Hurricanes and Havelock North loosie Devan Flanders taking on the Taradale defence. Photo / Emma Rodger
Hurricanes and Havelock North loosie Devan Flanders taking on the Taradale defence. Photo / Emma Rodger
By Shane Hurndell
Talk about a dramatic final round in the Hawke’s Bay Nash Cup premier club rugby competition on Saturday.
Although Havelock North celebrated their club day at Anderson Park with a 38-31 win over Taradale, the Mighty Maroons retained the Nash Cup courtesy of the two competition points they secured in the thrilling clash.
Taradale finished equal with Napier Old Boys’ Marist at the top of the table as NOBM beat Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports 44-29 at Tamatea Park, but Taradale’s 22-17 win against NOBM the previous week secured them the Nash Cup again.
With their win, the Villagers took the Cooper-O’Dwyer Cup off Taradale.
Havelock North co-captain and No 8 Cooper Flanders scoring one of his two tries. Photo / Emma Rodger
Havelock North co-captain, former New Zealand Māori, Highlanders and Magpies prop Brendan Edmonds, was rapt that his team had the services of Hurricanes loosie Devan Flanders as a second-half substitute.
“Devan is a huge part of the village. It was awesome to have him playing alongside his brother Cooper. We also had the Allen brothers and we’ve also got the Paewai brothers and the Leach brothers.
“It’s a real family club and we’ve been building during the last five or six weeks. We’re just enjoying it ... I managed to have a beer with one of our supporters after one of our tries,” Edmonds explained.
Taradale captain and loosie, Josh Eden-Whaitiri, said receiving the Nash Cup after the match was “bittersweet”.
“We will have to come back more hungrier when the Maddison Trophy comp starts next weekend. Retaining the Maddison is our next goal.”
His team missed seven regular starters on Saturday and he agreed they will take a lot of confidence out of the game and the win against NOBM into the Maddison Trophy comp.
Along with Edmonds and the Flanders brothers, lock Reuben Allen impressed in the Havelock pack. Winger Eroni Nawaqa deserved his hat-trick.
Prop Lolani Faleiva had a powerful first half for Taradale. Busy flanker Josh Combs worked hard for his two tries while former New Zealand Sevens player and Havelock North first five-eighth Trinity Spooner-Neera was classy against his former club.
Napier Technical captured the hotly contest sixth spot for the Maddison Trophy competition with a 62-0 drubbing of MAC at Whitmore Park. Texans manager Cyril Whitburn said powerful No 8 Donovan Mataira, busy flanker Oliver Larbi and winger Elia Bari, who was playing against his former club, were all prominent in the victory.
Former New Zealand Sevens rep Tamati Samuels played his second game of the season for the hosts and his direction from second five-eighth was top shelf. Whitburn said his troops know the Maddison Trophy comp will be tough and they will have to perform a lot better than they did in the Nash Cup to be competitive.
Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports dedicated their performance to former Pirate age group player Kaea Karauria who was fatally stabbed the previous weekend.
“Today was more than a game. The club has pulled together well after Kaea’s death,” Pirate player-coach Sheridan Rangihuna said.
Former Hawke’s Bay Under-16 Māori rep Karauria was a lock and Rangihuna’s team named him as a lock on their team sheet prior to the game.
“His whānau was keen for him to play for us when he finished kura,” Rangihuna said.
“It has been awesome for clubs to have regular service of Super players during the the Nash Cup. I believe Taradale will still be the team to beat in the Maddison comp but it will be the closest Top Six comp we have had.”
Hurricanes hooker Jacob Devery started at No 8 for Hastings Rugby and Sports in their 40-26 victory over Central at Elwood Park. Central had to get the maximum five competition points out of this clash to qualify for the Top Six.
Aotea posted their first win in the Nash Cup competition with a 38-24 victory over hosts Clive at Farndon Park. Aotea, Clive, Central and MAC all missed out on berths in the Maddison Trophy competition.
