Hicks Bay beat fourth-placed Hikurangi (14pts) 29-24 at Wharekahika, while third-placed Uawa beat second-placed TVC (19pts) 34-30. Team No.5, Tokararangi, beat No.6 Ruatoria City 34-7 at Whakarua Park.
Tokomaru Bay United are the seventh-placed team. They have just one competition point but improved performances recently suggest more will follow.
Hicks Bay don' get enough creditHicks Bay don’t get enough credit. The businesslike way in which they have gone about things may have caused their fine form during the past five six weeks to go unnoticed, but they have been superb.
On Saturday they outscored a quality Hikurangi side by five tries to four in a 29-24 win in the absence of co-captain and No.8 Frank Taiapa, an outstanding forward.
But it was the Doone Harrison-coached Hikurangi who opened the scoring in the 18th minute. Right wing Zyon Collins made the right corner — an unconverted try — for 5-0 to the visitors.
Six minutes later, Hicks Bay fullback and co-captain Sean Murtagh scored for 5-5. His try was unconverted.
In the 32nd minute, Hikurangi were awarded the only penalty try (seven points) of Week 6 for a clumsy tackle on their (MVP) most valuable player and halfback Hamuera Baker in the act of scoring.
The Maunga led 12-3, although their hosts had the last word. Hicks Bay No.8 Anton King charged from 15 metres short of halfway into Hikurangi’s 22 before being brought down and moments later his teammate — right-wing Reihara Moeke — scored for 10-12 in the 37th minute. Hikurangi led by two points at the break.
Six minutes after the resumption, it was an outside back — Murtagh — who made it possible for King to score.
Murtagh beat four men, received support, and in short order King surged five metres to dot down. With left wing Leyth Delamere’s conversion, Hicks Bay went 17-12 up.
In the 51st minute, great interplay between forwards and backs saw Hikurangi strike back with a great try in the right corner to first-five Neihana Ratahi-Brown — converted by Baker — for 19-17, as the teams traded tries.
In the 63rd minute, Hicks Bay first-five Ben Haerewa placed a bomb in Hikurangi’s 22. In the drive that followed, centre Dominic Wilson scored. Haerewa converted, for 24-19.
With nine minutes remaining, Hicks Bay reserve loosehead prop Josh King scored the home team’s fifth and final try for 29-19.
Hikurangi closed the scoring with a vintage try to reserve fullback Aomuri Parata in the 78th minute. The Men of the Mountain created an overlap and Parata finished the movement strongly.
Uawa beats TVC 34-30 Any win against Hikurangi is big news in East Coast club rugby but Uawa’s 34-30 triumph over TVC at Cape Runaway is as newsworthy.
Uawa captain lock Scott Lasenby, a Ngati Porou East Coast forward with five representative caps, said: “That’s the best comeback I’ve been a part of — from 30-15 down with eight minutes to play — to win it.
“That was a strong, even contest. We just had a slight edge at scrum-time and won a couple of big ones.”
The Uawa pack took two tightheads in the second half, their skipper giving high praise to his second-row partner Matt Jefferd, tighthead prop Laman Davies and Uawa MVP Storm Moran, who moved from second-five to openside flanker for an injury to lineout ace Rikki Kernohan.
Uawa’s try-scorers were halfback Sam Parkes, right wing Tipene Meihana, Lasenby, left wing Kereama Leach, fullback BJ Sidney and reserve right wing Brian Mitchell.
First-five Jordan Patrick converted Leach’s try, Sidney converted his own.
TVC’s try-scorers were loosehead prop Rawiri Waititi, hooker Hirini Delamere, lock Hoani Te Moana, team MVP left wing Ron-Paul McRoberts and reserve lock Moana Kurei.
Waititi kicked a penalty goal and centre Peti Delamere kicked one conversion.
The captain of the home team, halfback Moana Mato, said: “Uawa came at us hard and fast with two quick tries but it took us some time to get going. Through strong running in the forwards we got a well-deserved try to Ron-Paul McRoberts.
“Soon after that our hooker, Whetu Haerewa caught Uawa napping with a quick line-out throw to Rawiri Waititi to score. With eight to go, we were 30-15 up and decided to count the clock out but Uawa had different ideas with their fast, elusive backs — BJ, Tipene, Storm — they counter-attacked.
With only minutes to go, they took the lead.”
He was brilliant.
Israel Brown’s hat-trick at Whakarua Park was a highlights reel: the fullback was Tokararangi’s most valuable player againstv Ruatoria City. The 34-7 result also saw loosehead prop Mike Saddlier, lock Manahi Brooking and left-wing Ihaia Te Purei score tries for the visitors, with two conversions from first-five Slade Tiopira. No.8 Hone Haerewa — Brown’s co-captain — was pleased with the all-round effort.
“It wasn’t a fast game but it was very physical — City was ran hard at us,” said Haerewa, whose side’s big pack responded in kind.
“Manahi and Alec Poi at blindside flanker played outstandingly once again. Alec was a workhorse.”
Sadlier and Brown scored Tokararangi’s first two tries. The Te Araroa-based club led 12-7 at halftime, City having been awarded a penalty try by referee Victor Herbert.
By virtue of a strong all-round performance, City halfback Tipuna Tangaere was their MVP.
His skipper, lock Tim Barbarich, doesn’t gush: “Tip directed play well, ran hard and tackled hard.
“Our forwards dominated the first half but in the second half, Tokararangi came out firing and we didn’t.
“We were outplayed in the second 40.”
