Napier Pirate Panthers players shake hands with OutKast counterparts moments after fighting finished their match early on Saturday. Photo / Duncan Brown
Napier Pirate Panthers players shake hands with OutKast counterparts moments after fighting finished their match early on Saturday. Photo / Duncan Brown
Hawke's Bay rugby league had its first 100-pointer in this year's Spring-season competition when regular women's champions Tamatea Arikinui beat Hastings Rugby and Sports at the Regional Sports Park in Hastings on Saturday.
Tamatea remained on target for top seeding going in to the playoffs on October 5, and fora fourth title in a row, and ninth in 10 years, by scoring 20 tries, 7 to wing Kate Bradshaw and 11 converted by fullback Amy Williams.
Up 52-0 at halftime, they won 100-4, while Napier Pirate Panthers also had a comfortable win in the five-team grade's other match, beating Omahu Huia 44-6.
The Panthers' Premier men's side hammered home it's claims to a top playoffs seeding it thrashed defending champions OutKast 56-18, with a controversial end as fighting developed, sparking intervention by league official and ground controller Mike Tamati and a direction to referee Shane Foster to call the game off.
The Panthers controlled possession, with such big men as former Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby star, Otago Highlanders prop Clint Newland joined by veteran Taradale premier rugby player Reon Watts.
Newland, named by coach Wallace Sullivan as the Panthers' best forward, scored one of the side's 10 tries, and Watts scored twice.
Hooker Matt Hill continued his prolific tryscoring with three, and loose forward Matt Martin also scored.
It left just three of the four-pointers to the backs - centre and player-of-the day Rakei Ngaia, wing Te Rangi Rahui and standoff David Neilson, who also kicked eight goals.
The Panthers have a bye before the last minor premiership match against regular finalists Tamatea Arikinui, who extended their unbeaten record with a 42-22 win over Bridge Pa, while Flaxmere Falcons and Napier Tech kept-up their neck-and-neck battle for the third and fourth play-off berths with a 32-32 draw.
