First-five Tupai Matenga landed five conversions.
The green and whites, under coaches Scott Brodie and Alex Chrisp, led 38-15 at halftime and the home team went on to record their first win in a year-and-a-half.
A tough tackler, Chrisp even allowed himself a six-minute cameo as blindside flanker off the reserves bench.
OBM player-coach Clint Pirihi scored a try at hooker and was much happier this Saturday than he had been in the previous three weeks.
“Our boys played with a lot more effort, passion and pride . . . all we asked of them was that they compete and be more physical this weekend and they did. Everyone put their hands up.”
Athletic ran in 14 tries against a Horouta team coming off a one-point win.
The Waka trailed by 47 points at the break and though the match-effort from captain hooker Antonio Wright-Ferguson’s crew never wavered, Lew Patterson Cup holders Athletic had a point to prove to their faithful and did so, with four of their players scoring doubles.
The Bumbles made Nuhaka V8s earn their 20-10 win the hard way. The tackling from both teams was clean and fair and referee Les Thomas did a fine job as intermediary between two passionate, rugged outfits.
Lock Lewy Fleming got two tries for YMP as the Bumbles’ Most Valuable Player. His first five-pointer put the black and whites on the scoreboard after Nuhaka captain halfback-come-second-five Russel Love opened the scoring.
YMP old hand Waiti Tamatea has lost none of his touch with the boot in general play.
Love and his boys had reason to savour this result.
“This was our first away game and YMP had good numbers. As always, the boys’ defence got us through. It was strong.”
Tapuae’s 28-point margin of victory is indicative of a strong side recognising dangerous opponents.
Tapuae could not afford to let Uawa run free, and so the greens’ MVP halfback Tahu Taylor’s role in distributing and facilitating the ball was crucial.
He played a fine all-round game, and teammates such as loosehead prop Iowane Filimoni and Kyoni-Tyrese Te Amo-Poki have been in scintillating form.
Filimoni scored two tries on Saturday while fullback Kyoni also got a try and potted five conversions.
Uawa are no easybeats so Tapuae should treasure this win.
Senior 1 club rugby results, Week 4 —
Ngatapa Harvest Matawhero Transport 45 (James Hughes 2, Zach Pell 2, Jacob Storey, Atua Nepe, Andy Bayley tries; Tupai Matenga 5 con)
Enterprise Cars OBM 37 (Isaiah Oglivy, Josh Talaese, Shaquaid Hihi, Clint Pirihi, Dayne Williams, Tuks Dee tries; Matthew Brown 2 con, pen)
HT: 38-15, Ngatapa
YMP Bumbles 10 (Lewy Fleming 2 tries)
Nuhaka V8s 20 (Russel Love, Ilisoni Duriwaga, Hickson Raroa tries; Tahuwaka Edwards con, Carlos Carroll pen).
HT: 12-5, Nuhaka
Pango Productions Uawa 12 (Te Ahimanawa Westrupp, Rani Moran tries; Josh Dearden con)
Roseland Tavern Tapuae 40 (Iowane Filimoni 2, Gabriel Doull, Kyoni-Tyrese Te Amo-Poki, Kingi Te Amo, Wayne Hema tries; Te Amo-Poki 5 con)
HT: 26-5, Tapuae.
Charteris Choppers Wairoa-Athletic 80 (Tyrone Thorton 2, Angus Twigley 2, Tame Goldsack 2, Trivy Meredith 2, Winiata Niania, Adriaan Brits, George Twigley, Douglas Vehikite, BJ Stewart, Joe McGregor tries; George Twigley 5 con)
Horouta 0
HT: 47-0, Athletic
