The home team’s sideline staff agreed.
“It was a hard-fought win,” Uawa coach Tip Nukunuku said.
“We got our structure going in the second half, and then we were able to put pressure on Hicks Bay. Our player of the day was (tighthead prop) Laman Davies, who worked tirelessly up front, while (halfback) Jesse Saywell gave them headaches with his quick all-round game, and (fullback) BJ Sidney’s try was sensational. He weaved his way through eight men and ran 100 metres to score.”
Uawa first-five Tipene Meihana and centre Jesse Rye scored two tries apiece, with promising young right wing Niao Savage, fullback BJ Sidney and reserve players Kereama Leach (left wing) and Shay Tahata (right wing) the other tryscorers. Meihana (2) and halfback Jesse Saywell kicked conversions for the home team.
Uawa led 17-5 at the break, fullback Blue Walker scoring the visitors’ first-half try.
“We had no reserves — a 15th player arrived just as we took the field — so I’m proud of the boys,” Hicks Bay captain and No.8 Frank Taiapa said.
“We challenged Uawa in the first 40 and Aaron King (tighthead prop) was great for us. We won all of our own ball at the scrum — Tyrone Delamere (halfback) and Hona Delamere (first five-eighth) were good value, too — but our player of the day was Toni Swinton (centre). He ran hard and tackled hard.”
They are getting stronger and strongerThird-placed Tokararangi have one of the most dangerous backlines in the eight-team competition, and in Week 4 they fired on all cylinders in a 79-7 victory over Tokomaru Bay United.
First-five Pamona Samupo and right wing Te Aho Haenga both scored hat-tricks, captain and halfback Israel Brown bagged a double, and loosehead prop Josh King, blindside flanker Manahi Brooking, centre Phoenix Brown, fullback Teina Potae and reserve fullback Dallas French all scored tries. Brown, Haenga and left wing William Martin each kicked two conversions, and Brooking kicked one.
“We had 100 people, including kids, there to watch us — great support for both us and United,” Tokararangi captain and halfback Israel Brown said.
“All of our boys were on their game but United played with big hearts and gave it 100 percent right to the end.”
Tokararangi led 27-7 at halftime. Tokomaru Bay United captain and loosehead prop Adam Williams said: “No matter how hard you think you’re playing, the scoreboard tells the story.”
But United did have a moment to savour in the 25th minute. Halfback Jay Matenga — in his second season, on his 18th birthday — darted to the right of a ruck 10m short of Tokararangi’s posts, in centreground. Player of the day Matenga was brought down by two tacklers a metre short, then from the floor popped a great pass up to the left . . . first-five Matt Marino scored beneath the crossbar, and then converted his own try.
United coach Mike Tiopira said it was a hard game.
“No.8 Te Hei Patuwai was our the player of the day for his defence and hard running with the ball,” he said.
“He and the elder statesmen — Matt (Marino), for instance — rallied the boys. They kept the talk up.”
Some days, there’s no stopping themHikurangi were in that mood at the weekend, as they recorded the highest score and margin of victory — 92-0 against Waiapu — so far this season.
Hikurangi led 38-0 at halftime and scored 14 tries in total. Their player of the day, No.8 Tanetoa Parata, scored a hat-trick. Doubles were scored by blindside flanker Trent Proffit and right wing Rob Ngarimu. Loosehead prop Kaimoni Soutar, openside flanker Jessie Tuala, halfback Neihana Ratahi-Brown, first-five Kaiwi Parata, left wing Zyon Collins, centre Karauria Keelan and fullback Te Aho Morice also scored tries. Morice kicked seven conversions, Parata, three, and Ngarimu, one.
Jesse Haenga, captain Frank Manuel and Hoto Te Whitu form a solid front row for Waiapu. Te Whitu began the season with a player-of-the-day showing at Tolaga Bay and has consistently been one of their best performers.
Slade Tiopira pestered Uawa from fullback in the season opener, and was lively at second-five in Week 4 for an injury-hit team.
Grayson Mauheni — their only tryscorer to date — missed Saturday’s game with a strained lower back, and Waiapu lost openside flanker Rory Waitoa just after halftime with a torn left calf.
Waiapu did again on Saturday what they’ll continue to do: they fronted up and engaged strong opposition in all facets of play.
Collins and Ratahi-Brown — the latter having transferred from Ruatoria City this year — scored their first tries for Hikurangi on Saturday.
George Tuala, 24, a tighthead prop with 15 caps for Ngati Porou East Coast, was their club’s game-day captain and played his 50th game for “The Mountain”.
Tuala is highly regarded by men of experience.
“George knows what he’s doing and, with his low centre of gravity, he’s my toughest opponent at scrum-time,” giant loosehead prop and former Tasman Maori representative Laman Davies said.
“He plays with a lot of passion, is handy around the park and loves contact. I rate him as highly as any I’ve played with or against.”
Another Uawa prop, Puri Hauiti — a veteran of 244 games for that club — says Tuala has more to offer.
“He’s got a good head on his shoulders and he’s yet to peak. He’s also a hard man to stop on the charge; George never takes a backward step.”
Hikurangi coach Doone Harrison, who played with the 16-year-old Tuala making his club debut against Waiapu in 2010, said: “He’s got a lot of responsibility in our group now. He moved to Australia last year — we missed him in the final!”
