Rugby: Big city teams rule day one

THE BOSS: Hastings West halfback Kahlia Awa makes another burst during her team's 28-7 win against Dannevirke. PHOTO/CHRISTINE MCKAY

Ross Shield
Rugby
CLASSY captains are those who can make adjustment to change as required and still maintain their own as well as the team's high standards.

Hastings East manager Ian Horse field heaped kudos on both of his co-captains, prop One Lolofie and Cooper Flanders, after they opened their Heinz Wattie's Ross Shield campaign with a 36-8 win against Wairoa in Dannevirke yesterday. Flanders deserved the most as he switched from his regular position of first five-eighth to second five-eighth and produced a player-of-the-match performance.

He had to make the switch after Rawiri Teneti failed to reach the 56kg weight limit for the 114th edition of the Hawke's Bay Primary Schools tournament. Wairoa winger Arana Keefe-Waiwai also got the thumbs down and while the pair are unable to play they still get billeted and are still able to be part of the tournament experience.

Wairoa coach Sid Ropitini said his team doesn't boast the same depth as last year's with only three players back again but he was still impressed with their effort. Openside flanker Materoa Edwards had a huge defensive workrate and lock Fagan Hook-Robertson toiled well considering it was his first game in a month because of his boxing commitents.

Dannevirke coach Gerard McKay had every right to be proud of his team's effort during a 28-7 loss to Hastings West. They trailed 28-0 at halftime and won the second half.

"It goes to show we can match the city teams. This team has the biggest heart to come out of a Dannevirke team for a long time," McKay said before saluting the defensive work of openside flanker Cody Borlase and the workrates of No 8 and captain Tawera Rautahi and lock Angus Kjestrup in the pack. Midfielders Orin Baker and Aaron Davis operated well in the hosts backline.

The brother and sister combination of halfback Kahlia and Zedekiah Awa shone with their direction of the West team. All of the West forwards formed a cohesive unit which made their job easy.

Defending champions Napier proved they will be hard to dethrone with a 41-0 win against Central. First five-eighth Afa Moleli was the player-of-the-match.

Captain and regular No 8 Kinghouse Tupuola was a powerful second half replacement at prop. Loosies Luke Chamberlain and John Teddy had admirable stints.

Central manager John Kilmister was proud of the spirit displayed by his troops. Left winger Piper Taylor, one of two girls in the team, was busy and second five-eighth Dougal Kerr and No 8 Guy von Dadelszen were others to shine with their never-say-die approach.
Scorers:
Hastings East 36 (Ryan Ashman 2, Tom Goodisson, Cooper Flanders, Troydyn Bird, Phelix Bargh tries; Koby Deacon 3 cons), Wairoa 8 (Lorenze Te Paora try; Moana Ropitini pen). HT: 17-5.
Napier 41 (Joshua Adegoke 2, Bradley Campbell, Joshua Quinn, Xanda Scott-Semenoff, Te Tangata Edwards, Kinghouse Tupuola tries; Afa Moleli 3 cons), Central 0. HT: 24-0.
Hastings West 28 (Papaofo Setu, James Craig, Bryson Ioane, Brayden Munro tries; Zedekiah Awa 3, Amiri Downs-Williams cons), Dannevirke 7 (Angus Prouting try; Campbell Carrington-Morse con). HT: 28-0.
■Hawke's Bay will play Poverty Bay for third place at the Hurricanes under-16 rugby tournament in Palmerston North tomorrow.
Manager Tim Jones said crucial errors at key times and a couple of missed tackles proved to be the Bay's downfall when beaten 34-12 by Wellington yesterday. This was the Bay's second consecutive loss and they trailed 17-0 at halftime.
Prop Lachie Gunson and midfield back Jordan Thompson-Dunn scored the Bay's tries and second five-eighth Liam Udy-Johns kicked a conversion. Lock Josh Gimblett and the Thompson brothers, prop Tyrone and centre Leo, were the pick of the Bay players.