Rugby: Vuicakau confident villagers can hold trophy

Mikey Vuicakau's pace and stepping make him a regular attacking threat.

Wondering why Mikey Vuicakau has yet to play a match for the Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby team this season?

The flying Fijian, who has scored 14 tries in Hawke's Bay premier club rugby to date this season including six in the Maddison Trophy segment, isn't available.

"I've been too busy with work and we're getting married at the end of the year so I'm trying to save as much money as I can," Vuicakau said, referring to his fiancee, Courtney Hocking.

Vuicakau, who has made nine first-class appearances for the Magpies since his 2013 debut against Wellington, also pointed out he still hasn't fully recovered from lung and kidney-related injuries he sustained last year.

"My kidneys still aren't 100 per cent and I have to have a check-up with the doctor every six months."

There's little evidence of these concerns when Vuicakau, 27, is playing for Progressive Meats Havelock North. His sharp pace and dazzling stepping ability makes him a regular threat on attack and his gutsy defence belies his 1.77m tall and 83kg frame.

Expect more of this when the villagers host Northfuels Central in an eighth-round Tui Maddison Trophy fixture at Anderson Park tomorrow. It will be Vuicakau's 50th match for the unbeaten defending champions.

A Lattey Civil & Precast Ltd worker, Vuicakau is confident the villagers can retain the trophy.

"Hopefully I can stay injury-free and help the boys keep the roll on and go all the way."

Because of his Magpies' commitments last year he didn't play in the Maddison Trophy final but he was a member of the 2012-winning team.

"It would be good to get a second winner's medal," the former Wairarapa Bush representative said.

He is looking forward to tomorrow's match as he missed the villagers' 30-23 Nash Cup win against Central. It will be a surprise if Vuicakau doesn't maintain his berth among the competition's top tryscorers tomorrow.

And the chances of him returning to the Magpies in the future?

"That's definitely among my plans," he said.

Central flanker Tom Syme will make his 50th appearance for his team, who will be doing well to get within 15 points of their hosts.

Continuing the chase for a home semifinal won't be the only incentive for Ansin & Monteith Hastings Rugby and Sports when they host K9 Petfoods Clive at Elwood Park.

They will be eager to produce a polished display in memory of club stalwart Enoka ChungChing, who died on Monday.

The former age-group coach was the father of Enoka junior who plays halfback or wing for the Hastings side. Hastings should win this clash by 17.

Hawke's Bay Insurances Limited Napier Old Boys' Marist need the maximum five competition points against Carters Frame and Truss Taradale to keep their faint semifinal hopes alive. Recent form suggests the visitors should win by nine.

In other games, Tanalised Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports should return to the winning path with an 11-point victory when they are hosted by MAC at Flaxmere Park and Tech Group of Companies Napier Technical have the potential to win by 25 when they travel to Bill Mathewson Park to take on Tamatea.