Rugby: 50th game to spur dormant flanker Hamelink as Hastings out to remain unbeaten

Flanker Ben Hamelink will play his 50th game for Hastings Rugby and Sports today. Photo/Paul Taylor

It's fair to say Hastings Rugby and Sports loosie Ben Hamelink has been upstaged by fellow flanker Fale Matamata during the Hawke's Bay premier club competition to date.

Matamata has had the outright lead in the battle for the Bay's club MVP award for the past fortnight and Hamelink has yet to reproduce his 2015 and '16 form which saw him gain Magpies Mitre 10 Cup squad selection last year and make one starting XV appearance and six off the subs bench. But Hamelink isn't complaining.

"Fale and other young guys like Jacob Devery who are straight out of Hastings Boys' High School are playing well. It's exciting times for our team. It's creating good depth and helping to build a good foundation for the next couple of years."

A property valuer with Logan Stone Ltd, Hamelink has a couple of extra incentives to fire to his potential when his Ansin & Monteith Hastings Rugby and Sports team host Altherm Window Systems Napier Technical in a fourth round Tui Maddison Trophy fixture at Elwood Park today. It will be his 50th appearance for the hosts and a victory will see the team secure outright second place on the points table and maintain their unbeaten run on home turf this season.

"It couldn't be better timing . . . a good Hastings-Napier battle on my 50th. I'm going to watch the Hastings Boys High School 1st XV take on Napier Boys in Napier earlier in the day. Hastings Boys are playing really well, I'm confident they will win that one and hopefully we can do the same against Tech."

"I had three years in the Hastings Boys High School 1st XV and we never beat Napier during those years," Hamelink recalled.

He agreed the battle of the loose forwards as well as the tight fives will play key roles in the outcome of today's Elwood Park match.

"Last time their tight five got on top of ours and they beat us at the break down. Our defence wasn't good enough either," Hamelink said referring to Tech's 40-10 demolition job when the two teams clashed nine weeks ago.

"We've improved those aspects of play and we've talked about our unbeaten run at home. Hopefully we can continue it and keep our fortress intact."

With seven wins in their last eight games since that loss to the Texans, Hastings have certainly improved. Head coach Bevan Lynch and his deputies Tivaini Fomai and Heyden Lafaele have done a top job.

All the necessary ingredients are there for a serious crack at a Maddison Trophy final berth.

"Anything can happen once you get to the semifinals. We are competitive with Napier Old Boys Marist and Tech if we can play for 80 minutes. As long as we continue improving we will give that final berth a good shot," Hamelink said.

As an incumbent Magpie, Hamelink said he faced a tough challenge to retain his berth. He believed MAC's Samoa Sevens captain Fa'alemiga Selesele, Clive's Lucas Goodin, the NOBM trio of Joseph Penitito, Matt Gardner and Hannon Brighouse along with himself are battling for two vacant loose forward berths.

"There are lots of strong loosies. I just have to keep working hard and try and play consistent rugby."

The Hastings loosies may have the edge today as the Texans will miss the services of in-form openside Vinny Guildford who has a shoulder injury and blindside Isaiah Martin who is in Rotorua to watch the Maori All Blacks take on the Lions. The visitors will also miss the services of gutsy hooker Conan Houkamau who is injured.

However they will receive a boost with Baby Blacks prop Tim Farrell allowed to play 40 minutes in his comeback from an ankle injury which saw him forced out of the World Championship in Georgia.

While the absence of Guildford and Martin are huge blows to the Texans this game still has the potential to be a thriller - a six-point victory either way. Defending champions and Challenge Shield holders Hawke's Bay Insurances Limited Napier Old Boys Marist should beat Carters Frame and Truss Taradale by 17 points at Park Island.

Tanalised Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports have displayed steady improvement in recent weeks and if this continues they could upset Progressive Meats Havelock North with a three-point victory at Tamatea Park. Northfuels Central should pip MAC by three points at Waipukurau's Central Park and K9 Petfoods Clive have the potential to beat Tamatea by nine at Farndon Park.

■ The top tryscorer during Maddison Trophy round robin fixtures will be awarded a Big Barrel gift voucher. This prize is an extension of Big Barrel's commitment to the Hawke's Bay club rugby competitions.

Last month the Hawke's Bay union announced Big Barrel sponsorship of a Fair Play award which is being contested by the Bay's division three teams. The province's referees are judging this award which is determined by players and supporters respect for fair play and the enjoyment of the code.