played against since I started in 2015. They proved last year that they're done with being at the bottom of the table, and they outplayed us here on Saturday.”
Williamson won the toss on a clear day, choosing an end and went into the southeasterly breeze. Parkes opted to kick off.
The 350 in attendance saw an absolute belter of a game play out under Canterbury referee Daniel Moore.
The Coast opened the scoring with a 46-metre penalty goal head-on to Kemp in the fourth minute of play, to which McCloy responded in kind, from 35m out, at the ninth minute for 3-3.
In the 12th minute, Sky Blues No.8 Hoani Te Moana scored the opening try between the posts: with Kemp's conversion, the visitors went 10-3 up. After 21 minutes, the hosts' lock Henry McManus won a lineout set five metres from the Coast's goal-line on the left touch and from the ensuing drive, a surge to score by blindside flanker Shepherd Mhembere — converted by McCloy — brought the Hammers level.
Now the pace of the game was furious. Manuel, titan of the scrum, scored in the 26th minute with Kemp doing his duty for 17-10 to the Kaupoi, before McCloy finished off a 50m run by awe-inspiring left wing Raitube Vasurakuta with a try that the first-five converted, for 17-all.
In boxing vernacular, both sides were throwing bombs: Wadman ran in the first try of his double in the 31st minute (Parkes wrapping around right side from the attacking scrum on the 22, with imposing centre Api Pewhairangi as the decoy) — conversion to Kemp — and Parkes's five-pointer on the cusp of halftime, conversion Kemp, was a haymaker that landed. From there — down 31-17 — lesser opponents would have fallen away, having conceded four first-half tries.
That is not Mid-Canterbury's way.
In the 51st minute, Wadman dotted down in the left corner to complete his double, off a marvellous cut-out pass from reserve halfback Hamuera Moana-Baker, only for Vasurakuta — 90 seconds later — to respond with a try to the home side. McCloy did the honours for Vasurakuta, and again for reserve blindside flanker Liukanasi Manu in the 57th minute. The score then was NPEC 36, Mid-Canterbury 31. McCloy kicked his second penalty goal in the 70th minute to complete the scoring.
