Coaches encouraged

SOLID OUTING: Replacement forward Juston Allen added muscle to the Poverty Bay pack when he came on at lock. Hawke’s Bay Saracens defeated Poverty Bay 33-29 in a pre-season game at Rugby Park on Saturday. Picture by Paul Rickard

RUGBY by Grant Miller

A GAME display by the men in scarlet wasn’t quite enough to get them a win in their last pre-season rugby match before the Heartland Championship, but Poverty Bay’s coaches are encouraged by their players’ poise and purpose.

The Hawke’s Bay Saracens won 33-29 at Rugby Park on Saturday and their initial speed and intensity on defence had the hosts battling to make progress with ball in hand.

However, Poverty Bay came through that OK, applied their own pressure and posted four tries — including a hat-trick by centre Andrew Tauatevalu — in a frenetic first half.

Only a couple of classy plays from Saracens and lack of finishing finesse from Poverty Bay as the clock ticked down prevented the home team from getting a win.

Poverty Bay head coach Tom Cairns was pretty happy with his team’s performance.

They absorbed pressure, got front-foot ball and became more competitive in the breakdown, he said.

Saracens are Hawke’s Bay’s development team and they have in their ranks players who are pushing to play in the Mitre 10 Cup for the Magpies.

Wing Tyrone Dodd-Edwards and second five-eighth Ted Walters were among their better performers.

Poverty Bay were also missing a few players through unavailability or injury and they owed much to Tauatevalu for their surges on the scoreboard.

He snared two intercept tries and swooped on a handling error in the midfield backs just before halftime to bank his third.

However, Poverty Bay’s best moment on attack came from first-five Tane McGuire, who delivered a flick-pass for second-five Mark Atkins to score between the posts.

They led 29-21 at halftime.

Poverty Bay looked settled in the second half but couldn’t add to their tally.

They had two big scrums that sent the visitors backwards and substitutes such as lock Juston Allen and hooker Rikki Terekia made their presence felt.

Loose forwards Will Bolingford, Tamanui Hill and Fawn White also put in strong shifts.

Atkins and prop Myles Tawa had some big carries.

Poverty Bay had several scrums and lineouts deep in Saracens territory in the second half but couldn’t score points off the back of them.

Terekia went closest — diving for the right-hand corner but not managing to stay in the field of play.

Cairns said he was pleased with the way his players stayed connected with each other on defence.

Backs coach Miah Nikora said their composure had improved.

Saracens had put some points on teams before the game in Gisborne. They beat Horowhenua-Kapiti 64-7 and King Country 90-12 but lost 38-17 to Wanganui.

Saracens coach Mutu Ngarimu said Poverty Bay used the wind well in the second half, pinning his side in their own half for long periods.

His team needed to work hard to “sneak away with the win”.

Substitute tight forwards Donovan Mataira, Paula Latu and Teremoana Joel impressed him with their effort.

Ngarimu, a former Poverty Bay head coach, said it was great to see young Tairawhiti talent coming through.

In the end, Saracens took their chances.

Fullback Ryan Tongia regathered and scored a try from a chip and chase, and substitute hooker Frank Tupuola scored the final try in the left-hand corner.

Poverty Bay’s first game in the Heartland Championship is against the Thames Valley Swampfoxes at Paeroa this Saturday.

Their first home game is against South Canterbury the following week.

Hawke’s Bay Saracens 33 (Tyrone Dodd-Edwards 2, Ted Walters, Ryan Tongia, Frank Tupuola tries; Kody Drury-Hawkins 3 con, Johnny Lauano con) Poverty Bay 29 (Andrew Tauatevalu 3, Mark Atkins tries; Tauatevalu pen, 3 con).

HT: 29-21 (Poverty Bay).