Rugby: Respect fuels NOBM's drive

Fuels Up: Liams Edwards (right) on the job as a salesman chatting with New Zealand's best escavator operator Steve Galbraith. Photo/Duncan Brown

It could easily be dismissed as diplomatic chat from Napier Old Boys Marist premier rugby team's fullback Liam Edwards.

But the massive amount of respect Hawke's Bay Insurances Limited Napier Old Boys Marist have for each of their opposing teams is one of the reasons they have been the dominant team in Hawke's Bay premier rugby for the past two seasons.

"We had an outstanding season last year. To start this season with the Spillane Cup and New Zealand Marist Sevens title we couldn't be happier. But we have to keep level headed and Saturday's game against Tech is going to be a huge one," Edwards said, as he pondered the unbeaten defending champions' Tui Nash Cup fifth round encounter against second placed Altherm Window Systems Napier Technical at Park Island.

With their 78-9 drubbing of last year's Maddison Trophy runners-up Carters Frame and Truss Taradale last weekend, NOBM proved it won't be easy for any side to take the Nash Cup, Maddison Trophy and Hawke's Bay Challenge Shield off Edwards and co.

Edwards scored three tries in the romp to take his tally to seven from four games.

With his speed and class in all aspects of play Edwards, 25, produced a player-of-the-match performance to become the fourth weekly winner as the tussle to become the 2017 holder of the McDonald's-Hawke's Bay Today Club Rugby Player of the Year award continued.

"I think I'm playing as well as when I first turned up here in the Bay in 2014," Edwards said.

The former South Canterbury rep is actually playing better.

He is more mature and more capable of making the right decision in terms of when to pass or when to back himself.

Edwards is also more confident with his defensive reads but surprisingly isn't in the Magpies wider training group.

"Injuries and form have cost me in recent seasons. Hopefully I can keep playing well and get back in there ... I just have to let my displays on the field talk for me and then I might get a phone call," Edwards said.

The salesman with Rural Fuel came to the Bay after failing to make the Otago team as a loan player from South Canterbury.

Although he has yet to crack the Magpies, Edwards has kept busy.

In addition to cementing his job during the past two years, Edwards and wife Jess have moved into a house in Havelock North and the pair have produced their son Cooper, who is now two.

"Now I've got the domestic scene in order I can focus more on making the Magpies," Edwards said.

However, he knows not to look any further ahead than Saturday's match against the Texans. He agreed the Tech team is full of talent.

"We've got good players like Matt Gardiner and Sam Weber scheduled to come back into our squad in the next few weeks too. It's very exciting and we're all enjoying each other's company on and off the field."

Gardiner and Edwards coach their club's ninth grade junior team and Edwards said he enjoys putting something back into the club. He also enjoys talking rugby when he's out on the job.

"The farmers and contractors here in the Bay love their rugby ... their Magpies and Hurricanes in particular. I'm a Highlanders boy so you can imagine I was pretty happy when the Highlanders beat the Hurricanes in the final a couple of years ago.

Edwards will play his 50th game for NOBM against Tamatea in a fortnight. NOBM are capable of an 11 point win against Tech on Saturday.

In other matches, Ansin & Monteith Hastings Rugby and Sports should beat Tamatea by 13 at Elwood Park, K9 Petfoods Clive should beat Northfuels Central by 15 at Farndon Park, Carters Frame and Truss Taradale are capable of a 17-point win against Tanalised Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports at Tamatea Park, and Progressive Meats Havelock North should beat MAC by at least 19 at Flaxmere Park.

Best & fairest
■Tech v Hastings: 3, Tamati Samuels (Tech); 2, Kaleb Sweet (Tech); 1, Nathan Ramsay (Tech).
■ Clive v Tamatea: 3, Jonah Lowe (Clive); 2, Bronson Hokianga (Clive); 1, Hamiora Rowlands (Tamatea).
■ NOBM v Taradale: 3, Liam Edwards (NOBM); 2, Mitch Drew (NOBM); 1, Hannon Brighouse (NOBM).
■ Central v MAC: 3, Cole Eru (Central); 2, Jayden Milner (Central); 1, Lance Baker (Central).
■ Havelock North v Pirate: 3, Jesse Paewai (Havelock North); 2, Pouri Rakete-Stones (Pirate); 1, Shannan Chase (Havelock North).

Leaderboard: 6 points: Kaleb Sweet, Isaiah Martin (both Tech). 5: Hayden Hann (Pirate). 4: Jonah Lowe (Clive), Jesse Paewai (Havelock North), Fale Matamata (Hastings).