Sean Morrison scores before halftime for Pirate. Photo / Emma Rodger
– This article is provided courtesy of Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union
Prop Jarryd Broughton’s commitment to the Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports Premier rugby side was rewarded big-time on Saturday.
Broughton, 28, isn’t always available for the team as he works in Te Puke preparing concrete foundations for a wastewater treatment plant. He puts in 12-hour days, has no time for any training and Saturday’s 28-19 victory over Napier Old Boys Marist (NOBM) at Tremain Field in the first round of the Maddison Trophy was just his third match of the season.
However, Broughton, who is the biggest player in the comp at just over 2m tall and 130kg-plus, made up for lost minutes with quality impact in the second half.
Powerful on the carry, accurate at cleanout time and lethal on defence, Broughton, proved how much his teammates missed him when beaten 35-10 by NOBM in the first round of the Nash Cup back in March.
“I knew we could do it. We had a good build-up, just like when we beat them at home last year,” Broughton said afterwards.
Unlike in March, his team were committed and cohesive for the full 80 and had no passengers. Better ball protection would be their main work-on.
This was NOBM’s first loss of the season and assistant coach Matt Wyatt agreed Pirate were fantastic at ruck time. He pointed out his troops will take the lessons out of the clash and be better for it.
Prop Patrick Teddy, No 8 Kaihau Pasikala and captain and flanker Will Tremain had huge workrates in the NOBM pack. Midfielder Kere Penitito was enterprising in the losing backline.
Havelock North coach Exham Wichman had every right to be “pretty stoked” after his side’s 38-22 Club Day victory over defending champions Taradale at Anderson Park.
“To do that on our club day at home, deny them a bonus point and win the Cooper-O’Dwyer Cup ... I couldn’t have asked for more,” Wichman said.
“Our bench was the catalyst as we dominated the second half.”
Lock Tom Allen and flanker Tom Brock were inspirational in the Havelock pack. Winger Mokau Lambert, who scored two tries, had his best game in Havelock colours and Hoera Stephenson controlled play well from first five-eighth.
“We played well in the first half but didn’t come out of the blocks in the second,” Taradale assistant coach Andrew Gardner lamented.
At the same time, he pointed out there were still plenty of positives for the visitors, including the contributions from captain and prop Hadlee Hay-Horton, lock Hunter Morrison, first five-eighth Henry Williams and fullback Nic Benn.
Lock Ben Te Hau celebrated his 50th appearance with a try as his Napier Technical side walloped Bridge Pā 93-7 at the Mitre 10 Sports Park. Centre Jaziah Symons scored four tries.
Halfback Oliver Beale made the most of his first starting XV appearance and first five-eighth Leighton Shaw was full of authority. Loosie Liam Udy-Johns again shone with his workrate.
Winger Saifiti Saifiti captured Player-of-the-Match honours as his Hastings Rugby and Sports team beat MAC 50-22 at Flaxmere Park.
“We had to grind it out in the first half but in the second, we held on to the ball better and were able to build phases,” Hastings coach Jason Long said.
Blindside flanker Louie Uregei impressed with his defensive work and hooker Joseph Lilo-Iosefo was physical on the carry.
MAC coach Anthony Morley pointed out the departure of inspirational captain and No 8 Falemiga Selesele with a 15th-minute injury was a massive blow for his side. His team’s second-half impact wasn’t as good as their visitors.
MAC’s halfback Bronson Hokianga and first five-eighth Alatasi Tupou again combined well. Locks Teokotai Reiri and Fraser Taurima-Heperi provided plenty of grunt in the host pack.
Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports 28 (Andrew Tauatevalu (2), Sean Morrison, Rocky Hoffman tries; Sheridan Rangihuna 3, Hunter Yarrall cons), Napier Old Boys Marist 19 (Patrick Teddy, Kane Ngawhare, Lachlan Varcoe tries; Jonty Stewart 2 cons). HT: 21-0.
Havelock North 38 (Mokau Lambert (2), Manahi Goulton (2), Tom Brock, Cooper Flanders tries; Will Cole 4 cons), Taradale 22 (Meni Manase, Hadlee Hay-Horton, Hunter Morrison tries; Henry Williams 2 cons, pen). HT: 19-17.
Napier Technical 93 (Jaziah Symons (4), Kianu Kereru-Symes (2), Kyle Cornelissen (2), Ben Te Hau, Kingsley Morris, Liam Udy-Johns, Isimeli Vono, Manaaki Aranui, Xavier McCorkindale, penalty try tries; Leighton Shaw 6, Oliver Beale, McCorkindale cons), Bridge Pā 7 (Harris Solomon try; James Bailey con). HT: 50-7.
Hastings Rugby and Sports 50 (Joseph Lilo-Iosefo (2), Caleb Horsefield, Oscar Sowman, Jordan Thompson-Dunn, Saifiti Saifiti, Perez Malo, Joe Fuimoano tries; Sowman 5 cons), MAC 22 (Junior Paulo (2), Fraser Taurima-Heperi, Alatasi Tupou tries; Tupou con). HT: 19-5.