Rampant YMP put OBM to the sword in one-sided premier club game

YMP flanker Jesse Kapene reaches over to score in the tackle of OBM second five-eighth Solomoni Rosari in Poverty Bay premier club rugby at Barry Park on Saturday. It was one of eight five-pointers the defending champions scored in a surprising 52-7 romp to end the first round. Premier teams have a break this weekend for the Town versus Country match at Paddy’s Park, Patutahi on Saturday. Picture by Paul Rickard

YMP delivered their best performance of the season to blow away OBM 52-7 in a top-of-the-table premier club rugby clash on Saturday.

Defending champions East Coast Farm Vets YMP made it five wins from five matches in this battle of unbeaten sides to earn Round 1 honours  at their home fortress of Barry Park.

In other premier games, GT Shearing Waikohu defeated hosts Kevin Hollis Glass Pirates 36-19 at the Oval and Larsawn Ngatapa beat Earthwork Solutions High School Old Boys 42-26 also at the Oval.

YMP coach Kahu Tamatea was justifiably “very happy” with his team’s potent performance which featured eight tries.

“It’s not every day that you put 50 points on a good team like OBM. Everything just clicked.”

While surprised by the size of the victory, Tamatea said his side went into it match-ready and determined to put on an 80-minute performance.

“In our previous games, we’ve had portions that have been all good and then we have dropped for 10 to 20 minutes,” he said.

“We didn’t have that  (on Saturday). We started strong, which we haven’t actually nailed this season.

“It is only early days so we’re still grounded. Round 2 starts in two weeks and everything starts again.”

OBM threw everything they could at their opponents but had no answers to a rampant YMP.

OBM captain RikkiTerekia was candid about their showing.

“We just weren’t good enough,” he said. “It was a good physical game but it is what it is.”

Discpline cost them “across the park”, he said.

“Our discipline is something that we are trying to work on because we have been shocking all year.

“A couple of things just didn’t go our way and then a couple things went their way at the end of the day.

“You know it’s always going to be a battle with these guys (YMP), but I am still happy with the boys and we stuck it out for 80 minutes . . . the boys  fought 100 percent to the end of the whistle. We never dropped our heads.

“I can’t be mad at that, can’t be disappointed at that.”

After withstanding a hiss-and-a-roar start from OBM, YMP put early points on the board and never lifted their foot off the pedal.

Fullback Andrew Tauatevalu scored two tries in the frenzy — having already scored three hat-tricks this season — and was instrumental in attacking the line and looking for space.

OBM couldn’t capitalise on the opportunities presented to them and it was a disappointing result and not the way the tean wanted to mark prop Juston Allen’s 50th premier game.

Other tryscorers for YMP were lock Willis Tamatea, wing Matt Rutene, openside flanker Jesse Kapene, replacement halfback Ra Broughton and second five Te Peehi Fairlie.

Late in the second half, OBM surged towards the try line, desperate for reward after being denied points by the YMP defence.

In YMP’s desperation to stop the attack, they infringed and OBM were awarded a penalty try

Tamatea was named YMP’s Most Valuable Player while fellow lock Harawira Kahukura was OBM’s MVP.

YMP 52

(Andrew Tauatevalu 2, Willis Tamatea, Matt Rutene,Jesse Kapene, Ra Broughton, Kayleb Te Whare, Te Peehi Fairlie tries; Tauatevalu 5 con, Kelvin Smith con)

OBM 7

(Penalty try)