Heading into Week 6 of 7 in Round 1 for the Kath McLean Memorial Cup of Enterprise Cars Ngati Porou East Coast club rugby, TVC (19 competition points) are the team to beat.
Since March 27, they have taken their A game on the road to beat hard-nosed opposition at Hatea-a-rangi, Uawa Domain and Te Araroa Domain. Points differential places Tokararangi second above Uawa (both have 11 points), Hikurangi fourth above City (nine points) and Hicks Bay sixth above United (one point).
TVC first five-eighth Tutere Waenga bagged a hat-trick of tries. Tighthead prop Hirini Delamere, second-five Blessing Faafoi and fullback Taleq Simeon scored a try each. Waenga also kicked a penalty goal and four conversions for a personal tally of 26 points.
Fullback Romeo Newey-Schumann scored Hicks Bay's second-half try, which was converted by first-five Irie Noa Noa.
Hooker Te Taawhi Takuira-Mita was TVC's most valuable player, while for Hicks Bay that honour went to hard-running lock Manahi Brooking.
TVC's capacity to ramp up the pace of the game as required while keeping the ball alive was, to their captain, a big factor in the win. TVC led 15-0 at halftime.
“For us, the key focus in the first round is our attack — we've scored 21 tries in four games,” openside flanker Mato said.
“Also, that was physical and both No.8s — Hoani Te Moana for us and Anton King for them — were tough.”
Hicks Bay coach Aaron King is unfailingly honest: “We got a bit of a touch-up in our first game for three weeks. TVC are disciplined and well-drilled. They started fast and poured it on in the second half. Our scrum was strong though; we didn't get pushed around.
“Dylan Biddle started at loosehead prop and went to hooker for Jim Hovell in the second half, Josh King came on at loosehead after the break and veteran Aaron Reedy answered an SOS to anchor the scrum for us on the tighthead side. They fronted big-time.”
Coach King was most complimentary of the job done by referee Eruera Kawhia (ably assisted by assistant referees Troy Para snr and Melvin Ashford) in allowing the game to flow.
On a fine day at Kahuitara, a crowd verging on 400 (United coach Kuru Gray spoke of the visitors' 12 car-loads of fans v 100 car-loads for The Maunga) took in a spirited showing by teams 4 and 7.
Hikurangi's try-scorers in a 29-5 win were blindside flanker Barry Sollitt, reserve blindside flanker Puna Manuel, centre Zyon Collins and right-wing Adrian Rogers, with Collins kicking one conversion. Hikurangi were awarded a penalty try (automatic seven points) in the 64th minute.
Tighthead prop Wyntah Riki scored United's only try in the 50th minute; The Maunga led 10-0 at halftime.
Hikurangi coach Matt Richards acknowledged United's guts and grit: “They turned up to play and pushed us hard, but our boys didn't expect anything less. We fought to keep our structure during that game, and have positives to now work on from it.”
Kuru Gray was pleased that despite United missing both regular captain Mike Chambers-Raroa and vice-captain Les Te Reo because of family commitments, his crew — as they had v TVC and Uawa — never gave an inch at scrum-time.
As old salt tighthead prop Aaron Reedy was a pillar of strength for Hicks Bay at set-piece, so too was legendary loosehead Reg McClutchie for the visitors.
“Reg came out of retirement and gave us 62 good minutes,” said Gray, whose outfit last called on The Maunga at their reinvested stronghold on June 8, 2019: Hikurangi won that, their centenary match, 84-5.
“The winning of the game — on turnovers, penalties — was the ruck. They were strong there.”
Gray also spoke well of the job, particularly communication-wise, done by referee Harawira Matahiki on his first game this season.
