‘Game of two halves’ not always a cliché

ON THE BURST: Uawa blindside flanker Rikki Kernohan goes on a run in the Barry Cup game against Tihirau Victory Club, with second five-eighth Tawhao Stewart in close support. TVC first-five Billy Manuel stretches to try to make a tackle, with Verdon Bartlett in the background. Picture by Te Rauhuia Ngata

RUGBY

The cliché “it was a game of two halves” is now meaningless.

The only exception to that new rule should be Uawa’s Barry Cup defence against Tihirau Victory Club in Tolaga Bay on Sunday, a 73-22 win to the holders.

Head coach Tip Nukunuku was justifiably over the moon with the blue team’s stellar output in the second 40 minutes of play: “I’m overwhelmed. TVC turned up willing — they gave it their all — but the running and passing from our boys was such that you wouldn’t see better tries than that scored anywhere.”

Uawa halfback Sam Parkes scored five tries and centre Te Peehi Fairlie got a double. A try apiece went to second five-eighth Tawhao Stewart, left wing Jacob Leaf, right wing Jesse Rye and fullback BJ Sidney.

Parkes kicked four conversions, Billy Priestley, two, Leaf, two, and Sidney, one.

Tihirau Victory Club’s tryscorers were reserve prop Rawiri Waititi, openside flanker Hubert Matchitt, reserve left wing Damien Waititi and loosehead prop Josh McDonald. Fullback Benny Haerewa converted Rawiri Waititi’s try.

Sidney scored the opening try by virtue of dazzling footwork five minutes into the game, Leaf and Parkes following suit, both in the left corner, in the 14th and 20th minutes respectively. Parkes converted Leaf’s try, Leaf converted that of Parkes, for 19-0.

In the 23rd minute, Rye finished a simple move clinically and with Parkes’s conversion, Uawa led 26-0. At the 26th minute, Stewart turned the cover defence inside-out for Fairlie to score. Sidney kicked the conversion for 33-0.

In the 30th minute — one metre to the right of the posts — veteran prop Rawiri Waititi scored for TVC. Fullback Haerewa converted to make it 33-7.

TVC openside flanker Matchitt then scored 10 metres in from the right sideline — 33-12 with five minutes of the half to play.

A quick throw-in from Uawa fullback Sidney on the left sideline unleashed Leaf, who hurtled over halfway and found blindside flanker Rikki Kernohan, with Fairlie the beneficiary two passes later. Priestley converted Fairlie’s second try for 40-12.

TVC reserve left wing Damien Waititi scored wide out on the cusp of halftime, at which stage the score was 40-17 to Uawa.

In the 51st minute — playing under advantage — 15m out from Uawa’s goal-line, 15m off the left touch, TVC fullback Benny Haerewa tapped the ball. Blindside flanker Hone Haerewa kept four defenders in two minds before making the last pass to loosehead prop Josh McDonald.

TVC were back in the game and the score was 40-22 before Uawa introduced a new dynamic: lightspeed.

Lock Reg Namana returned from the sin-bin to give a superb pass to Parkes, who scored in the left corner in the 61st minute. The halfback then converted his own try for 47-22.

In the 65th minute, from 10m on their own side of halfway, Kernohan won a lineout off the left-side touch; the ball went from Parkes to Priestley to Namana to openside flanker Chase Sheridan. Sheridan stormed down the ground before hooking a pass out to Parkes — try, 52-22. Priestley converted for 54-22.

From there, Stewart scored and Parkes converted for 61-22. Parkes then scored again for 66-22. Parkes scored once more — for 71-22 — before Leaf’s conversion ended the scoring at 73-22. It was a deluge.

“Full credit to Uawa; they played tight, then went wide,” TVC captain and second-five Moana Mato said.

“They played good rugby.”

Uawa skipper and lock Scott Lasenby said: “It was fast open rugby. They fought all the way.”

Hooker Tuterangi Te Moana was the visitors’ player of the day, while Sheridan claimed that honour for Uawa for the second week in a row.

Te Moana and his teammate right wing Ron-Paul McRoberts hit in the tackle every bit as hard as Uawa hooker Wyntah Riki, and Riki hits like a hammer.

TVC coach Allen Waenga had his team together for 10 minutes all up leading into Sunday’s challenge.

“It was an excellent game; we were in it for 60 minutes,” Waenga said.

“Our boys hadn’t played for a while. Uawa have been, and without the lay-off from club rugby, they’ve stayed gelled as a team.”