Dannevirke first five-eighth Will Hands tries to make his way through the Freyberg defence during the 26-20 win at Massey University. Photo / Supplied
SUP26072021will hands Dannevirke first five-eighth Will Hands tries to make his way through the Freyberg defence during the 26-20 win at Massey University. Photo / Supplied By Doug Laing
Country rugby in Hawke'sBay has had one of its most successful seasons in many years, with three teams winning the right to play Premier rugby next season if they wish – in three unions.
The unique treble was completed on Saturday when the Dannevirke Sports Club Dazzlers won the Manawatu union's Senior 2 Houlihan Cup final for a third year in a row.
It beat Premier-grade Palmerston North club Freyberg's B team 26-20 at Massey University, but has had doubts about going up because of the limited numbers of players available to sustain a competition in the top grade.
Each side scored three tries, Dannevirke leading 11-10 at halftime and 26-15 with about 10 minutes to go. There were particularly good games from captain and lock/loose forward Taylor Rowe and first five-eighth Will Hands.
A fortnight earlier second Dannevirke side Aotea confirmed a place in Hawke's Bay Premier rugby for the start of next season, although later beaten by Havelock North in the Senior 1 final at McLean Park, Napier,
On July 17, an all-Wairoa Poverty Bay Senior 1 final in Gisborne resulted in Wairoa Athletic beating Tapuae 22-15, but ending with Athletic, like Dannevirke, wondering if they could field a competitive team in the Premier division.
But, unlike rugby for clubs in Napier and Hastings, it's not the end of the season in the extremities of the region, with the Wairoa sub-union team having on Saturday in Wairoa scored a 25-17 win over Central Hawke's Bay, which is preparing for a defence of central district sub-union rugby's Bebbington Shield at Matthews Memorial Park, Tikokino.
Wairoa was having its first game to start preparing for a September 26 challenge for the Barry Cup, contested by sub-union teams from Northern Hawke's Bay, Poverty Bay and East Coast.
The teams are allowed to field players based elsewhere but originally from their area, and Wairoa went into Saturday's match with a single training run for locals only behind them, but co-opting several "originals" from the Poverty Bay Heartland team, which had been in camp near Mahia, along with Napier Pirates flanker Hugh Taylor, who scored two tries playing on the wing, and Napier Tech Old Boys player Jayden Stok.
Team manager Mike Pickering was particularly thankful to the CHB sub-union for making the round trip of 360km for the game, and he's now looking for further opposition to help prepare for the chance to bring the Barry Cup back to Wairoa for the first time in over a decade.
In another step to help make sure match-fit players are available, and more rugby is played in the area, a meeting is being held on Tuesday night, July 27, in the hope a "home" competition will be able to be played for clubs and teams in the area over the next few weeks.
The Aotea and Dannevirke club coaches, Jarrod Stephenson and Nigel Castles respectively, are selecting a team from their two sides to train this week and then play CHB, while there will also be a Colts game between the sub-unions for the Rankin Cup, which is held by Dannevirke.
Central Hawke's Bay also has a game against Heartland Rugby side Horowhenua Kapiti at the Otane Domain on September 7.