BUSY DAY: Hikurangi No.8 Rhys Walker tries to burst free with the ball during last season’s East Coast rugby final against TVC. Walker had an eventful game against Ruatoria City at Whakarua Park on Saturday, being sin-binned early, scoring a try and making a try-saving tackle in a performance that earned him his side’s player-of-the-day award. Hikurangi won the match 22-8. Picture by Paul Rickard
RUGBY
What a dishWeek 9 provided food for thought in the second round of East Coast club rugby heading towards Queen’s Birthday Weekend.
Kath McLean Memorial Trophy holders Hikurangi came from 8-5 down to take the local derby from Ruatoria City 22-8 in 1 v 5 at Whakarua Park.
Te Kura Mana Maori o Whangaparaoa was the site of 2018 champions Tihirau Victory Club’s 3 v 4 29-15 win against Tokararangi.
Uawa triumphed in the 2 v 8 battle against Waiapu 67-12 in Rangitukia.
Tokomaru Bay United tasted victory at Hicks Bay’s expense for the second time, 29-22 on this occasion, in 7 v 6 at Hatea-a-Rangi.
The points at the end of all this were: Hikurangi 35, Uawa 34, TVC 32, Tokararangi 23, Ruatoria City 13, Tokomaru Bay United 12, Hicks Bay 11 and Waiapu 5.
Hikurangi beat Ruatoria CityHikurangi produced an excellent second half to seize the day from City, three tries to one.
Left wing Zyon Collins, No.8 Rhys Walker and second five-eighth Paddy Brown scored for “The Maunga”, with first-five Te Aho Matua Morice kicking a penalty goal and two conversions.
Ruatoria City second-five Nathaniel Fox opened the scoring with a penalty, and his teammate left wing Quentin Takarangi scored the try to restore City’s lead — after Collins’s great finish — at 8-5.
Referee Whiti Timutimu issued two yellow cards to Hikurangi: fullback Fabyan Kahaki received a card five minutes before fulltime, and Walker had been sin-binned 10 minutes into the game.
Walker had an eventful game — a card, the first try after the break and a try-saving tackle on City fullback Jayden Milner 10 minutes from the final whistle. The Hikurangi No.8 — his team’s player of the day — has always been noted for his support play and he was the recipient of an incredible assist from centre TK Moeke beneath the posts.
Collins and later Takarangi benefited from their own willingness to pass the ball, that being returned in kind by their teammates.
In the first half, the ball went through Morice, Moeke and Kahaki before Collins got clear on the right side to score the game’s opening try.
In Takarangi’s case, his speed and ability to not just slip through tackles but slip the ball to City player of the day, tighthead prop Pera Bishop, off the left sideline gave his side momentum into Hikurangi’s 22.
Soon afterwards — courtesy of an excellent clearance from halfback CJ Fox-Campbell and last pass from replacement No.8 Te Teira Maxwell — Takarangi was able to step between three defenders to score a sensational try for Ruatoria.
Brown’s second-half effort for Hikurangi was just as thrilling. Stationed two men wide of a ruck five metres off the left sideline, 10m out from City’s goal-line 22, he latched on to a beautifully weighted long pass from halfback Neihana Ratahi-Brown, evaded four would-be tacklers and carried two players over the goal-line with him.
“We’re happy with the result heading into the weekend off — the team need a break to refresh the mind and the body,” Hikurangi coach Doone Harrison said.
“We had to defend for most of the first half and our discipline didn’t help there, because we just needed some ball. When we did score, it was against the run of play.”
City coach Lisa Muller’s take on the game was remarkably similar to Harrison’s, which is significant because he is regarded by good judges as one of the sharpest rugby brains on the Coast.
It also reflects on her willingness to learn from experienced assistants, such as Jack Higgins.
“We controlled the first 40 and kept mistakes to a minimum,” Muller said.
“But after halftime, our penalty count went up. The game was winnable, but all credit to Hikurangi for their defence.”
The champions were in devastating formTihirau Victory Club beat Tokararangi 29-15, but in the second half, Tokararangi showed real backbone and their player-coach Morgan Wirepa Jnr was inspirational off the bench in the last 15 minutes.
The Mo Mato-led TVC were 19-0 up at the break and 29-0 up before the visitors rallied under their coach, who replaced eightman Anton King.
Wirepa played with fire and fury, wiry openside flanker Watarawi Ngata turned in a player-of-the-day performance at the lineout, and hard-charging lock Frank Henderson fought hard from the outset.
TVC scored three first-half tries, through centre Anthony Heal, No.8 Hoani Te Moana and first-five Verdon Bartlett. Fullback Ben Haerewa kicked two conversions.
Tighthead prop Josh McDonald scored the pick of TVC’s tries to reignite the home team 20 minutes into the second half. TVC player of the day Tevita Ahoafi cleared a ruck centrefield on Tokararangi’s 22m line to Bartlett on the left, McDonald then running 15m to score.
Haerewa was the next to score, and at that point lesser men would have folded up and given away 50 points, but Tokararangi are not those men.
They scored, second-five Te Whetu Waitoa, reserve right wing Teina Potae and replacement halfback Israel Brown doing the honours.
TVC captain and second-five Mato was pleased with his forwards’ showing up front.
“Our scrum was solid and Hoani Te Moana is always good value at the lineout,” he said.
“But what I was rapt with was the fact that we scrambled in defence when we had to.”
Both teams played with excellent discipline (neither conceded a yellow or red card) and a quiet word from referee James Palmer was sufficient to calm exuberant elements of the crowd — another clear sign that sideline behaviour has been excellent so far this season, and that even the happiest fans respect the authority of the whistle.
Morgan Wirepa Junior was candid in his assessment: “Watarawi (Ngata) was in everything and Teina made an impact when he came into the game, but TVC were very strong — too strong — today.”
That’s twice nowTokomaru Bay United have tasted victory 24-15 against Hicks Bay on April 7, and 29-22 against them on Saturday, and men not given to showering praise on anyone were genuinely delighted.
“I’m overwhelmed — the boys were awesome,” United captain and loosehead prop Adam Williams said.
“For us, this win is a really good start to the second round — we’re proud and hope for many more.”
Williams and his crew have been one of the gritty teams in East Coast club rugby this season — one of the four or five units who have done it especially hard with regard to player numbers. They might well say, the fewer men, the greater share of honour.
United’s tryscorers were openside flanker Uzziah Parata, first-five Matt Marino, second-five Seb Chambers-Raroa, right wing Api Ngerengere and dangerous fullback Jason Babbington, a man with eight Ngati Porou East Coast caps. Babbington also kicked two conversions.
Parata and teammate No.8 Shagan Tomoana’s committed tackling lifted their team, while the second row of Steve Niania and player-coach Mike Tiopira showed their nous at United’s short line-out. Their four-man lineout tactic worked a treat.
Referee Jim Green went to his pocket only once, Tokomaru Bay United tighthead prop Saul Parata being given a yellow card within 10 minutes of halftime.
For Hicks Bay, loosehead prop Aaron King, first-five Hona Delamere, right wing Morhphius Gladstone and captain and fullback Sean Murtagh scored tries, with centre Leith Delamere kicking one conversion.
It was a fast, open game that also featured meaty encounters up front.
Hicks Bay selected openside flanker Bradiee Heu as their player of the day, while TBU gave their award to Tomoana.
United player-coach Tiopira said: “The boys are very happy but they know there are at least six more weeks to go — not forgetting that both teams played good rugby today. Spirits are high, and it’s good to have this Saturday off to give our injured personnel more time to recover.”
Hicks Bay player-coach and second-five Warren Henderson held that his team enjoyed better field position and more possession, but that the home team punished them for their handling errors.
“Sean’s try was our best one, I thought,” Henderson said.
“Ten minutes into the first half, we set a scrum 30 metres out from their line, left side of the field. It was a simple move, the ball going to our right wing, Pirika Pahuru-Huriwai, and then from first-five Hona Delamere for Sean to finish strongly. It was a good team try.”
They are the super heavyweights of East Coast rugbyUawa beat Waiapu 67-12 at Rangitukia in Week 8, their first clash on opening day going the way of the hosts in Tolaga Bay 64-8.
This time around, they led 20-5 at halftime, after right wing Jordan Birch, halfback Sam Parkes, centre Rikki Crawford and first-five Tipene Meihana had paved the way for what was to be a big second half.
“It was a good physical game in dry but windy conditions — fast — but there were a few penalties that slowed things down a little,” Uawa captain and openside flanker Scott Lasenby said.
“Second-rower Adrian Allen was our player of the day and his locking partner, Nick Peters, played his best game for us so far this season. I was stoked, too, with our boys’ defence on the goal-line against Waiapu.”
Lasenby complimented referee Matt Richards on his clear rulings and communication.
Waiapu had their moments, the best of which led to first-five Slade Tiopira (who also kicked a conversion) and reserve blindside flanker Rihara Houia scoring tries for the home team.
Tiopira scored from a set move in the first half, and he converted Houia’s try five metres off the right sideline on the 22 — an amazing effort.
“The boys played well,” Waiapu coach Kahu Waitoa said.
“Andrew Kennett at No.8 carried the ball well, and our halfback Tipuna Tangaere made tackle after tackle; his passing, too, was pinpoint accurate.”
Waitoa made Waiapu’s player of the day a joint award to both Kennett and Tangaere.