Fullback Dan McIntyre scored a hat trick against his former club and second five-eighth Nathan Ramsay was another to shine in the Taradale backline.
"We had a lot of guys unavailable. We'll be a different team in a couple of weeks," Central manager Ian Large said.
"Our forwards competed well but our makeshift backline was outclassed," Large explained.
Loosies Jason Cutbush and Scott Mathias had high workrates in the Central pack and fullback Karl Lepelaars was the best of the visiting backs.
Hastings 36 Tech 17
Magpies winger Mason Emerson was classy in all aspects of play and grabbed a hat trick for Auto Super Shoppe Hastings Rugby and Sports in this Whitmore Park victory.
His backline functioned well and a key aspect of this was the work of new first five-eighth Sione Kite who has transferred from Wellington to be a teacher at Heretaunga Intermediate. Kite's communication and organisation was top shelf. Former Hastings Boys' High School prop Aleki Vuki, who has returned to the Bay after a season of club rugby in Wellington, and loosie Fale Matamata were prominent in the Hastings pack. Altherm Window Systems Napier Technical second five-eighth Ted Walters deserved a better performance from the hosts in his 100th appearance for the club.
The Texans defended well for the first quarter but couldn't maintain this intensity. New Magpies signing JJ Taulagi was always a threat with his limited opportunities from fullback for the hosts. New winger Junior Saufoi was also dangerous.
Flanker Todd Cushing was gutsy for Tech.
MAC 55 Tamatea 21
Outstanding MAC centre Samu Iosua was the third player in the comp to grab a hat trick in round one during his team's Flaxmere Park win.
"There was patches of brilliance from our boys but there is still plenty of work to be done," MAC coach Anthony Morley said afterwards.
Captain and winger Vai Kereti joined Iosua as the best of the MAC backs. Fresh from a stint with the Samoan Sevens team Magpies loosie Fa'alemiga Selesele and hooker Frank Tupuola provided plenty of grunt to the MAC engine room.
"We had plenty of opportunities which we didn't finish off. You let the MAC backs run and they can be dangerous as our boys learnt," Jarks Tamatea head coach Matt Marsh said.
Former MAC No 8 Everard Reid, flanker Dillon Solomon and captain and Magpies prop Mason Kean, who is also a former MAC player, led the Tamatea pack by example.
Havelock 36 Clive 17
"Hepa will be having a Tui up there in celebration after this one," Progressive Meats Havelock North manager Gary Revell said after the villagers win at Farndon Park.
Revell was referring to club life member and Magpies great Hepa Paewai who died last month.
Revell was thrilled with the win as the visitors fielded five new players. One of them, former Canterbury Sevens rep William McGoon, produced a player-of-the-match display on the wing. Fellow winger Mikey Vuicakau and flanker Matt Phillips, a former hooker, were others to make Revell's MVP list.
Fullback Jacob Henry impressed with his kicking game for K9 Petfoods Clive. English prop Joe Winter and Magpies lock Josh Eden-Whaitiri were busy at the coalface for the riversiders.
NOBM 68 Pirate 9
Defending champions WIT Napier Old Boys Marist retained the Hawke's Bay Challenge Shield with this Park Island drubbing.
With their 35th consecutive win in Nash Cup or Maddison Trophy encounters NOBM scored 10 tries while conceding none. Fullback Liam Edwards scored 21 points with a try and eight conversions.
Sam Weber, who had stints at halfback and on the wing, was also classy in the Green Machine's backline. Sean Skeet was powerful at lock and blindside flanker for the hosts.
"We weren't at full strength and are still rebuilding but there were good signs for us. But in saying that NOBM were a different level in fitness to us," Pirate manager Charles Reid said.
Magpies prop Pouri Rakete-Stones, lock Damian Scott and No 8 Hamish Willis displayed plenty of endeavour in the visiting pack.
