Schools rugby: Comp wide open after West upset East

WEST RULES: Hastings West halfback Kahlia Awa was prominent in her team's win against East yesterday. PHOTO/FILE

Day four, Dannevirke

A Hastings West upset yesterday means there's a chance three teams could share the Ross Shield when the Hawke's Bay Primary Schools rugby tournament ends in Dannevirke today.

Winger Brayden Munro grabbed a hattrick as Hastings West beat previously unbeaten Hastings East 33-12 in the Battle of Hastings to win the Bill Mathewson Memorial Trophy in the feature match on day four of the 114th edition of the Heinz Wattie's-sponsored event. Should West beat Wairoa and East beat Napier tomorrow there will be a three-way tie for the Ross Shield.

"Everybody did their job. It was a top team effort. We will control what we can in our game which is first up and then get behind East in the final game of the day tomorrow," West head coach Anthony Easson said last night.

Halfback Kahlia Awa joined Munro as the standouts in a polished team effort.

"West really wanted it and got away in the second half after leading 14-12 at halftime," East manager Ian Horsefield said.

He was confident his troops could recover from this disappointment and beat Napier. Fullback Phelix Bargh, who scored two tries and displayed good vision, joined first five-eighth Cooper Flanders and flanker Dallas Hemi-Mason as the pick of the East contingent.

Central recorded their first win and took the Tino Amato Shield off Wairoa with a 19-5 victory. Central manager John Kilmister said this game was targeted by the Central coaching staff and their players responded to the task.

Second five-eighth Douglas Kerr produced a player-of-the-match performance in the winning backline which was well directed by first five-eighth Rylee Ward. Winger Taylor Topp relished quality service from the inside backs.

Lock Josh Cudby impressed with his second-half impact. Wairoa coach Sid Ropitini said it was a thrilling contest with the bounce of the ball favouring his opponents on several occasions.

Hooker Legacy Brown and No 8 Stanley Baty, who made numerous metres on the carry, were the best forwards. Inside back Moana Ropitini and centre Aprilia Huata were the best of the Wairoa backs.

Winger Joshua Adegoke grabbed a hattrick as defending champions Napier maintained their unbeaten run with a 61-16 win against Dannevirke. Napier captain and No 8 Kinghouse Tupuola led his forwards by example and his halfback-first five-eighth combination of Jehmial Ross and Lachlan McCarthy functioned well.

"Their 60 points weren't as easy as it sounds. Our heart was amazing ... we took them on," Dannevirke head coach Gerard McKay said and Napier assistant coach Paul Teddy agreed.

Captain and No 8 Tawera Rautahi and flanker Cody Borlase were inspirational in a Dannevirke pack where lock Angus Prouting displayed plenty of ticker. Centre Campbell Carrington-Morse, fullback Jacob Lucas and second five-eighth Orin Baker were gutsy Dannevirke backs.

Scorers:
Napier 61 (Josh Adegoke 3, Junior Telea 2, Lachlan McCarthy, Telea Faumui, Jehmial Ross, Afa Moleli tries; Moleli 8 cons), Dannevirke 16 (Tawera Rautahi try; Campbell Carrington-Morse 3 pens, con). HT: 35-3.
Central 19 (Josh Cudby, Oliver Wichman, Taylor Topp tries; Douglas Kerr 2 cons), Wairoa 5 (Kalaney Ruwhiu try). HT: 11-0.

Hastings West 33 (Brayden Munro 3, Jack Ralph, Kahlia Awa tries; Zedekiah Awa 2, Amiri Downs-Williams 2 cons), Hastings East 12 (Phelix Bargh 2 tries; Cooper Flanders con). HT: 14-12.