Talent, pace on show as Te Teko claim Te Maipi Whanau Trophy

INAUGURAL CLASH: Te Teko captain and first five-eighth Rico Stowers (left) and Waikohu captain and hooker Mahanga Pari with the Te Maipi Whanau Trophy that was contested for the first time on Sunday. Te Teko won the match 39-10 to become the first holders. Picture supplied

RUGBY by Ben O’Brien-Leaf

Waikohu and Ruatoria forgot about the Barry Cup for a moment — pre-game warm-ups or not, the curtain-raiser on Sunday was played at such pace and with so much rugby talent on show that the seniors stopped what they were doing.

The Te Teko under 11s led by first-five Rico Stowers beat Waikohu 39-10 in the inaugural clash for the Te Maipi Whanau Trophy. The visitors’ back-play in the first half and 34-0 score at the break inspired a great comeback by the home team under Waikohu captain No.8 Mahanga Pari.

Going right to left in the hosts’ 22, Stowers got a great pass from second-five Javian Grainger to put Te Teko on the board 5-0: halfback Brooklyn Bethall converted his skipper’s try for 7-0. Grainger then scored, Bethall converted; 14-0. Te Teko right wing Jack Dawson made a titanic surge down the sideline to score for 19-0. Fullback Ikanui Burgess scored the fourth try and left wing Kiamarni Ngahue scored a double to put Te Teko 34-0 up at the break.

Then came Waikohu.

Four minutes into the second half, right wing Fraser Wainohu scored the first of his two tries for Waikohu 5, Te Teko 34. Te Teko openside flanker Mikaere Te Maipi scored the visitors’ seventh and last try. A rolling maul then took Waikohu within 5m of the opposition goal line and Wainohu did the rest: he drove low and hard to ground the ball — a great finish to the game.

“Our boys put in a fantastic performance but when Waikohu got a chance to show their class, they played strongly,” said Te Teko coach Don Te Maipi. “To hold us to one try in the second half was an awesome effort.”