Rugby: East and Napier still unbeaten

DASHING PROP: Hastings East prop and co-captain Aone Lolofie steps out of the tackle of Dannevirke's Zane Madden yesterday. PHOTO/CHRISTINE MCKAY

Ross Shield
Rugby, Dannevirke

Hastings East winger Troydyn Bird grabbed the first hattrick of this year's edition of the Ross Shield rugby tournament in Dannevirke yesterday. A son of former Magpies lock Matt Bird, Bird, took his try tally for the week to five as East maintained their unbeaten run with a round three 38-5 win against Dannevirke.

East manager Ian Horsefield said his forwards functioned well as a unit but his backs were guilty of dropping too much ball.

East co-captain and prop Aone Lolofie was player-of-the-match with some powerful carries. Tom McFetridge impressed in both the hooker and loose forward positions and flanker Dallas Hemi-Mason had a huge defensive workrate.

Dannevirke head coach Gerard McKay was again impressed with the character displayed by his troops.

"We showed a lot of heart. We often camped down on their line for long periods but were unable to complete the last phase for a try," he recalled.

Captain and No Tawera Rautahi, locks Zane Madden and Angus Prouting and lock-loosie Angus Kjestrup were all prominent for the hosts.

East's opponents today in the battle for the Bill Mathewson Memorial Trophy, Hastings West, returned to the winning path with a 42-5 victory against Central.

All of the West forwards again combined well while second five-eighth Jamie Craig and winger Corban Watson were constructive and destructive as required.

Central manager John Kilmister said his coaching staff were thrilled with the improvement displayed following the disappointment of the previous day's 44-0 loss to East.

"We displayed a lot of spirit and stuck it to West. Our scrummaging was a real positive as we took a lot of tightheads."

Openside flanker Plum King, one of two girls in the Central team, was outstanding as she forced numerous turnovers. Busy No 8 Guy von Dadelszen and captain Jock Kilmister, who had stints at flanker and prop, were both strong on defence and first five-eighth Rylee Ward was gutsy.

Like East, defending champions Napier maintained their unbeaten run with an 82-3 drubbing of Wairoa at the 114th annual Heinz Wattie's-sponsored event, the showpiece of Hawke's Bay Primary Schools rugby. Centre Xanda Scott-Semenoff scored six tries.

His slick combination with second five-eighth Jovian Cleal and pivot Afa Moleli was a feature of Napier's classy effort. They relished the dominance of their forwards.

"Napier spent the first two days working on a few things. Unfortunately we caught them when they were at full pace. While our boys tried hard we were outclassed," Wairoa coach Sid Ropitini said.

Loosies Stanley Baty and Materoa Edwards and lock Fagan Hook-Robertson joined first five-eighth Moana Ropitini as the pick of the Wairoa contingent.

Scorers:

•Hastings West 42 (Bryson Ioane 2, Lanson Randell, Ibanez Ahomiro, Jamie Craig, Papaofo Setu, Macabe King tries; Zedekiah Awa 2 cons; Amiri Downs-Williams pen), Central 5 (Guy von Dadelszen try). HT: 21-5.

• Hastings East 38 (Troydyn Bird 3, Cooper Flanders, Phelix Bargh, Jayden Gillies tries; Koby Deacon 4 cons), Dannevirke 5 (Cody Borlase try). HT: 17-0.

• Napier 82 (Xanda Scott-Semenoff 6, Afa Moleli 2, Josh Adegoke 2, Billy Dagg, Bradley Campbell, Te Tangata Edwards, Jovian Cleal tries; Moleli 4, Edwards, Jehmial Ross cons), Wairoa 3 (Moana Ropitini pen). HT: 48-0.