Openside flanker Keanu Taumata and centre Ethine Reeves dotted down for Tapuae. Player-coach and fullback Paoraian Manuel-Harman converted Reeves’ second-half effort.
YMP led 14-5 at the break.
YMP are now the only unbeaten team in the Premier competition and their eyes are fixed on the Premier Cup as round 1 winners. They can seal that in the last game against Ngatapa on Saturday.
“Been through the mill” and “been in the wars” are wonderful old-fashioned expressions.
And they apply equally to the clash between Larsawn Ngatapa and Enterprise Cars OBM at Paddy’s Park, Patutahi,
Under halfback Braedyn Grant, OBM scored two tries to beat their hosts 15-3 and retain the Carl McFarlane Memorial Trophy.
It was a rough, tough match during which referee Joel Pearse red-carded a man from each side.
Ngatapa opened the scoring with a penalty goal from first-five Tim Haldane in the eighth minute.
OBM scored the first try in the 10th minute - a typically hard-nosed effort from close range by hooker Rikki Terekia, converted by first-five Tawhiri Walsh to give his side a 7-3 halftime lead.
OBM right-wing Inosa Qativi junior scored in the 50th minute for 12-3, and in the 76th minute, Walsh landed a 23m penalty to seal the win.
Legendary 200 games-plus Ngatapa strongman now club head coach Sione Ngatu complimented the visitors on their tenacity.
“It was a good battle up front, very physical, and we started better on Saturday than in our last three games,” Ngatu said.
“We didn’t take our opportunities to score on Saturday, but credit to OBM, they took theirs.”
“Having our senior players there to hype everyone up was important,” Grant said. “Everyone was on board and dug really deep. We made our first-up tackles, then got back up, went again, and that helped to keep us in a dominant position.
“Along with all of that hard work, we showed a lot of heart to keep Ngatapa tryless.”
The latest generation of Blue and White and Buccaneers followers have stuck with them through highs and lows.
And though 54 points separated Earthwork Solutions High School Old Boys and Kevin Hollis Glass Tūranga Pirates on Saturday, keenness for the derby at the Oval was undiminished.
HSOB ran in nine tries and were awarded a penalty try by referee Paul Brown in a 62-8 win.
Left-wing Te-Reimana Gray, with a hat-trick, and fullback Matthew Proffit, a double, were the stars of the show.
Loosehead prop Franco Ludwig, first five Cohen Loffler, reserve left wing Puhi Tau and openside flanker Ryan Jones also got on the try list.
Proffitt (3) and wingers Gray and Bryan Howard kicked conversions for HSOB, who were 19-8 up at the break.
HSOB head coach Wayne Ensor was a happy man.
“Our boys all get along well, many are fitter than they’d been in recent years and across the board we’re also more experienced than we have been, with a mix of power and pace,” he said.
“On Saturday, the backs were really good, in particular Matt and Te-Reimana, and we scored some great tries. More than that, we stuck to our plan.”
Pirates, led by first five Henry Kepa, played solid rugby in the first half and showed heart and tenacity.
They had their moments. Vice-captain lock Patriah Kaliopasi put massive lock Nelson Moran down with a good tackle; left wing Saone Fafita made a startling break moments later; a weaving run by centre Taeaoalili Afasene resulted in a penalty which fullback Avia Ropati kicked from 35 metres to put the Buccaneers in front 3-0; and their sole try was scored by winger Soane Fifita.
“We played with more composure today, especially in the first half, but in the second half we moved away from our structure and got frustrated,” Pirates head coach Anthony Kiwara said.
“For 60 minutes, we played well. Part of the job for us now is just to bring our penalty count down.”
